Xerox Corporation

Almon P Fisher

Gary Alan Kneezel

Herman A Hermanson

Donald J Drake

Ram S Narang

Cathie J Burke

Bidan Zhang

Mildred Calistri-Yeh

Diane Atkinson

Shan Christopher Clark

Lawrence H Herko

John Richard Andrews

Robert P Altavela

Peter J John

Timothy J Fuller

David Allen Mantell

William G Hawkins

Stephen F Pond

Narayan V Deshpande

Brian T Ormond

Lisa A DeLouise

Robert V Lorenze, Jr

Daniel E Kuhman

Michael C Ferringer

Reinhold E Drews

Allan F Camp

Mehmet Z Sengun

Ackerman C John

Herman H Hermanson

Bobbie A Rice

Disclosed is a process for forming a channel wafer for a novel ink jet printhead, having an ink particle-filter layer over the ink-inlet surface thereof. The process includes the steps of applying a thin coating of a heat-curable, photopatternable polymer composition to an intermediate substrate having a release surface and drying the coating to form a semi-solid adhesive layer. The layer and supporting substrate are pressed against the ink-inlet surface of a channel wafer with an optional adhesive layer to bond the layer to the ink inlet surface. The substrate is separated to transfer the contacting area of the semi-solid layer to the ink-inlet surface as a laminate, and the semi-solid layer is exposed through a filter-forming mask and ink particle-filter openings are developed therethrough, either before or after transfer of the semi-solid adhesive layer from the intermediate substrate to the ink-inlet surface of the channel wafer, and the filter layer is cured.

Formation of novel ink jet filter printhead using transferable photopatterned filter layer

Disclosed is a process for forming a channel wafer for a novel ink jet printhead, having an ink particle-filter layer over the ink-inlet surface thereof. The process comprises the steps of applying a thin coating of a heat-curable, photopatternable polymer composition to an intermediate substrate having a release surface and drying the coating to form a semi-solid adhesive layer. The layer and supporting substrate are pressed against the ink-inlet surface of a channel wafer with an optional adhesive layer to bond the layer to the ink inlet surface. The substrate is separated to transfer the contacting area of the semi-solid layer to the ink-inlet surface as a laminate, and the semi-solid layer is exposed through a filter-forming mask and ink particle-filter openings are developed therethrough, either before or after transfer of the semi-solid adhesive layer from the intermediate substrate to the ink-inlet surface of the channel wafer, and the filter layer is cured.

Disclosed is a process for forming a novel ink jet printhead which comprises: (a) providing a lower substrate in which one surface thereof has an array of drop generating elements and addressing electrodes formed thereon; (b) depositing onto the release surface of an intermediate film support a photopatternable layer comprising a precursor polymer which is a phenolic novolac resin having glycidyl ether functional groups; (c) prebaking the photopatternable layer to dry, semi-solid condition; (d) laminating the dry, semi-solid layer to the surface of the lower substrate under heat and pressure and separating it from the release surface of the intermediate film support; (e) exposing the photopatternable layer to actinic radiation in an imagewise pattern corresponding to ink nozzles and developing to form a nozzle plate section, and (f) removing the precursor polymer from the unexposed areas, thereby forming ink nozzle recesses which are aligned to communicate with the drop generating elements and terminal ends of the electrodes of the lower substrate laminated thereto. Step (e) may be carried out either before or after step (d).

Formation of photopatterned ink jet nozzle plates by transfer methods

A filter structure having a plurality of pores through the structure each of the pores having a cross section with a length (L) and a width (W) wherein the dimension of L is greater than the dimension of W. The filter can be used with an improved ink jet printhead having an ink inlet in one of its surfaces, a plurality of nozzles, individual channels connecting the nozzles to an internal ink supplying manifold, the manifold being supplied ink through the ink inlet, and selectively addressable heating elements for expelling ink droplets, the improved ink jet printhead comprising a substantially flat filter having predetermined dimensions and being bonded to the printhead containing the ink inlet, the filter having a plurality of pores, therethrough, each of the pores having a cross section with a length&equals;L and a width&equals;W, wherein the dimension of L is greater than the dimension of W. Also disclosed is a method for fabricating a filter element comprising the steps of positioning a thin polymer film in the output radiation path of an ablating laser, and controlling the laser output so that a plurality of pores are formed in portions of the polymer film, each of the pores having a cross section with a length (L) and a width (W), wherein the dimension of L is greater than the dimension of W.

Laser ablated filter

A method of forming a semiconductor structure from a first wafer and a second wafer. A pit or groove is formed in a lower surface of the first wafer. The lower surface of the first wafer is bonded to an upper surface of the second wafer. A groove is then formed on an upper surface of the first wafer, such that an opening is formed in the first wafer that exposes at least one alignment reference target on the upper surface of the second wafer. The bonded first wafer and second wafer is then diced using the exposed at least one alignment reference target to form a semiconductor structure.

Methods of forming semiconductor structure

A method of fabricating a printhead for use in an ink jet printing device which includes providing a substrate having at least one substantially planar surface. An array of heating elements are formed on the surface of the substrate and addressed with a current pulse from an electrode. Depositing an insulating layer over the surface. Next, the insulating layer is mechanically or chemically treated to expose the heating elements. An ink channel plate is formed and includes at least one ink reservoir and one ink channel. A key or keyway is formed on channel plate and a corresponding key or keyway is formed on the insulating layer. The said channel plate is then adhesively secured to the substrate using the key and keyway as an alignment aid to achieve proper positioning of the ink channels and the heating elements.

Ink jet printhead and method for its manufacture

Disclosed is an ink jet printhead which comprises (i) an upper substrate with a set of parallel grooves for subsequent use as ink channels and a recess for subsequent use as a manifold, the grooves being open at one end for serving as droplet emitting nozzles, and (ii) a lower substrate in which one surface thereof has an array of heating elements and addressing electrodes formed thereon, said lower substrate having an insulative layer deposited on the surface thereof and over the heating elements and addressing electrodes and patterned to form recesses therethrough to expose the heating elements and terminal ends of the addressing electrodes, the upper and lower substrates being aligned, mated, and bonded together to form the printhead with the grooves in the upper substrate being aligned with the heating elements in the lower substrate to form droplet emitting nozzles, said upper substrate comprising a material formed by crosslinking or chain extending a polymer of formula I or II.

Thermal ink jet printhead and process for the preparation thereof

An efficient fluid filtering device is provided for filtering unwanted contaminants from flowing fluid, such as ink flowing into an ink jet printhead. The efficient fluid filtering device includes a generally flat member having a first side and a second side, and a series of fluid flow holes formed through the flat member from the first side to the second side. Importantly, the efficient fluid filtering device also has a series of pillar members, including pillar members defining a trough portion around each fluid flow hole. The pillar members and the trough portions are arranged around each hole so as to efficiently prevent bubbles and contaminants in flowing fluid from impeding fluid flow from the first side through to the second side.

Efficient fluid filtering device and an ink jet printhead including the same

An ink jet printhead is disclosed which has a heater plate containing the heating elements and driving circuitry means monolithographically formed on one surface thereof and the ink flow directing channel structure is formed on the heater plate using a layer of patternable material, so that all critical alignments are done directly on the heater plate. In one embodiment, the patternable material is a photosensitive polymer which is exposed using a mask to define the channel and reservoir pattern, which is then developed and cured. After curing, the patterned channel structure is polished to provide a smooth coplanar surface and a cover plate with an aperture therein is aligned with a loose tolerance to the channel structure and bonded thereto to complete the printhead. The aperture serves as both ink inlet and a portion of the ink reservoir. The channels are open at one end and serve as the droplet ejecting nozzles, while the other ends are connected to the reservoir. In one embodiment, the cover plate is transparent and the channel structure material is polyimide or polyarylene ether ketone.

Ink jet printhead having a patternable ink channel structure

A nozzle plate for ink jet cartridges which are manufactured from a relatively thin film of material, such as, for example, polyimide, polyarylene ether, or composite of a number of materials deposited on a rigid substrate, such as a silicon wafer, and photolithographically processed from the rigid substrate to produce a large quantity of interconnected nozzle plates which may be removed as a sheet of interconnected nozzle plates for ease of handling. The nozzle plates are aligned and bonded to the nozzle bearing front faces of the cartridges.

Nozzle plates for ink jet cartridges

An ink jet printhead has improved resistance to the corrosive effects of ink by coating ink sensitive areas with a photo-imageable benzocyclobutene (BCB) polymer. The BCB can be patterned so as to provide a protective coating over selected areas while leaving other areas uncoated. In one described embodiment, a thermal ink jet printer is formed by bonding together a channel plate and a heater plate. Resistors and electrical connections are formed in the surface of the heater plate. A BCB layer is formed so as to overlie the heater plate to protect the electrical elements while providing pit structure for the heater and for ink flow bypass.

Ink jet printing device

An improved microelectromechanical device, such as a thermal ink jet die or printhead, is formed by the alignment of two planar substrates bonded together by an intermediate thick film layer of patterned polymeric material, such as polyimide. The improved device has a fully cured, patterned thick film layer which is planarized by chemical-mechanical polishing-to improve the bonding strength between the substrates. The planarization removes topographical formations generated during the deposition of the thick film layer and/or during the patterning of the recesses therein.

Micro-electromechanical die module with planarized thick film layer

A method of fabricating a pagewidth array of buttable printheads reduces end channel damage. The wafer containing a plurality of arrays of channels is provided with V-grooves. A V-groove is positioned between each array. When the wafer is secured to a wafer containing heater plates, wafers are diced along the V-shaped grooves to reduce damage to the end channels of the array to improve print quality.

Printhead array and method of producing a printhead die assembly that

A method of dicing a printhead wafer containing a plurality of individual print elements into discreet elements. A back side relief feature is formed on the bottom front edge of a thermal ink jet print element from a heater side during a first dicing cut, followed by a second dicing cut from a channel side of the wafer to form a front face nozzle. The back cut feature enables front face maintenance by a wiper blade or other maintenance operation, provides a pocket for excess die bonding adhesive during manufacture, and reduces front face chipping during dicing caused by the saw blade contacting the die wafer mounting media and becoming contaminated. The relief feature may be a square step feature or a beveled back cut feature and may additionally be located on a top front edge of the print element.

Growing community of inventors

Rochester, NY, United States of America

Almon P Fisher