JP2010228277A - Liquid ejection head, liquid ejection apparatus, actuator device, and method of manufacturing the liquid ejection head - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a liquid ejection head where the rate of destruction of a zirconium oxide layer such as peeling and destruction of a pressure generating element can be reduced, a liquid ejection apparatus, an actuator device, and a method of manufacturing the liquid ejection head. <P>SOLUTION: The liquid ejection head comprises: a first layer 50 formed above a base 10 and composed chiefly of a silicon oxide; a second layer 56 formed by vapor phase film formation on the first layer 50 and composed chiefly of a zirconium oxide; a third layer 57 formed by applying a coating liquid onto the second layer 56 and baking it and composed chiefly of a zirconium oxide; and a pressure generating element 300 formed above the third layer 56. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid ejecting head that ejects liquid, a liquid ejecting apparatus, an actuator device, and a method for manufacturing a liquid ejecting head.

  A part of the pressure generating chamber communicating with the nozzle opening is constituted by a diaphragm, and the diaphragm is deformed by a piezoelectric element to pressurize ink in the pressure generating chamber and eject ink droplets from the nozzle opening. For example, a device using a deflection deformation of a piezoelectric element composed of a lower electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and an upper electrode has been put into practical use.

  Some diaphragms include a silicon oxide layer that defines a part of the pressure generation chamber, and a zirconium oxide layer made of zirconium oxide provided on the silicon oxide layer.

  As a method for producing a zirconium oxide layer, a method has been proposed in which zirconium is formed on a silicon oxide layer by sputtering and then thermally oxidized (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  In addition, a method of forming a zirconia thin film by applying a sol obtained by hydrolyzing a zirconium compound and baking the sol has been proposed (for example, see Patent Document 2).

JP 2005-166719 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 06-297720

  However, when the zirconium oxide layer is formed by the sputtering method as in Patent Document 1, foreign matter may adhere in the film forming process, and a concave defect may be formed due to separation of the foreign matter adhesion portion or the like. When a piezoelectric element is formed on such a silicon oxide layer, there is a possibility that the crystal of the piezoelectric film becomes non-uniform or a gap is formed in the piezoelectric film, resulting in destruction during driving durability.

  On the other hand, when it is formed by the sol-gel method as in Patent Document 2, there is a problem that adhesion with the silicon oxide layer is low and destruction such as peeling may occur.

  Such a problem exists not only in a liquid jet head typified by an ink jet recording head but also in an actuator device mounted in another device.

  In view of such circumstances, the present invention provides a liquid ejecting head, a liquid ejecting apparatus, an actuator device, and a method for manufacturing the liquid ejecting head that can reduce destruction such as peeling of a zirconium oxide layer and destruction of a pressure generating element. For the purpose.

  An aspect of the present invention that solves the above-described problems mainly includes a first layer mainly composed of silicon oxide formed above a substrate and zirconium oxide formed on the first layer by a vapor deposition method. A second layer as a component; a third layer mainly composed of zirconium oxide formed by applying and baking a coating liquid on the second layer; and above the third layer. And a pressure generating element formed in the liquid jet head.

  In such an aspect, the second layer ensures adhesion to the first layer, and even when foreign matter adheres to the surface of the second layer or a concave defect occurs, the third layer The surface of the layer made of zirconium oxide can be smoothed by covering. In this way, by forming a zirconium oxide layer having a configuration in which the second layer and the third layer are laminated, it is possible to reduce destruction such as peeling of the zirconium oxide layer and to reduce destruction of the pressure generating element. it can. Here, the term “above” includes not only directly above but also a state in which other members are interposed therebetween.

  Here, the second layer is preferably formed using a sputtering method, a CVD method, or a laser ablation method. According to this, the adhesion between the first layer and the zirconium oxide layer is excellent.

  The third layer is preferably formed using a sol-gel method or a MOD method. According to this, the surface of the zirconium oxide layer becomes smoother.

  The second layer is preferably formed by forming a zirconium layer and thermally oxidizing the zirconium layer. The adhesion between the first layer and the zirconium oxide layer is further improved.

  According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a liquid ejecting apparatus including the liquid ejecting head according to the above aspect. In this aspect, a liquid ejecting apparatus with improved durability and reliability can be realized.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, a first layer mainly composed of silicon oxide formed above a substrate and a zirconium oxide formed on the first layer by a vapor deposition method are mainly composed. A second layer, a third layer mainly composed of zirconium oxide formed by applying and baking a coating solution on the second layer, and formed above the third layer; An actuator device comprising a pressure generating element.

  In such an aspect, the second layer ensures adhesion to the first layer, and even when foreign matter adheres to the surface of the second layer or a concave defect occurs, the third layer The surface of the layer made of zirconium oxide can be smoothed by covering. In this way, by forming a zirconium oxide layer having a configuration in which the second layer and the third layer are laminated, it is possible to reduce destruction such as peeling of the zirconium oxide layer and to reduce destruction of the pressure generating element. it can.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, a step of forming a first layer containing silicon oxide as a main component above a substrate, and a method using a vapor deposition method on the first layer as a main component containing zirconium oxide. A step of forming a second layer; a step of forming a third layer mainly composed of zirconium oxide by applying a coating solution on the second layer and baking the second layer; and And a step of forming a pressure generating element above the liquid jet head manufacturing method.

  In such an embodiment, the second layer is formed by the vapor deposition method to ensure adhesion with the first layer, and foreign matter adheres to the surface of the second layer or a concave defect occurs. Even in this case, the surface of the layer made of zirconium oxide is smoothed by forming the third layer by applying and baking the coating liquid and covering the surface of the second layer with the third layer. Can do. Thereby, destruction, such as exfoliation of a zirconium oxide layer, can be reduced, and destruction of a pressure generating element can also be reduced.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a step of forming a first layer mainly composed of silicon oxide on a substrate, and a zirconium layer mainly composed of zirconium by a vapor deposition method on the first layer. A step of forming, a step of forming a third layer precursor film by applying a coating solution on the zirconium layer, and a thermal oxidation and oxidation of the zirconium layer and the third layer precursor film simultaneously. Forming a second layer containing zirconium as a main component and a third layer containing zirconium oxide as a main component, and forming a pressure generating element above the third layer. The liquid jet head manufacturing method is characterized.

  In such an embodiment, the second layer is formed by the vapor deposition method to ensure adhesion with the first layer, and foreign matter adheres to the surface of the second layer or a concave defect occurs. Even in this case, the surface of the layer made of zirconium oxide is smoothed by forming the third layer by applying and baking the coating liquid and covering the surface of the second layer with the third layer. Can do. Thereby, destruction, such as exfoliation of a zirconium oxide layer, can be reduced, and destruction of a pressure generating element can also be reduced. Furthermore, the number of manufacturing steps can be reduced, and as a result, the productivity of the liquid jet head can be improved. Further, the adhesiveness between the second layer and the third layer is excellent, and the breakage due to peeling of the zirconium oxide layer or the like is further reduced.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a schematic configuration of the recording head according to the first embodiment. 2A and 2B are a plan view and a cross-sectional view of the recording head according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the recording head manufacturing method according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the recording head manufacturing method according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the recording head manufacturing method according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the recording head manufacturing method according to the first embodiment. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a method for manufacturing a recording head according to Embodiment 2. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a recording apparatus according to an embodiment.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on embodiments.
(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a schematic configuration of an ink jet recording head which is an example of a liquid ejecting head according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view of FIG. FIG.

  The flow path forming substrate 10 of the present embodiment is made of a silicon single crystal substrate, and an elastic film 50 is formed on one surface thereof as a silicon oxide layer that is a first layer mainly composed of silicon oxide. .

  A plurality of pressure generating chambers 12 are arranged in parallel in the width direction of the flow path forming substrate 10. In addition, a communication portion 13 is formed in a region outside the longitudinal direction of the pressure generation chamber 12 of the flow path forming substrate 10, and the communication portion 13 and each pressure generation chamber 12 are provided for each pressure generation chamber 12. Communication is made via a supply path 14 and a communication path 15. The communication part 13 communicates with a reservoir part 31 of a protective substrate, which will be described later, and constitutes a part of a reservoir that becomes a common ink chamber of each pressure generating chamber 12. The ink supply path 14 is formed with a narrower width than the pressure generation chamber 12, and maintains a constant flow path resistance of ink flowing into the pressure generation chamber 12 from the communication portion 13. In this embodiment, the ink supply path 14 is formed by narrowing the width of the flow path from one side. However, the ink supply path may be formed by narrowing the width of the flow path from both sides. Further, the ink supply path may be formed by narrowing from the thickness direction instead of narrowing the width of the flow path.

  In this embodiment, the flow path forming substrate 10 is provided with a liquid flow path including the pressure generation chamber 12, the communication portion 13, the ink supply path 14, and the communication path 15.

  Further, on the opening surface side of the flow path forming substrate 10, a nozzle plate 20 having a nozzle opening 21 communicating with the vicinity of the end of each pressure generating chamber 12 on the side opposite to the ink supply path 14 is provided with an adhesive. Or a heat-welded film or the like. The nozzle plate 20 is made of, for example, glass ceramics, a silicon single crystal substrate, stainless steel, or the like.

  On the other hand, the elastic film 50 is formed on the side opposite to the opening surface of the flow path forming substrate 10 as described above, and the insulator film 55 is formed on the elastic film 50. Further, the first electrode 60, the piezoelectric layer 70, and the second electrode 80 are laminated on the insulator film 55 to constitute the piezoelectric element 300 (the pressure generating element of the present embodiment). ing. Here, the piezoelectric element 300 refers to a portion including the first electrode 60, the piezoelectric layer 70, and the second electrode 80. In general, one electrode of the piezoelectric element 300 is used as a common electrode, and the other electrode and the piezoelectric layer 70 are patterned for each pressure generating chamber 12. In the present embodiment, the first electrode 60 is a common electrode of the piezoelectric element 300, and the second electrode 80 is an individual electrode of the piezoelectric element 300. However, there is no problem even if this is reversed for the convenience of the drive circuit and wiring. Also, here, the piezoelectric element 300 and the diaphragm that is displaced by driving the piezoelectric element 300 are collectively referred to as an actuator device.

  The insulator film 55 includes a second layer 56 mainly composed of zirconium oxide and a third layer 57 mainly composed of zirconium oxide formed on the second layer 56. In this manner, the insulator film 55 is a zirconium oxide layer having a configuration in which the second layer 56 and the third layer 57 are stacked, thereby reducing breakage such as peeling of the insulator film 55 and reducing pressure. The destruction of the generating element can also be reduced.

  Specifically, the second layer 56 is formed by a vapor deposition method. Thus, by forming the second layer 56 by a vapor deposition method, it is possible to form the insulator film 55 having high adhesion with the elastic film 50 made of silicon oxide. That is, the second layer 56 functions as an adhesion layer of the insulator film 55. Examples of the vapor deposition method include sputtering, vacuum deposition, ion plating, laser ablation, and CVD, but sputtering, laser ablation, and CVD are preferred. The second layer 56 of the present embodiment is formed by forming a zirconium film by sputtering and thermally oxidizing it. Thereby, it is possible to form the insulator film 55 having further excellent adhesion to the elastic film 50. Note that the second layer 56 can also be formed by directly sputtering zirconium oxide.

  The third layer 57 is formed by applying a coating solution on the second layer 56 and baking it. Specifically, the third layer 57 is preferably formed using a sol-gel method or a MOD method. In the present embodiment, the third layer 57 is formed using a sol-gel method. When the second layer 56 is formed by a vapor deposition method such as a sputtering method, foreign matter may adhere to the second layer 56, and a concave defect may be formed due to peeling of the foreign matter adhesion portion. By forming the third layer 57 by applying the coating liquid onto the layer 56 and baking it, the insulator film 55 having a good surface state can be formed. In other words, even if foreign matter adheres to the surface of the second layer 56 or there is a concave defect, the third layer 57 covers or closes the insulating layer so that the surface is smooth. 55.

  Incidentally, a zirconium oxide layer may be further provided on the second layer 56 by a vapor deposition method to form the insulator film 55. However, the problem of adhesion of foreign matter and concave defects similarly occurs. End up. In addition, a method of applying and baking a coating solution, such as a sol-gel method or a MOD method, has smaller crystal grains than a vapor phase film forming method such as a sputtering method, a CVD method, or a laser ablation method. A layer can be formed, and a concave defect can be effectively blocked. Further, the zirconium oxide layer formed by the vapor deposition method has lower flatness than the method of applying and baking the coating liquid, for example, the zirconium oxide layer formed by the sol-gel method or the MOD method. . In the present embodiment, as described above, the third layer 57 is formed on the second layer 56 by the sol-gel method even if foreign matter adheres to the second layer 56 or a concave defect occurs. By doing so, the surface of the insulator film 55 can be smoothed by covering the concave defects and foreign matter of the second layer 56 with the third layer 57. Further, even when foreign matter is not attached or a concave defect is not generated when the second layer 56 is formed, the third layer 57 has smaller crystal grains than the second layer 56 and has a high strength. Therefore, the strength of the insulator film 55 is improved by providing the third layer 57.

  In addition, if only the third layer 57 is used, the adhesion with silicon oxide is lowered. In the present embodiment, the adhesion between the elastic film 50 and the insulator film 55 is improved by providing the second layer 56 formed by a sputtering method on the elastic film 50 that is an oxide (silicon oxide). In addition, it is possible to reduce the occurrence of delamination when the piezoelectric element 300 is driven, and to improve durability and reliability.

  In the present embodiment, the second layer 56 having a thickness of 0.2 μm and the third layer 57 having a thickness of 0.2 μm are formed. That is, the insulator film 55 has a thickness of about 0.4 μm. The ratio of the thickness of the second layer 56 and the third layer 57 is not particularly limited, and any of them may be thick. The third layer 57 may be thick enough to cover the foreign matter attached to the second layer 56.

  In addition, the second layer 56 and the third layer 57 may be composed of zirconium oxide as a main component, zirconium oxide, zirconium, and oxygen may be mixed, and other elements may be added. You may contain.

  Further, even if the second layer 56 and the third layer 57 are made of the same material, the manufacturing method is different, so that the crystal is divided. That is, there is a discontinuous state in which crystals are not continuous between the second layer 56 and the third layer layer 57, and there is an interface between the second layer 56 and the third layer 57. Exists. In other words, the second layer 56 and the third layer 57 differ in composition ratio, crystal structure, crystal grain size, and the like. For example, the particle size of the third layer 57 is smaller than that of the second layer 56. Such differences in composition ratio, crystal structure, and crystal grain size can be easily detected by analysis. Note that the second layer 56 and the third layer 57 are in a state where crystals are divided, but have the same adhesiveness because they are made of the same material.

The piezoelectric layer 70 is made of a piezoelectric material that is formed on the first electrode 60 and has an electromechanical conversion action, and in particular, a metal oxide having a perovskite structure represented by the general formula ABO ₃ among the piezoelectric materials. As the piezoelectric layer 70, for example, a ferroelectric material such as lead zirconate titanate (PZT) or a material obtained by adding a metal oxide such as niobium oxide, nickel oxide, or magnesium oxide to the ferroelectric material is suitable. Specifically, lead titanate (PbTiO ₃ ), lead zirconate titanate (Pb (Zr, Ti) O ₃ ), lead zirconate (PbZrO ₃ ), lead lanthanum titanate ((Pb, La), TiO ₃ ) ), Lead lanthanum zirconate titanate ((Pb, La) (Zr, Ti) O ₃ ), lead magnesium titanate zirconate titanate (Pb (Zr, Ti) (Mg, Nb) O ₃ ), etc. Can do. It is added that the present embodiment does not exhibit the effect unless it is limited to a specific piezoelectric material.

  The piezoelectric layer 70 is formed thick enough to suppress the thickness so as not to generate cracks in the manufacturing process and to exhibit sufficient displacement characteristics. For example, in the present embodiment, the piezoelectric layer 70 is formed with a thickness of about 1 to 5 μm.

  Further, each second electrode 80 which is an individual electrode of the piezoelectric element 300 is drawn from the vicinity of the end on the ink supply path 14 side and extended to the insulator film 55, for example, gold (Au) or the like. The lead electrode 90 which consists of is connected.

  On the flow path forming substrate 10 on which such a piezoelectric element 300 is formed, that is, on the first electrode 60, the insulator film 55, and the lead electrode 90, there is a reservoir portion 31 that constitutes at least a part of the reservoir 100. The protective substrate 30 is bonded via an adhesive 35. In the present embodiment, the reservoir portion 31 is formed across the protective substrate 30 in the thickness direction and across the width direction of the pressure generating chamber 12, and as described above, the communication portion 13 of the flow path forming substrate 10 is formed. The reservoir 100 is configured as a common ink chamber for the pressure generating chambers 12. Alternatively, the communication portion 13 of the flow path forming substrate 10 may be divided into a plurality of pressure generation chambers 12 and only the reservoir portion 31 may be used as the reservoir. Further, for example, only the pressure generating chamber 12 is provided in the flow path forming substrate 10, and a reservoir is provided on a member (for example, the elastic film 50, the insulator film 55, etc.) interposed between the flow path forming substrate 10 and the protective substrate 30. An ink supply path 14 that communicates with each pressure generating chamber 12 may be provided.

  A piezoelectric element holding portion 32 having a space that does not hinder the movement of the piezoelectric element 300 is provided in a region of the protective substrate 30 that faces the piezoelectric element 300. The piezoelectric element holding part 32 only needs to have a space that does not hinder the movement of the piezoelectric element 300, and the space may be sealed or unsealed.

  As such a protective substrate 30, it is preferable to use a material substantially the same as the coefficient of thermal expansion of the flow path forming substrate 10, for example, a glass, a ceramic material or the like. The silicon single crystal substrate was used.

  The protective substrate 30 is provided with a through hole 33 that penetrates the protective substrate 30 in the thickness direction. The vicinity of the end portion of the lead electrode 90 drawn from each piezoelectric element 300 is provided so as to be exposed in the through hole 33.

  A drive circuit 120 for driving the piezoelectric elements 300 arranged in parallel is fixed on the protective substrate 30. For example, a circuit board or a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) can be used as the drive circuit 120. The drive circuit 120 and the lead electrode 90 are electrically connected via a connection wiring 121 made of a conductive wire such as a bonding wire.

  In addition, a compliance substrate 40 including a sealing film 41 and a fixing plate 42 is bonded onto the protective substrate 30. Here, the sealing film 41 is made of a material having low rigidity and flexibility, and one surface of the reservoir portion 31 is sealed by the sealing film 41. The fixing plate 42 is formed of a relatively hard material. Since the region of the fixing plate 42 facing the reservoir 100 is an opening 43 that is completely removed in the thickness direction, one surface of the reservoir 100 is sealed only with a flexible sealing film 41. Has been.

  In such an ink jet recording head of this embodiment, ink is taken in from an ink introduction port connected to an external ink supply means (not shown), and the interior from the reservoir 100 to the nozzle opening 21 is filled with ink. In accordance with a recording signal from 120, a voltage is applied between each of the first electrode 60 and the second electrode 80 corresponding to the pressure generating chamber 12, and the elastic film 50, the insulator film 55, the first electrode 60, and the piezoelectric body. By bending and deforming the layer 70, the pressure in each pressure generation chamber 12 is increased, and ink droplets are ejected from the nozzle openings 21.

  Hereinafter, a method for manufacturing such an ink jet recording head will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6 are cross-sectional views in the longitudinal direction of the pressure generating chamber showing the method of manufacturing the ink jet recording head which is an example of the liquid ejecting head according to the embodiment of the invention.

  First, as shown in FIG. 3A, an oxide film 51 constituting the elastic film 50 is formed on the surface of a wafer 110 for flow path forming substrates, which is a silicon wafer and in which a plurality of flow path forming substrates 10 are integrally formed. To do. In the present embodiment, the oxide film 51 made of silicon dioxide is formed by thermally oxidizing the flow path forming substrate wafer 110.

  Next, a second layer 56 made of zirconium oxide is formed on the elastic film 50 (oxide film 51) by sputtering. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3B, after forming a zirconium layer 156 containing zirconium as a main component on the elastic film 50 by, for example, sputtering or the like, as shown in FIG. The zirconium layer 156 is thermally oxidized in, for example, a diffusion furnace at 500 to 1200 ° C., thereby forming the second layer 56 mainly composed of zirconium oxide.

  Before forming the next layer, although not shown, the surface is preferably scrubbed. This is because foreign matter may adhere to the surface of the second layer 56 after the second layer 56 is formed. In this cleaning process, a relatively large foreign material, for example, a foreign material having a size that cannot be blocked even if the third layer 57 is formed is removed. The portion from which the foreign matter has been removed becomes a concave defect, while the relatively small foreign matter is not removed but is attached to the second layer 56.

  Next, a third layer 57 made of zirconium oxide is formed on the second layer 56 by a sol-gel method. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3 (d), a sol (solution) containing an organozirconium compound is applied on the second layer 56 and dried to be gelled to form a third layer precursor. A film 157 was formed. The method for applying the sol is not particularly limited. In this embodiment, the sol is dropped by a so-called spin coating method in which the sol is dropped near the center of the flow path forming substrate wafer 110 while rotating the flow path forming substrate wafer 110. It was. Next, as shown in FIG. 3E, the third layer 57 is formed by heating the third layer precursor film 157 to a predetermined temperature and holding it for a predetermined time. Thereby, the insulator film 55 composed of the second layer 56 and the third layer 57 is formed.

  As a heating device used in such a heating step, for example, a hot plate, an RTP (Rapid Thermal Processing) device that heats by irradiation with an infrared lamp, or the like can be used.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 4A, the first electrode 60 is formed on the entire surface of the insulator film 55 and patterned into a predetermined shape. The material of the first electrode 60 is not particularly limited. However, when lead zirconate titanate (PZT) is used as the piezoelectric layer 70, it is desirable that the material has little change in conductivity due to diffusion of lead oxide. . For this reason, platinum, iridium, etc. are used suitably as a material of the 1st electrode 60. FIG. Moreover, the 1st electrode 60 can be formed by sputtering method, PVD method (physical vapor deposition method), etc., for example.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 4B, for example, a piezoelectric layer 70 made of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) or the like and a second electrode 80 made of iridium, for example, are used. On the entire surface. In this embodiment, the piezoelectric layer 70 is formed by applying and drying a so-called sol obtained by dissolving and dispersing a metal organic substance in a solvent, gelling it, and baking it at a high temperature to form a piezoelectric layer made of a metal oxide. The piezoelectric layer 70 was formed using a so-called sol-gel method for obtaining 70. The method for forming the piezoelectric layer 70 is not particularly limited. For example, a PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) method such as a MOD (Metal-Organic Decomposition) method, a sputtering method, or a laser ablation method may be used.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 4C, the second electrode 80 and the piezoelectric layer 70 are simultaneously etched to form the piezoelectric element 300 in a region corresponding to each pressure generating chamber 12. Here, examples of the etching of the second electrode 80 and the piezoelectric layer 70 include dry etching such as reactive ion etching and ion milling.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 4 (d), a lead electrode 90 made of gold (Au) is formed over the entire surface of the flow path forming substrate wafer 110 and then patterned for each piezoelectric element 300.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 5A, the protective substrate wafer 130 is bonded onto the flow path forming substrate wafer 110 via an adhesive 35. Here, the protective substrate wafer 130 is formed by integrally forming a plurality of protective substrates 30, and the reservoir portion 31 and the piezoelectric element holding portion 32 are formed in advance on the protective substrate wafer 130. By joining the protective substrate wafer 130, the rigidity of the flow path forming substrate wafer 110 is remarkably improved.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 5B, the flow path forming substrate wafer 110 is thinned to a predetermined thickness.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 5C, a mask 52 is newly formed on the flow path forming substrate wafer 110 and patterned into a predetermined shape. Then, as shown in FIG. 6, pressure generation corresponding to the piezoelectric element 300 is generated by performing anisotropic etching (wet etching) using an alkali solution such as KOH on the flow path forming substrate wafer 110 through the mask 52. A chamber 12, a communication portion 13, an ink supply path 14, a communication path 15 and the like are formed.

  Thereafter, the mask 52 on the surface of the flow path forming substrate wafer 110 is removed, and unnecessary portions of the outer peripheral edge portions of the flow path forming substrate wafer 110 and the protective substrate wafer 130 are removed by cutting, for example, by dicing. To do. The nozzle plate 20 having the nozzle openings 21 formed on the surface of the flow path forming substrate wafer 110 opposite to the protective substrate wafer 130 is bonded, and the compliance substrate 40 is bonded to the protective substrate wafer 130. By dividing the flow path forming substrate wafer 110 and the like into a single chip size flow path forming substrate 10 and the like as shown in FIG. 1, the ink jet recording head of this embodiment is obtained.

  As described above, in the method of manufacturing the ink jet recording head I according to this embodiment, the zirconium film is formed on the elastic film 50 by the sputtering method, and thermally oxidized to form the zirconium oxide as the main component. By forming the second layer 56, the adhesion between the elastic film 50 and the insulator film 55 can be improved, and the occurrence of delamination when the piezoelectric element 300 is driven can be reduced. Reliability can be improved.

  Further, by forming the third layer 57 mainly composed of zirconium oxide formed by the sol-gel method on the second layer 56, foreign matters and concave defects were generated on the surface of the second layer 56. Even in this case, it can be covered, and the surface state of the insulator film 55 can be improved. By forming the piezoelectric element 300 on the insulating film 55 having a smooth surface, a gap is formed in the piezoelectric layer 70 or the like of the piezoelectric element 300, the crystal orientation is nonuniform, or discontinuity occurs. There is no risk of this, and the destruction of the piezoelectric element 300 can be reduced.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view in the longitudinal direction of the pressure generating chamber showing a method of manufacturing an ink jet recording head which is an example of the liquid jet head of the present invention. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the member similar to Embodiment 1 mentioned above, and the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted.

  Similar to the process shown in FIG. 3A of the first embodiment, the elastic film 50 is formed on the surface of the flow path forming substrate wafer 110.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 7A, a zirconium layer 156 containing zirconium as a main component is formed on the elastic film 50 by sputtering.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 7B, a third layer precursor film 157 is formed on the zirconium layer 156 by a sol-gel method. Specifically, in the same manner as the process shown in FIG. 3D of the first embodiment described above, a sol (solution) containing an organozirconium compound is applied on the second layer 56 and dried to be gelled. Thus, a third layer precursor film 157 was formed.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 7C, the zirconium layer 156 and the third layer precursor film 157 are thermally oxidized to form the second layer 56 containing zirconium oxide as a main component and the zirconium oxide as a main component. The third layer 57 is simultaneously formed. Although the surface of the zirconium layer 156 is covered with the third layer precursor film 157, oxygen can permeate through the third layer precursor film 157 by heating and the thermal oxidation can be performed.

  The subsequent steps, that is, the step of forming the piezoelectric element 300, the step of bonding the protective substrate wafer 130, the step of forming the pressure generating chamber 12 and the like are the same as those in the first embodiment described above, and therefore redundant description. Is omitted.

  In the manufacturing method of the second embodiment, the zirconium layer 156 is formed on the elastic film 50 by the sputtering method, and then the third layer precursor film 157 is formed on the zirconium layer 156 by the sol-gel method. By simultaneously thermally oxidizing the layer 156 and the third layer precursor film 157 to form the second layer 56 and the third layer 57, the number of manufacturing steps can be reduced, and as a result, the liquid jet head Productivity can be improved. In addition, the adhesion between the second layer and the third layer is excellent, and breakage due to peeling of the zirconium oxide layer or the like is further reduced. Further, by forming the second layer 56 on the elastic film 50 by the above-described method, the adhesion between the elastic film 50 and the insulator film 55 can be improved as in the manufacturing method of the first embodiment. Further, it is possible to reduce the occurrence of delamination when the piezoelectric element 300 is driven, and it is possible to improve durability and reliability. Further, by forming the third layer 57 mainly composed of zirconium oxide formed by the sol-gel method on the second layer 56, foreign matters and concave defects were generated on the surface of the second layer 56. Even in this case, it can be covered, and the surface state of the insulator film 55 can be improved. By forming the piezoelectric element 300 on the insulator film 55 having a good surface state, a gap is formed in the piezoelectric layer 70 or the like of the piezoelectric element 300, the crystal orientation is nonuniform, or discontinuity occurs. The destruction of the piezoelectric element 300 can be reduced.

(Other embodiments)
While the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the basic configuration of the present invention is not limited to the above-described one. For example, in the first and second embodiments described above, the second layer 56 is formed by thermally oxidizing the zirconium layer after forming it, but the zirconium oxide layer may be formed by direct sputtering or the like.

  In the first and second embodiments, the second layer 56 is formed by a sputtering method and the third layer 57 is formed by a sol-gel method. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The second layer 56 may be formed by other vapor deposition methods such as a laser ablation method and a CVD method. The third layer 57 may be formed by, for example, a MOD (Metal-Organic Decomposition) method. In the MOD method, an organic zirconium compound such as zirconium acetylacetonate is dissolved in alcohol, and a colloidal solution obtained by adding a hydrolysis inhibitor or the like to this is applied, followed by drying and firing. Three layers can be formed.

  In the first and second embodiments described above, the actuator device having the thin film type piezoelectric element 300 is described as the pressure generating element for causing the pressure change in the pressure generating chamber 12, but the present invention is not particularly limited thereto. For example, a thick film type actuator device formed by a method such as attaching a green sheet, or a longitudinal vibration type actuator device in which piezoelectric materials and electrode forming materials are alternately stacked to expand and contract in the axial direction is used. be able to. Further, as the pressure generating element, a so-called electrostatic actuator that generates static electricity between the diaphragm and the electrode, deforms the diaphragm by electrostatic force, and discharges a droplet from the nozzle opening can be used. .

  In the first and second embodiments described above, the piezoelectric element 300 is provided as the pressure generating element on the third layer 57. However, if the pressure generating element is formed above the third layer 57. Therefore, even if the pressure generating element is directly above the third layer 57, the pressure generating element may be laminated with other members interposed therebetween.

  Further, for example, in the first and second embodiments described above, a silicon single crystal substrate is exemplified as the flow path forming substrate 10, but the present invention is not particularly limited thereto, and for example, a material such as an SOI substrate or glass may be used. Good.

  In addition, the ink jet recording head of each of these embodiments constitutes a part of a recording head unit including an ink flow path communicating with an ink cartridge or the like, and is mounted on the ink jet recording apparatus. FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing an example of the ink jet recording apparatus.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the ink jet recording apparatus 1 which is a liquid ejecting apparatus according to this embodiment includes a plurality of different colors such as black (B), cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y). An ink jet recording head I (hereinafter referred to as a recording head) to which an ink cartridge (liquid storing means) 2 having a storage chamber for storing the ink is mounted. The recording head I is mounted on a carriage 3, and the carriage 3 on which the recording head I is mounted is provided on a carriage shaft 5 attached to the apparatus main body 4 so as to be movable in the axial direction. Then, the driving force of the driving motor 6 is transmitted to the carriage 3 through a plurality of gears and a timing belt 7 (not shown), so that the carriage 3 is moved along the carriage shaft 5. On the other hand, the apparatus body 4 is provided with a platen 8 along the carriage shaft 5, so that a recording medium S such as paper fed by a paper feeding device (not shown) is conveyed on the platen 8. ing.

  In the first and second embodiments described above, the ink jet recording head has been described as an example of the liquid ejecting head. However, the present invention is widely applied to all liquid ejecting heads and ejects liquids other than ink. Of course, the invention can also be applied to a liquid jet head. Other liquid ejecting heads include, for example, various recording heads used in image recording apparatuses such as printers, color material ejecting heads used in the manufacture of color filters such as liquid crystal displays, organic EL displays, and FEDs (field emission displays). Examples thereof include an electrode material ejection head used for electrode formation, a bioorganic matter ejection head used for biochip production, and the like.

  Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to an actuator device mounted on a liquid ejecting head typified by an ink jet recording head, and can also be applied to an actuator device mounted on another device.

  I ink jet recording head (liquid ejecting head), 10 flow path forming substrate (substrate), 12 pressure generating chamber, 13 communication section, 14 ink supply path, 15 communication path, 20 nozzle plate, 21 nozzle opening, 30 protective substrate ( Crystal substrate), 31 reservoir section, 40 compliance substrate, 50 elastic film (silicon oxide layer), 55 insulator film, 56 second layer, 57 third layer, 60 first electrode, 70 piezoelectric layer, 80 first substrate 2 electrodes, 90 lead electrodes, 100 reservoirs, 120 drive circuits, 300 piezoelectric elements (pressure generating elements)

Claims (8)

A first layer mainly composed of silicon oxide formed above the substrate;
A second layer mainly composed of zirconium oxide formed on the first layer by a vapor deposition method;
A third layer mainly composed of zirconium oxide formed by applying and baking a coating liquid on the second layer;
And a pressure generating element formed above the third layer.   The liquid ejecting head according to claim 1, wherein the second layer is formed using a sputtering method, a CVD method, or a laser ablation method.   The liquid ejecting head according to claim 1, wherein the third layer is formed using a sol-gel method or a MOD method.   The liquid ejecting head according to claim 1, wherein the second layer is formed by forming a zirconium layer and thermally oxidizing the zirconium layer.   A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising the liquid ejecting head according to claim 1. A first layer mainly composed of silicon oxide formed above the substrate;
A second layer mainly composed of zirconium oxide formed on the first layer by a vapor deposition method;
A third layer mainly composed of zirconium oxide formed by applying and baking a coating solution on the second layer;
An actuator device comprising: a pressure generating element formed above the third layer. Forming a first layer mainly composed of silicon oxide above the substrate;
Forming a second layer mainly composed of zirconium oxide on the first layer by a vapor deposition method;
Applying a coating solution on the second layer and baking to form a third layer mainly composed of zirconium oxide;
Forming a pressure generating element above the third layer. A method of manufacturing a liquid jet head, comprising: Forming a first layer mainly composed of silicon oxide above the substrate;
Forming a zirconium layer mainly composed of zirconium on the first layer by a vapor deposition method;
Forming a third layer precursor film by applying a coating solution on the zirconium layer;
Thermally oxidizing the zirconium layer and the third layer precursor film simultaneously to form a second layer mainly composed of zirconium oxide and a third layer mainly composed of zirconium oxide;
Forming a pressure generating element above the third layer. A method of manufacturing a liquid jet head, comprising:

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