CN1426845A

CN1426845A - Liquid injection nozzle structure and its manufacturing method

Info

Publication number: CN1426845A
Application number: CN 01143335
Authority: CN
Inventors: 黄宗伟; 陈志清
Original assignee: BenQ Corp
Current assignee: Kyrgyzstan Holdings Ltd
Priority date: 2001-12-20
Filing date: 2001-12-20
Publication date: 2003-07-02
Anticipated expiration: 2021-12-20
Also published as: CN1205038C

Abstract

A fluid jet head on a substrate is composed of a manifold, at least one air bubble generator, an electric conducting line, and at least two rows of fluid cavities communicated with and arranged at both sides of the manifold. The air bubble generator is driven by the said electric conducting line.

Description

Liquid injection nozzle structure and manufacture method thereof

Technical field

The present invention relates to a kind of liquid injection nozzle structure and manufacture method thereof, particularly relate to a kind of liquid injection nozzle structure and manufacture method thereof of carrying out powerline layout between the two exhausts bubble generator of utilizing.

Background technology

At present, fluid ejection apparatus has been applied in the first-class equipment of the ink-jet of ink-jet printer widely, and along with the reliability (reliability) of fluid ejection apparatus improves constantly, the reduction significantly of cost, and can provide the research and development of high-frequency (frequency) with the high-quality drop injection of high spatial resolution (spatialresolution), fluid ejection apparatus also has other numerous possible application gradually, for example: fuel injection system (fuel injection system), cell classification (cellsorting), drug delivery system (drug delivery system), spray printing photoetching technique (printlithography) and micro-injection propulsion system (micro jet propulsion system) or the like.

In product now, can individually eject the fluid ejection apparatus kind of drop of shape unanimity and few, wherein successful a kind ofly be designed to use heat to drive bubble (thermal drivenbubble) to penetrate the method for drop.Because it is its simplicity of design, and with low cost, therefore also general in the use.

For example, in existing ink gun structure, in the United States Patent (USP) number 5,774,148, just once mentioned the mode (center feed) of a kind of use from middle manifold supply ink.This kind ink gun structure normally adopts the mode of sandblast, laser cutting or chemical etching, and (chip) penetrates with chip, carries out ink supply by intermediate manifold again.

Yet utilize the method not only to need bigger chip size, and the part of diging up in the chip also can't do any utilization, not meet very much economic benefit.

Summary of the invention

The object of the present invention is to provide a kind of liquid injection nozzle structure and manufacture method thereof, by improving the integration of configuration, dwindling required chip size, and increase economic efficiency.

The object of the present invention is achieved like this, and a kind of liquid injection nozzle structure promptly is provided, and this liquid injection nozzle structure includes: a base material; One manifold is formed in this base material; At least two current drainage body cavitys, respectively this fluid cavity is connected in this manifold and is positioned at the both sides of this manifold, be used for making a fluid by this manifold flow to this fluid cavity; At least one bubble generator is formed on this base material, and is positioned at corresponding this fluid cavity; And a conducting wire, be positioned at this substrate surface of this manifold top, and this conducting wire of part is between this at least two current drainages body cavity, in order to drive this bubble generator.

The present invention also provides a kind of manufacture method of fluid ejecting head, and this manufacture method includes the following step: a base material is provided; On this base material, form at least one bubble generator; Formation one is positioned at the manifold of this base material; Form at least two current drainage body cavitys, and respectively this fluid cavity is connected in this manifold and is positioned at the both sides of this manifold, be used for making a fluid by this manifold flow to this fluid cavity; And this substrate surface above this manifold forms a conducting wire, and this conducting wire of part is between this at least two current drainages body cavity, in order to drive this bubble generator.

Because liquid injection nozzle structure provided by the present invention, do not need the entire chip eating thrown can be reached the effect of smooth ink supply, and it more carries out circuit layout in the space that utilizes the manifold top, so the present invention not only can effectively strengthen the intensity of manifold top structure sheaf, and can reduce chip size significantly, amplification shower nozzle number, and then improve print speed.

Description of drawings

Fig. 1 is the structure cutaway view of ink gun structure of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an embodiments of the invention cross section schematic diagram;

Fig. 3 is the top view of fluid ejecting head of the present invention;

Fig. 4 is the partial enlarged drawing of fluid ejecting head chip of the present invention;

Fig. 5 is the matrix form drive circuit schematic diagram of fluid ejecting head of the present invention;

Fig. 6 to Fig. 8 is the making schematic flow sheet of fluid ejecting head of the present invention.

The specific embodiment

See also Fig. 1, Fig. 1 is the structure cutaway view of fluid ejecting head of the present invention.Fluid ejecting head of the present invention is a kind of fluid ejection apparatus with virtual air valve (virtual valve).As shown in Figure 1, the bubble generator includes two bubbles and produces member, be respectively the first heating element heater 14a and the second heating element heater 14b, be looped around around the spray orifice (nozzle) 12, by the difference between two

heating element heater

14a, 14b, for example the difference of resistance value in the time of can making this two heating element heater of

heating

14a, 14b, can successively generate two bubbles.At first form one first bubble (not shown) earlier at the spray orifice 12 other first heating element heater 14a places than close manifold (manifold) 11, this first bubble can completely cut off manifold 11 and spray orifice 12, and produce the function of similar air valve, to reduce producing the effect that interferes with each other (cross talk) with adjacent fluid chambers 16, then can be in producing one second bubble (not shown) near the second heating element heater 14b place, second bubble is pushed the fluid (not shown) in the fluid cavity 16 thus, makes fluid by ejection in the spray orifice 12.At last, second bubble can combine with first bubble, and thus the combination of two bubbles to reach the generation that reduces satellite droplet (satellite droplet).

Because the structure of fluid ejecting head of the present invention can reach the demand of smooth ejection liquid without the eating thrown entire chip, therefore based under this framework, the present invention just can carry out the layout of power line (power lines) above manifold 11, strengthen the intensity of manifold 11 top structure sheafs simultaneously.In addition, for explain orally convenient for the purpose of, below fluid ejecting head of the present invention just be that embodiment is illustrated with the ink gun.

See also Fig. 2; the cutaway view that Fig. 2 completes for entire chip of the present invention; wherein the first heating element heater 14a and second heating element heater 14b top has deposited a low temperature oxide layer 18 with as protective layer; and the area in appointment punches (via) so that metal level 13 flows into the surface, top of

heater

14a, 14b through hole thus, and reaches the purpose that metal conductive layers 13 is electrically connected with

heater

14a, 14b.

Similarly, the drain electrode (drain) 68 at MOSFET (MOS field-effect transistor) element 15 also is electrically connected to

heater

14a, 14b and earth terminal (ground) 20 by metal level 13 with source electrode (source) 66.So when the grid (gate) 64 of MOSFET element 15 is opened, the voltage signal that the liner (pad) that is made of metal level 13 can be supplied with the outside is delivered in this ink gun, at this moment, electric current can be entered by liner, arrive primary heater 14a and secondary heater 14b via metal level 13 earlier, again via the drain-to-source of MOSFET element 15, flow to earth terminal 20 again and finish the once action of heating.At this moment, because the ink in the fluid cavity 16 (being the ink-jet chamber of this ink gun) is heated, thereby produces two bubbles ink droplet is pushed away via spray orifice 12.Wherein, can be according to the difference of required print data amount, and control different spray orifice 12 respectively with the ejection ink droplets.In addition, the material of metal level 13 is selected from aluminium (Aluminum), gold (Gold), copper (Copper), tungsten (Tungsten) and Al-Si-Cu alloy (Alloys of Al-Si-Cu) and constitutes in the group any one.

See also Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, Fig. 3 is the top view of ink gun of the present invention.In this embodiment, be divided into 16 P groups (comprising P1 to P16), each P group includes 22 addressing (Address again, A1 to A22), can contrast the matrix form drive circuit figure of Fig. 5, one logic circuit or microprocessor 32 will be according to the data of required printing, send one and select signal to power line driver (powerdriver) 34 and address wire driver (address driver) 35, control will open which addressing (A1 to A22) and which P group (P1 to P16) power supply gives.For example, if P1 is given in power supply, and open A22, then heater 14a, the 14b of A22 will finish the operation of heating and ink-jet according to the time of setting among P1 group's this moment.

Fig. 4 is the partial enlarged drawing of B zone (dotted portion) among Fig. 3.As shown in Figure 4, the centre that can be clear that chip is provided with two row's spray orifices 12, if with the spray orifice 12 of entire chip (A-A ' separator bar with Fig. 3 is distinguished) in two, promptly include eight groups of spray orifices (P1 to P8), and the left side also includes eight groups of spray orifices (P9 to P16) on the right side of chip A-A '.And utilize the top of manifold 11, the Central District that two row's spray orifices are 12 carries out the layout of power line (power line) 19, in the right side of separator bar A-A ' layout 8 metal line (metal lines, P1 to P8), and be connected to the right output go into liner (I/O pads).Similarly, the left side of separator bar A-A ' also layout 8 metal line (metal lines, P9 to P16), and liner (I/O pads, not shown in the figures) is gone in the output that is connected to the left side.

Every group of pad P of the present invention taked the driver circuit layout method of U font to liner G, for example pad P 1 arrives the driver circuit layout method (shown in the dotted line position) of liner G1, and not cross-over connection mutually between each circuit connection, and only use layer of metal layer 13 promptly to finish power line 19 to

heater

14a, 14b, link MOSFET element 15 again, the line to earth terminal liner G moves at last.In addition, at 11 transverse metal lines 22 of each layout of the both sides up and down of MOSFET element 15, transverse metal line 22 is connected with liner A, and import each MOSFET element 15 in order to the data that address wire driver 35 is gone into, to determine which spray orifice 12 ejection inks, and in each layout of the right and left of MOSFET element 15 two ends of chip (promptly near) 11 longitudinal polysilicon lines (polysilicon lines) 23, totally 22 polysilicon lines 23, and stamp contact layer (contact layer) 24 to finish electrical connection in the part that transverse metal line 22 and longitudinal polysilicon line 23 will be electrically connected, and the transverse metal line 22 that act as connection chip upper and lower side of polysilicon lines 23, for example, by liner Al input signal, will open the heating element heater of P16 this moment, then need to be passed to the transverse metal line 22 of below via longitudinal polysilicon line 23, just can be connected to the heater of P16, reach the function of ink-jet, and its operating principle will describe in detail in the back.

As follows at this manufacturing method thereof that is described in further detail liquid injection nozzle structure of the present invention.Please refer to Fig. 6 to Fig. 8, Fig. 6 to Fig. 8 is the making schematic flow sheet of liquid injection nozzle structure of the present invention.At first, on a silicon wafer substrate 60, form a field oxide (Field oxide) 62 with partial thermal oxidation method (Local oxidation).Then carry out a boron ion cloth and plant (Blanket boron implant), to adjust the starting voltage (Threshold voltage) of drive circuit, form a polysilicon gate (Polysilicon gate) 64 again in field oxide 62, wherein, when forming polysilicon gate 64, also, form 22 longitudinal polysilicon lines 23 as previously mentioned, with usefulness as lead in the both sides of chip near the edge.Afterwards, and impose ion cloth again and plant,, finish MOSFET element 15 to form one source poles (Source) 66 and drain electrode (Drain) 68 in grid 64 both sides.Deposit a low stress layer (Low stress layer) 72 subsequently, as silicon nitride (SiNx) material, with upper strata, as shown in Figure 6 as fluid cavity 16.

Please refer to Fig. 7, next, use etching solution potassium hydroxide (KOH) from the back etched of substrate 60 to form manifold 11, as supplying with the main runner that fluid enters, then again part field oxide 62 is removed with etching solution hydrofluoric acid (HF), as fluid cavity 16.Accurately controlling under the etching period subsequently, carrying out the etching of another time with etching solution potassium hydroxide (KOH), in order to strengthen the degree of depth of fluid cavity 16, so fluid cavity 16 just is connected with manifold 11 and can be filled up fluid.During carrying out this etching step, need give special heed to because the salient angle of fluid cavity 16 (Convex corner) also can be etched liquid attack and can be etched into the shape of circular arc.

And then proceed the manufacturing process of heater.Wherein, heater includes primary heater 14a and secondary heater 14b, and the manufacturing process of heater can be finished easily for existing this operator, so do not add to give unnecessary details at this.In addition, for primary heater 14a and secondary heater 14b, preferable material is aluminium tantalum alloy (Alloys of tantalum and aluminum), and other materials such as platinum (Platinum), hafnium boride (HfB2) etc. also can reach same function.In addition; in order to protect primary heater 14a and secondary heater 14b and to isolate this more than one MOSFET element 15; so on whole base plate 60, the scope that comprises grid 64, source electrode 66, drain electrode 68 and field oxide 62 can deposit a low temperature oxide layer 74 again in order to as protective layer.

Then, on primary heater 14a and secondary heater 14b, form a conductive layer (Conductive layer) 13, be used for being used as the function element of first conducting wire with conducting primary heater 14a, secondary heater 14b and drive circuit.Wherein, drive circuit is in order to transmit a signal respectively independently to other heater (primary heater 14a and secondary heater 14b), and in order to drive a pair of above heater (primary heater 14a and secondary heater 14b), so can utilize the component and the connection line of negligible amounts, can identically reach the effect of control circuit.In an embodiment of the present invention, the preferred materials of conductive layer 13 is as Al-Si-Cu alloy (Alloys of Al-Si-Cu), aluminium (Aluminum), copper (Copper), gold (Gold) or tungsten metal materials such as (Tungsten).Deposit again subsequently a low temperature oxide layer 76 on conductive layer 13 with as protective layer.

At last, please refer to Fig. 8, between primary heater 14a and secondary heater 14b, form a spray orifice 12.So far, can form one-body molded and have the fluid ejection apparatus array of drive circuit.As shown in the above description, the present invention not only can be integrated in drive circuit and heater on the same substrate, and does not need to stick in addition the structure that the nozzle flat board can be finished whole mini projection head.

It is as follows that its operating principle then is described in detail in detail: please join Fig. 4 and Fig. 5, when carrying out inkjet printing, logic circuit or microprocessor 32 will be according to the data of required printing, decision will by which spray orifice ejection ink, then can send one selects signal to power line driver (power driver) 34 and address wire driver (address driver) 35, to open corresponding addressing (A1 to A22) and to supply power to corresponding P group (P1 to P16), electric current just can be flowed through

heater

14a, 14b and be added hot fluid to produce bubble afterwards, carries out ink-jet action.For example: if will make way for the spray orifice 12a ejection drop at A1P1 place, then must via output go into liner A1 send to a voltage signal to the grid 64 of MOSFET element 15 with switch opens, then go into pad P 1 by output again a voltage signal is provided, to produce electric current, this moment, electric current just can be flowed through

heater

14a, 14b and heating ink to produce bubble, and the drain electrode 68 of the MOSFET element 15 of flowing through again flow to earth terminal 20 at last to source electrode 66, so far, finish the action of an ink droplet ejection.

Though above-mentioned ink gun structure only explains with the structure of monochrome printers, application of the present invention is not limited to the single-colour ink-jetting printer, also applicable the present invention in the ink gun structure of colour or polychrome.In addition, fluid ejection apparatus of the present invention also has other numerous possible application, for example: fuel injection system, cell classification, drug delivery system, spray printing photoetching technique, micro-injection propulsion system etc., do not exceed with inkjet printing.

Therefore, liquid injection nozzle structure provided by the present invention with and manufacture method, in the position between the two exhausts bubbles generator above the manifold, carry out the conductive layer circuit layout of full wafer chip, it has following effect:

(1) because the ink supply mode is not the mode that adopts entire chip to punch, therefore can carry out circuit layout in the manifold top, will save the size of entire chip and increase the chip cutting amount of full wafer wafer (wafer);

(2) on the structure sheaf above the manifold, carry out the intensity that winding placement can effectively improve this structure sheaf: and

(3) by the method for this raising configuration integration, can save the shared area of circuit layout, promptly under identical chip area, more spray orifice can be set, to improve print speed.

The above only is preferred embodiment of the present invention, and all equalizations of doing by claim of the present invention change and modify, and all should belong to the covering scope of patent of the present invention.

Claims

1. liquid injection nozzle structure, this liquid injection nozzle structure includes:

One base material;

One manifold is formed in this base material;

At least two current drainage body cavitys, respectively this fluid cavity is connected in this manifold and is positioned at the both sides of this manifold, be used for making a fluid by this manifold flow to this fluid cavity;

At least one bubble generator is formed on this base material, and is positioned at corresponding this fluid cavity; And

One conducting wire be positioned at this substrate surface of this manifold top, and this conducting wire of part is between this at least two current drainages body cavity, in order to drive this bubble generator.

2. liquid injection nozzle structure as claimed in claim 1 also includes at least one spray orifice, and this spray orifice is connected in this corresponding this fluid cavity.

3. liquid injection nozzle structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein this bubble generator comprises that in addition one first bubble produces member and one second bubble produces member, and this first bubble produces member and this second bubble and produces member and be located near above this corresponding spray orifice and the fluid cavity that should be corresponding, when this fluid cavity of correspondence is full of this fluid, this first bubble produces member can produce one first bubble with as a virtual air valve in this fluid cavity, after waiting to produce this first bubble, this second bubble produces member can produce one second bubble, and this fluid that makes this fluid cavity is by this spray orifice ejection.

4. liquid injection nozzle structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein this liquid injection nozzle structure is used as the ink gun of an ink-jet printer, and this manifold is connected to an ink cartridges, and this fluid is the ink in this ink cartridges.

5. liquid injection nozzle structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the material of this conducting wire is selected from aluminium (Aluminum), gold (Gold), copper (Copper), tungsten (Tungsten) and Al-Si-Cu alloy (Alloys of Al-Si-Cu) and constitutes in the group any one.

6. liquid injection nozzle structure as claimed in claim 1, also include at least one MOS field-effect transistor (metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor, MOSFET), and this MOS field-effect transistor be electrically coupled to this bubble generator by this conducting wire.

7. the manufacture method of a fluid ejecting head, this manufacture method includes the following step:

One base material is provided;

On this base material, form at least one bubble generator;

Formation one is positioned at the manifold of this base material;

Form at least two current drainage body cavitys, and respectively this fluid cavity is connected in this manifold and is positioned at the both sides of this manifold, be used for making a fluid by this manifold flow to this fluid cavity; And

This substrate surface above this manifold forms a conducting wire, and this conducting wire of part is between this at least two current drainages body cavity, in order to drive this bubble generator.

8. manufacture method as claimed in claim 7 also includes the following step:

On this base material, form a dielectric layer;

On this dielectric layer, form a low-stress material layer; And

This base material of etching and this dielectric layer reach respectively this fluid cavity to form this manifold.

9. manufacture method as claimed in claim 8, wherein this bubble generator is formed on this low-stress material layer, and is electrically coupled to this conducting wire.

10. manufacture method as claimed in claim 9, wherein this bubble generator also includes one first bubble and produces member and one second bubble generation member.

11. manufacture method as claimed in claim 10 also includes the following step:

Form at least one spray orifice, and this spray orifice is between corresponding this first bubble produces member and this second bubble generation member, and is communicated to corresponding this fluid cavity, to spray the fluid in this fluid cavity.

12. manufacture method as claimed in claim 7, wherein this fluid ejecting head is used as the ink gun of an ink-jet printer, and this manifold is connected to an ink cartridges, and this fluid is the ink in this ink cartridges.

13. manufacture method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the material of this conducting wire is selected from aluminium (Aluminum), gold (Gold), copper (Copper), tungsten (Tungsten) and Al-Si-Cu alloy (Alloysof Al-Si-Cu) and constitutes in the group any one.

14. manufacture method as claimed in claim 7 also includes the following step:

On this base material, form at least one MOS field-effect transistor (MOSFET), and this MOS field-effect transistor is electrically coupled to this bubble generator by this conducting wire.