Tektronix, Inc.

Qiyue Chia Jiang

Thomas R Shrout

Hue Phuoc Le

Qiming Zhang

Jon C Mutton

Ronald L Adams

L Eric Cross

A ferroelectric relaxor ceramic actuator material, such as lead magnesium niobate ('PMN'), has high electromechanical conversion efficiency, exhibits wide operating and manufacturing temperature ranges, does not require permanent polarization, and provides useful mechanical activity with reduced electrical drive voltages. A PMN actuator (66) may be bonded to an actuator diaphragm (64) with a high temperature soldering or brazing process. PMN material also has a diffuse Curie point range in which the dielectric constant (40), 'd' coefficient (32), and dielectric loss (42) characteristics all rise to a peak and then fall as the temperature increases. A phase-change ink-jet print head (50) employs a PMN actuator that is compounded with lead titanate ('PT') to increase the temperature (T.sub.M) at which the peak dielectric constant occurs. The print head is operated at a temperature beyond the peak where the PMN:PT actuator 'd' coefficient decreases as the temperature increases such that an increase in ink-jet drop ejection velocity caused by reduced ink viscosity is compensated for by a corresponding reduction in mechanical activity. The PMN:PT actuator thereby relaxes the temperature regulation and heat spreading requirements of the phase-change ink-jet print head.

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Wilsonville, OR, United States of America

Qiyue Chia Jiang