Method of manufacturing a micro-electromechanical fluid ejecting device

• US 6,787,051 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2002
• Issued: 09/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Memjet Technology Ltd. (Memjet Limited)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia
• Primary Examiner(s): Norton, Nadine G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ahmed, Shamim
• Application Number:
  US10/302,604
• Publication Number:
  US 20030071012A1
• Time in Patent Office: 654 Days
• Field of Search: 216/2, 216/27, 216/95, 438/21, 347/44, 347/54
• US Class Current: 216/27
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 15/044 Cassettes or cartridges containing continuous copy material, tape, for setting into printing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/01 Ink jet
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14 Structure thereof only for on-demand ink jet heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14314 Structure of ink jet print heads with electrostatically actuated membrane
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14427 Structure of ink jet print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16 Production of nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1601 Production of bubble jet print heads B41J2/1606, B41J2/162 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1623 bonding and adhesion
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1626 etching
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• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1645 thin film formation by spincoating
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1646 thin film formation by sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1648 : Production of print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16585 : for paper-width or non-reciprocating print heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17503 : Ink cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 : Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17596 : Ink pumps, ink valves
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/041 : Electromagnetic transducer
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14491 : Electrical connection
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/21 : Line printing
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• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/13 : Cases or covers
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/00 : Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 : Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
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• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 : Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
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• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/32 : including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials
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• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 : using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2154 : the still video camera incorporating a hardcopy reproducing device, e.g. a printer
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• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32122 : in a separate device, e.g. in a memory or on a display separate from image data
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• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3269 : of machine readable codes or marks, e.g. bar codes or glyphs
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• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/00 : Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2628 : Alteration of picture size, shape, position or orientation, e.g. zooming, rotation, rolling, perspective, translation
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/14 : Structural association of two or more printed circuits providing electric connection to or between printed circuits H05K1/11, H01R12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/189 : characterised by the use of a flexible or folded printed circuit H05K3/326 takes precedence
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• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/94 : in a logic circuit

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a micro-electromechanical fluid ejecting device includes the step of forming a plurality of nozzle chambers on a wafer substrate. Sacrificial layers are deposited on the wafer substrate. A plurality of fluid ejecting mechanisms is formed on the sacrificial layers to be operatively positioned with respect to the nozzle chambers. The sacrificial layers are etched to free the fluid ejecting mechanisms. The fluid ejecting mechanisms are formed so that they are capable of ejecting fluid through both of a pair of fluid ejection ports defined in a roof of each nozzle chamber on one cycle of operation of the fluid ejecting mechanism.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a micro-electromechanical fluid ejecting device that includes a plurality of nozzle arrangements, each nozzle arrangement defining a nozzle chamber and a pair of fluid ejection ports in fluid communication with the nozzle chamber and a fluid ejecting mechanism operatively positioned with respect to the nozzle chamber to selectively eject fluid from either of the fluid ejection ports, the method comprising the steps of:

partially forming the plurality of nozzle chambers within a wafer substrate;

depositing at least one sacrificial layer on the wafer substrate;

forming at least part of each fluid ejecting mechanism on the, or one of the, sacrificial layers; and

etching the, or each, sacrificial layer to free the fluid ejecting mechanisms.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which the step of forming the nozzle chambers includes the step of etching the wafer substrate to define walls of the nozzle chambers.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, which includes the step of forming each pair of fluid ejection ports by depositing a roof wall layer on the, or each, sacrificial layer and etching through the roof wall layer.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, which includes the step of depositing at least two sacrificial layers so that the sacrificial layers each define deposition zones for components of the fluid ejecting mechanism.