AU770945B2 - Actuator element - Google Patents
Actuator element Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- AU770945B2 AU770945B2 AU40915/00A AU4091500A AU770945B2 AU 770945 B2 AU770945 B2 AU 770945B2 AU 40915/00 A AU40915/00 A AU 40915/00A AU 4091500 A AU4091500 A AU 4091500A AU 770945 B2 AU770945 B2 AU 770945B2
- Authority
- AU
- Australia
- Prior art keywords
- actuator element
- aluminium
- composition
- titanium
- ink
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Ceased
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- Particle Formation And Scattering Control In Inkjet Printers (AREA)
Description
wn nn/d4805 PCT/AU00/00341 -1- 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 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 WO Ol4If4Rl Pt'TIA TlmntdlY A -2" movable arm that is connected at one end to a substrate and which is formed at least in part from a titanium-aluminium nitride composition. The aluminium preferably is present in an amount not greater than 55% of the total titanium-aluminium composition and most preferably is present in an amount equal to about 20% of the total titaniumaluminium 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/AUOO/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 WO 00/64805 PCT/AU00/00341 -3of 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.
It is in this context that the titanium-aluminium nitride composition has been found to be suitable, having as it does an oxidation temperature in the order of 900*C.
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 and which is formed at least in part from a titanium-aluminium nitride composition.
2. The actuator element as claimed in claim 1 wherein the 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 1 when formed by reactively sputtering material from a titanium-aluminium alloy in the presence of nitrogen gas:
Priority Applications (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| AU40915/00A AU770945B2 (en) | 1999-04-22 | 2000-04-20 | Actuator element |
| AU2004202250A AU2004202250B2 (en) | 1999-04-22 | 2004-05-26 | Long life actuator element |
Applications Claiming Priority (4)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| AUPP9930 | 1999-04-22 | ||
| AUPP9930A AUPP993099A0 (en) | 1999-04-22 | 1999-04-22 | A micromechancial device and method(ij46p2b) |
| AU40915/00A AU770945B2 (en) | 1999-04-22 | 2000-04-20 | Actuator element |
| PCT/AU2000/000341 WO2000064805A1 (en) | 1999-04-22 | 2000-04-20 | Actuator element |
Related Child Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| AU2004202250A Division AU2004202250B2 (en) | 1999-04-22 | 2004-05-26 | Long life actuator element |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| AU4091500A AU4091500A (en) | 2000-11-10 |
| AU770945B2 true AU770945B2 (en) | 2004-03-11 |
Family
ID=25625369
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| AU40915/00A Ceased AU770945B2 (en) | 1999-04-22 | 2000-04-20 | Actuator element |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| AU (1) | AU770945B2 (en) |
Citations (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US5231306A (en) * | 1992-01-31 | 1993-07-27 | Micron Technology, Inc. | Titanium/aluminum/nitrogen material for semiconductor devices |
| US5838351A (en) * | 1995-10-26 | 1998-11-17 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Valve assembly for controlling fluid flow within an ink-jet pen |
| EP0690329B1 (en) * | 1994-06-30 | 2001-03-14 | Texas Instruments Incorporated | Improved hinge for micro-mechanical device |
-
2000
- 2000-04-20 AU AU40915/00A patent/AU770945B2/en not_active Ceased
Patent Citations (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US5231306A (en) * | 1992-01-31 | 1993-07-27 | Micron Technology, Inc. | Titanium/aluminum/nitrogen material for semiconductor devices |
| EP0690329B1 (en) * | 1994-06-30 | 2001-03-14 | Texas Instruments Incorporated | Improved hinge for micro-mechanical device |
| US5838351A (en) * | 1995-10-26 | 1998-11-17 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Valve assembly for controlling fluid flow within an ink-jet pen |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| AU4091500A (en) | 2000-11-10 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MK1 | Application lapsed section 142(2)(a) - no request for examination in relevant period | ||
| TH | Corrigenda |
Free format text: IN VOL 16, NO 35, PAGE(S) 7544 UNDER THE HEADING APPLICATIONS LAPSED, REFUSED OR WITHDRAWN PLEASE DELETE ALL REFERENCE TO PATENT APPLICATION NO.S 40912/00, 40914/00 AND 40915/00 |
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| FGA | Letters patent sealed or granted (standard patent) |