Stmicroelectronics S.r.l.

Mauro Cattaneo

Carlo Luigi Prelini

Domenico Giusti

Lorenzo Colombo

Flavio Francesco Villa

Ubaldo Mastromatteo

Gabriele Barlocchi

Marco Ferrera

Dino Faralli

Lorenzo Tentori

Andrea Nomellini

Alessandra Sciutti

Roberto Campedelli

Igor Varisco

Donata Asnaghi

A method for manufacturing a device for ejecting a fluid, including the steps of: forming, in a first semiconductor wafer that houses a nozzle of the ejection device, a first structural layer; removing selective portions of the first structural layer to form a first portion of a chamber for containing the fluid; removing, in a second semiconductor wafer that houses an actuator of the ejection device, selective portions of a second structural layer to form a second portion of the chamber; and coupling together the first and second semiconductor wafers so that the first portion directly faces the second portion, thus forming the chamber. The first portion defines a part of volume of the chamber that is larger than a respective part of volume of the chamber defined by the second portion.

Method for manufacturing a fluid-ejection device with improved resonance frequency and fluid ejection velocity, and fluid-ejection device

The microfluidic device has a plurality of ejector elements. Each ejector element includes a first region, accommodating a first fluid flow channel and an actuator chamber; a second region, accommodating a fluid containment chamber; and a third region, accommodating a second fluid flow channel. The fluid containment chamber is fluidically coupled to the first and to the second fluid flow channels. The second region is formed from a membrane layer, from a membrane definition layer, mechanically coupled to the membrane layer and having a membrane definition opening, and a fluid chamber defining body, mechanically coupled to the membrane definition layer and having a chamber defining opening, with a width greater than the width of the membrane definition opening. The width of the membrane is thus defined by the width of the chamber defining opening.

Microfluidic MEMS device with piezoelectric actuation and manufacturing process thereof

The fluid ejection microfluidic device, has a substrate; a buried cavity within the first substrate; a membrane formed by the first substrate and extending between the buried cavity and a first main surface of the substrate; and an access channel extending through the substrate, laterally and externally to the buried cavity and to the membrane and isolated with respect to the buried cavity. A sealed actuation structure extends over the first main surface of the substrate. A containment layer, of polymeric material, extends over the first main surface of the substrate and forms a fluid containment chamber accommodating the sealed actuation structure. A nozzle body of semiconductor material closes the fluid containment chamber at the top and is traversed by an ejection opening, forming, together with the fluid containment chamber and the access channel, a fluidic path.

Fluid ejection microfluidic device, in particular for ink printing, and manufacturing process thereof

Method for manufacturing a fluid-ejection device with improved resonance frequency and fluid-ejection velocity, and fluid-ejection device

A method for manufacturing a device for ejecting a fluid, including producing a nozzle plate including: forming a first nozzle cavity, having a first diameter, in a first semiconductor body; forming a hydrophilic layer at least in part in the first nozzle cavity; forming a structural layer on the hydrophilic layer; etching the structural layer to form a second nozzle cavity aligned to the first nozzle cavity in a fluid-ejection direction and having a second diameter larger than the first diameter; proceeding with etching of the structural layer for removing portions thereof in the first nozzle cavity, to reach the hydrophilic layer and arranged in fluid communication the first and second nozzle cavities; and coupling the nozzle plate with a chamber for containing the fluid.

Manufacturing method for a fluid-ejection device, and fluid-ejection device

A fluid ejection device, comprising: a first semiconductor body including an actuator, which is operatively coupled to a chamber for containing the fluid and is configured to cause ejection of the fluid; and a channel for inlet of the fluid, which extends in a first direction and has a section having a first dimension; and a second semiconductor body, which is coupled to the first semiconductor body and has an ejection nozzle configured to expel the fluid. The second semiconductor body further comprises a first restriction channel, which is fluidically coupled to the inlet channel, extends in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and has a respective section with a second dimension smaller than the first dimension so as to form a restriction between the inlet channel and the chamber.

Fluid ejection device with restriction channel, and manufacturing method thereof

A method for manufacturing a fluid ejection device, comprising the steps of: providing a first semiconductor body having a membrane layer and a piezoelectric actuator which extends over the membrane layer; forming a cavity underneath the membrane layer to form a suspended membrane; providing a second semiconductor body; making, in the second semiconductor body, an inlet through hole configured to form a supply channel of the fluid ejection device; providing a third semiconductor body; forming a recess in the third semiconductor body; forming an outlet channel through the third semiconductor body to form an ejection nozzle of the fluid ejection device; coupling the first semiconductor body with the third semiconductor body and the first semiconductor body with the second semiconductor body in such a way that the piezoelectric actuator is completely housed in the first recess, and the second recess forms an internal chamber of the fluid ejection device.

Method for manufacturing a fluid ejection device and fluid ejection device

The microreactor is completely integrated and is formed by a semiconductor body having a surface and housing at least one buried channel accessible from the surface of the semiconductor body through two trenches. A heating element extends above the surface over the channel and a resist region extends above the heating element and defines an inlet reservoir and an outlet reservoir. The reservoirs are connected to the trenches and have, in cross-section, a larger area than the trenches. The outlet reservoir has a larger area than the inlet reservoir. A sensing electrode extends above the surface and inside the outlet reservoir.

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Sedriano, Italy

Mauro Cattaneo