Lexmark International, Inc.

Karthik Vaideeswaran

Girish Shivaji Patil

James M Mrvos

John William Krawczyk

Christopher John Money

Andrew McNees

Jason Todd Vanderpool

Richard Lee Warner

Brian Christopher Hart

Mark Doerre

Jeanne M Saldanha Singh

David L Bernard

Gary Raymond Williams

Cory Nathan Hammond

David Bruce Rhine

A method of etching a semiconductor substrate. The method includes the steps of applying a photoresist etch mask layer to a device surface of the substrate. A select first area of the photoresist etch mask is masked, imaged and developed. A select second area of the photoresist etch mask layer is irradiated to assist in post etch stripping of the etch mask layer from the select second area. The substrate is etched to form fluid supply slots through a thickness of the substrate. At least the select second area of the etch mask layer is removed from the substrate, whereby mask layer residue formed from the select second area of the etch mask layer is significantly reduced.

Method for making a micro-fluid ejection device

A micro-fluid ejection assembly and method therefor. The micro-fluid ejection assembly includes a silicon substrate having a fluid supply slot therein. The fluid supply slot is formed by an etch process conducted on a substrate using, a first etch mask circumscribing the fluid supply slot, and a second etch mask applied over a functional layer on the substrate.

Micro-fluid ejection assemblies

A method for improving fluidic flow for a microfluidic device having a through hole or slot therein. The method includes the steps of forming one or more openings through at least part of a thickness of a substrate from a first surface to an opposite second surface using a reactive ion etching process whereby an etch stop layer is applied to side wall surfaces in the one or more openings during alternating etching and passivating steps as the openings are etched through at least a portion of the substrate. Substantially all of the etch stop layer coating is removed from the side wall surfaces by treating the side wall surfaces using a method selected from chemical treatment and mechanical treatment, whereby a surface energy of the treated side wall surfaces is increased relative to a surface energy of the side wall surfaces containing the etch stop layer coating.

Microfluidic substrates having improved fluidic channels

A radiation curable resin composition having improved flexibility. The radiation curable composition having from about 5 to about 50 weight percent of a difunctional polymeric compound; from about 1 to about 10 weight percent of a photoinitiator; from about 1 to about 10 weight percent of a flexibilizer agent, wherein the flexibilizer agent has a molecular weight ranging from about 400 to about 10,000; and about 30 to about 90 weight percent of the non-photoreactive solvent, wherein the weight percents are based on the total weight of the resin composition. Ink jet print heads and ink jet printing apparatusess comprising ink jet print heads utilizing the radiation curable resin compositions are also included.

Radiation curable compositions having improved flexibility

A process for etching semiconductor substrates using a deep reactive ion etching process to produce through holes or slots (referred to collectively as 'slots') in the substrates. The process includes applying a first layer to a first surface of substrate to provide an etch mask material layer on the first surface of the substrate. A second layer is applied to a second surface of the substrate to provide an etch stop material layer on the second surface of the substrate. The first layer and the second layer have similar solubilities in one or more organic solvents. The substrate is etched from the first surface of the wafers to provide a slot in the substrate. After etching the substrate, the etch mask material layer and the etch stop material layer are removed by contacting the first surface and the second surface of the substrate with a single organic solvent.

Dry etching methods

A process for etching semiconductor substrates using a deep reactive ion etching process to produce through holes or slots (hereinafter 'slots') in the substrates. The process includes applying a first layer to a back side of a substrate as a first etch stop material. The first layer is a relatively soft etch stop material. A second layer is applied to the first layer on the back side of the substrate to provide a composite etch stop layer. The second layer is a relatively hard etch stop material. The substrate is etched from a side opposite the back side of the substrate to provide a slot in the substrate.

Multiple layer etch stop and etching method

Methods for improving flow through fluidic channels

A method for forming a fluid feed via in a semiconductor substrate chip for a micro-fluid ejection head. The method includes applying a photoresist planarization and protection layer to a first surface of the chip. The photoresist planarization and protection layer is patterned and developed to define at least one fluid feed via location. A strippable layer is applied to the photoresist planarization and protection layer on the chip. The strippable layer is patterned and developed with a photomask to define the at least one fluid feed via location in the strippable layer. The chip is then dry etched to form at least one fluid feed via in the defined feed via location. Before or after etching the chip, deprotection of the strippable layer is induced so that the strippable layer can be substantially removed with a solvent without substantially affecting the photoresist planarization and protection layer.

Growing community of inventors

Lexington, KY, United States of America

Karthik Vaideeswaran