Ink jet recording head and method of manufacturing the same, and ink jet recording apparatus

• US 20020145648A1
• Filed: 02/13/2002
• Published: 10/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Tetsushi
• Granted Patent: US 6,692,114 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/70
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/161 of film type, deformed by bending and disposed on a diaphragm
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1623 bonding and adhesion
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1626 etching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49126 Assembling bases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49128 Assembling formed circuit to base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4913 Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49401 Fluid pattern dispersing device making, e.g., ink jet

Abstract

An ink jet recording head having a passage forming substrate made of a silicon monocrystalline substrate having pressure generating chambers communicating with nozzle orifices, and piezoelectric elements being formed on one of surfaces of the passage forming substrate with vibration plates interposed therebetween, each piezoelectric element including a lower electrode film, a piezoelectric layer and an upper electrode, wherein, wide portions, longitudinally extending, are provided on the vibration plate side of the pressure generating chambers, grooves, while extending in the longitudinal direction of the wide portion, are formed on both sides of each wide portion of the passage forming substrate, and the etching stop layers which define the side walls of each wide portion as viewed in the width direction to restrict the spread of the etching in the width direction of the pressure generating chamber, are put in the grooves.

Claims

1. An ink jet recording head comprising:

a passage forming substrate made of a silicon monocrystalline substrate including a pressure generating chamber communicating with a nozzle orifice;

a vibration plate provided on a surface of the passage forming substrate;

a piezoelectric element provided on the vibration plate having a lower electrode film, a piezoelectric layer and an upper electrode;

a wide portion provided in the pressure generating chamber on a side of the vibration plate, extending in a longitudinal direction of the pressure generating chamber,

a groove formed on a side of the wide portion, extending in a longitudinal direction of the wide portion; and

an etching stop layer provided in the groove, defining a side wall of the wide portion as viewed in the width direction thereof to restrict the spread of the etching in the width direction.

2. The ink jet recording head according to claim 1,

wherein the etching stop layer has an insulating property.

3. The ink jet recording head according to claim 1, wherein the etching stop layer is made of the same material as a part of the vibration plate.

4. The ink jet recording head according to claim 1, wherein the etching stop layer is made of silicon oxide.

5. The ink jet recording head according to claim 1, wherein a width of the groove is selected to be a smaller value than a value two times as large as the thickness of the etching stop layer.

6. The ink jet recording head according to 1, wherein a part of the pressure generating chamber at the side of the vibration plate is formed by anisotropic dry etching process.

7. An ink jet recording apparatus being provided with the ink jet recording head according to any of claims 1 to 6.

8. A method of manufacturing An ink jet recording head including a passage forming substrate made of a silicon monocrystalline substrate having a pressure generating chamber communicating with a nozzle orifice, a vibration plate provided on a surface of the passage forming substrate, a piezoelectric element provided on the vibration plate having a lower electrode film, a piezoelectric layer and an upper electrode, which are formed by film forming and lithography processes, the method comprising the steps of:

forming a groove on both sides of a region in one surface of the passage forming substrate where the pressure generating chamber is to be formed, the grooves extending in the longitudinal direction;

forming an etching stop layer in the groove for restricting the etching of the passage forming substrate;

forming the piezoelectric element by successively laminating the lower electrode, the piezoelectric layer and the upper electrode on the surface of the passage forming substrate through a vibration plate interposed therebetween and by patterning the resultant structure; and

forming the pressure generating chamber by etching out the side of the vibration plate in the passage forming substrate by the anisotropic dry etching process so that the etching stop layer is exposed.

9. The ink jet recording head manufacturing method according to claim 8, wherein in the pressure generating chamber forming step, the passage forming substrate is subjected to anisotropic wet etching, and then anisotropic dry etching, thereby forming the pressure generating chamber.

10. The ink jet recording head manufacturing method according to claim 8, wherein the etching stop layer has each an insulating property.

11. The ink jet recording head manufacturing method according to claim 8, wherein the etching stop layer is made of the same material as a part of the vibration plate.

12. The ink jet recording head manufacturing method according to claim 8, wherein the etching stop layer is made of silicon oxide.

13. The ink jet recording head manufacturing method according to any of claims 8, wherein in the step of forming the groove, the width of the groove is selected to be a smaller value than a value two times as large as the thickness of the etching stop layer.