Iris Graphics, Inc.

Axsun Technologies, Inc.

David B West

Scott Barraclough

Dale C Flanders

Peter S Whitney

Michael Francis Miller

Stanley R Shanfield

Minh Van Le

A tunable Fabry-Perot filter includes an optical cavity bounded by a stationary reflector and a deformable or movable membrane reflector. A second electrostatic cavity outside of the optical cavity includes a pair of electrodes, one of which is mechanically coupled to the movable membrane reflector. A voltage applied to the electrodes across the electrostatic cavity causes deflection of the membrane, thereby changing the length of the optical cavity and tuning the filter. The filter with the movable membrane can be formed by micro device photolithographic and fabrication processes from a semiconductor material in an integrated device structure. The membrane can include an inner movable membrane portion connected within an outer body portion by a pattern of tethers. The tether pattern can be such that straight or radial tethers connect the inner membrane with the outer body. Alternatively, a tether pattern with tethers arranged in a substantially spiral pattern can be used.

Integrated tunable fabry-perot filter and method of making same

A nozzle for an ink-jet printer is provided. The nozzle is manufactured from a heat-softenable tube and has a gradually converging inner diameter leading to an orifice less than 30 microns in diameter and an outer nozzle diameter proximate the orifice at least as great as the outer diameter at other points along the tube. The nozzle is produced by heating a short segment of a heat-softenable tube while rotating it, until said segment is sufficiently softened to cause the inner diameter to converge at an angle between 5 and 25 degrees with respect to the axis of symmetry of the tube, and until the inner diameter is equal to or less than a selected orifice diameter. The gradual taper is achieved solely as a result of heat-activated surface forces inherent in the tube material and without external drawing or pulling of the tube. Further the gradual taper facilitates achieving a desired orifice dimension during removal of a portion of the tube having an inner diameter less than the selected orifice diameter. The extremely small orifice size enables an ink-jet printer to deposit droplets of ink sufficiently small to make photographic-quality gray scale and color images. Such a nozzle can also advantageously be used for biological, medical and pharmaceutical apparatuses and devices.

Ink jet nozzle

A nozzle for an ink-jet printer is provided having a gradually converging inner diameter leading to an orifice less than 15 microns in diameter and having an outer nozzle diameter proximate the orifice at least as great as the outer diameter at other points along the nozzle. The nozzle is produced by heating a vitreous tube while rotating it, until a portion of the tube is sufficiently viscous to cause the inner diameter to converge at an angle between 5 and 25 degrees with respect to the axis of symmetry of the tube, and until the inner diameter is less than a selected orifice diameter. The gradual taper is achieved without drawing or pulling the tube and it facilitates achieving a desired orifice dimension during removal of a portion of the tube having an inner diameter less than the selected orifice diameter. The extremely small orifice size enables an ink-jet printer to deposit droplets of ink sufficiently small to make photographic-quality gray scale and color images.

Ink-jet nozzle

Growing community of inventors

Cambridge, MA, United States of America

David B West