AU2004202250B2 - Long life actuator element - Google Patents

Description

LONG LIFE ACTUATOR

ELEMENT

Field of the Invention This invention relates to an actuator element which forms a portion of a micro electro-mechanical device. The invention is herein described in the context of an ink jet printer but it will be appreciated that the application does have application to other micro electro-mechanical devices such as micro electro-mechanical pumps.

Background of the Invention Micro electro-mechanical devices are becoming increasingly well known and normally are constructed by the employment of semi-conductor fabrication techniques. For a review of micro-mechanical devices consideration may be given to the article "The Broad Sweep of Integrated Micro Systems" by S. Tom Picraux and Paul J. McWhorter published December 1998 in IEEE Spectrum at pages 24 to 33.

One type of micro electro-mechanical device is the ink jet printing device from which ink is ejected by way of an ink ejection nozzle chamber. Many forms of the ink jet printing device are known. For a survey of the field, reference is made to an article by J Moore, "Non-Impact Printing: Introduction and Historical Perspective", Output Hard Copy Devices, Editors R Dubeck and S Sherr, pages 207 220 (1988).

A new form of ink jet printing has recently been developed by the present applicant, this being referred to as Micro Electro Mechanical Inkjet (MEMJET) technology. In one embodiment of the MEMJET technology, ink is ejected from an ink ejection nozzle chamber by a paddle or plunger which is moved toward an ejection nozzle of the chamber by an electro-mechanical actuator for ejecting drops of ink from the ejection nozzle chamber.

The present invention relates to an actuator .element for use as an integrated component in the MEMJET technology and in other micro electro-mechanical devices.

Summary of the Invention 3 0 The invention may be broadly defined as providing an actuator element as a portion of a micro electro-mechanical device, wherein the actuator element comprises a movable arm that is connected at one end to a substrate and which is formed at least in part from a MJ113-AU mixed metal nitride. In one preferred form, the mixed metal nitride is a titanium-aluminium nitride composition. The aluminium preferably is present in an amount not greater than of the total titanium-aluminium composition and most preferably is present in an amount equal to about 20% of the total titanium-aluminium composition.

The movable arm of the actuator element preferably is formed by a sputter process as one step in a semi-conductor structure fabrication process. More specifically, the movable arm of the actuator element may be formed by reactively sputtering material from a titanium-aluminium alloy in the presence of nitrogen gas.

Detailed Description of the Invention The actuator element of the present invention in its preferred form is fabricated as a part of a printhead ink ejector from which ink is ejected by actuation of a thermal actuator.

The thermal actuator includes first and second arms which are interconnected in a manner such that they are caused to bend when electrical current is passed through the first arm, causing the first arm to be heated and to expand relative to the second arm.

The first and second arms are coupled to a movable element such as a paddle within an ink ejector nozzle, and bending of the arms causes displacement of the movable element and consequential ejection of ink from the nozzle.

For a more detailed description of the above arrangement, reference may be made to International Patent Application No. PCT/AU00/00095 filed on February 11, 2000 lodged by the present applicant.

Titanium nitride has been proposed as a material that might be suitable for use in forming the arm through which the electric (heating) current is passed. That material is known to be suitable for use in the fabrication of semi-conductor devices and it possesses a coefficient of thermal expansion that is in the order required to produce desired bending characteristics.

However, it has been determined that, in order to maximise printer operating efficiency, a high temperature should be generated in the thermal actuator over a short period of time, typically less than 2 micro seconds, and this imposes a limit on the use of titanium nitride. Titanium nitride is known to oxidise at a temperature of around 600'C and this imposes a constraint on the use of that material.

MJ113-AU

I

It is in this context that many mixed metal nitrides have been found to have much higher oxidation temperatures. In particular, titanium-aluminium nitride compositions have been found to be suitable, having as it does an oxidation temperature in the order of 9000C.

MJ113-AU

Claims (4)

1. An actuator element forming a portion of a micro electro-mechanical device and which comprises a movable arm that is connected at one end to a substrate, said moveable arm comprising first and second arms which are interconnected in a manner such that they are caused to bend when electrical current is passed through the first arm, causing the first arm to be heated and to expand relative to the second arm, wherein said first arm is formed at least in part from titanium aluminium nitride

2. The actuator element as claimed in claim 1 wherein the titanium-aluminium nitride composition contains aluminium in an amount not greater than 55% of the total titanium-aluminium composition.

3. The actuator element as claimed in claim 1 wherein the aluminium is present in the composition in an amount equal to about 20% of the total titanium-aluminium composition.

4. The actuator element as claimed in claim 3 formed by reactively sputtering material from a titanium-aluminium alloy in the presence of nitrogen gas. MJ113-AU