Electromechanical transducer element, method of producing the element, liquid discharge head incorporating the element, and liquid discharge apparatus incorporating the head

• US 10,786,988 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2017
• Issued: 09/29/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Takeuchi, Atsushi, Machida, Osamu, Shimofuku, Akira, Abe, Shuya, Ishimori, Masahiro, Hirabayashi, Takuma
• Primary Examiner(s): Dougherty, Thomas M
• Application Number:
  US15/668,839
• Publication Number:
  US 20180117915A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• Field of Search: 310367-370, 310800, 310328
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14233 of film type, deformed by bending and disposed on a diaphragm
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1612 of stacked structure type, deformed by compression/extension and disposed on a diaphragm
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1629 wet etching
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1631 photolithography
• 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: H10N 30/06 Forming electrodes or interconnections, e.g. leads or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/078 by sol-gel deposition
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/1051 based on piezoelectric or electrostrictive films or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/2047 Membrane type
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/2048 having non-planar shape
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/87 Electrodes or interconnections, e.g. leads or terminals

Abstract

An electromechanical transducer element includes a first electrode on a substrate, an electromechanical transducer film on the first electrode, and a second electrode on the electromechanical transducer film. The electromechanical transducer film includes a thin line pattern. The thin line pattern includes a plurality of thin lines that are spaced away from each other.

Claims

1. A liquid discharge head, comprising an electromechanical transducer element, the transducer element comprising:

a first electrode on a substrate;

an electromechanical transducer film on the first electrode; and

a second electrode on the electromechanical transducer film,

wherein the electromechanical transducer film includes a thin line pattern, the thin line pattern including a plurality of thin lines that are spaced away from each other, or

wherein the electromechanical transducer film includes a ring pattern, the ring pattern including a plurality of rings that are spaced away from each other, or

wherein the electromechanical transducer film includes a crossing pattern, the crossing pattern including a plurality of thin lines that cross each other.

2. The liquid discharge head of claim 1,

wherein the electromechanical transducer film including a ring pattern, the ring pattern including a plurality of rings that are spaced away from each other.

3. The liquid discharge head of claim 2, wherein the ring pattern is a concentric ring pattern.

4. The liquid discharge head of claim 3, wherein the concentric ring pattern includes a plurality of concentric circular rings.

5. The liquid discharge head of claim 4, wherein adjacent concentric circular rings of the plurality of concentric circular rings are connected to each other.

6. The liquid discharge head of claim 1,

wherein the electromechanical transducer film including a crossing pattern, the crossing pattern including a plurality of thin lines that cross each other.

7. The liquid discharge head of claim 1, wherein the electromechanical transducer film includes a thin line pattern, wherein the thin line pattern includes a plurality of thin lines that are spaced away from each other.

8. A liquid discharge apparatus, comprising the liquid discharge head of claim 1.

9. A liquid discharge apparatus, comprising the liquid discharge head of claim 2.

10. A liquid discharge apparatus, comprising the liquid discharge head of claim 3.

11. A liquid discharge apparatus, comprising the liquid discharge head of claim 4.

12. A liquid discharge apparatus, comprising the liquid discharge head of claim 5.

13. A liquid discharge apparatus, comprising the liquid discharge head of claim 6.

14. The liquid discharge head of claim 1, wherein the substrate is an SOI film.

15. The liquid discharge head of claim 1, wherein the electromechanical transducer film comprises lead zirconate titanate.

16. The liquid discharge head of claim 1, wherein the electromechanical transducer film is lead zirconate titanate.

17. The liquid discharge head of claim 1, wherein the substrate is suitable to withstand 700°

C. heating.

18. The liquid discharge head of claim 1, wherein the patterns are spaced by a width in a range of from 20 to 300 μ

m.

19. The liquid discharge head of claim 1, wherein the electromechanical transducer film has a thickness up to 2 μ

m.

20. The liquid discharge head of claim 1, wherein the substrate has a thickness of up to 51 μ

m.