JPS61185879A - Manufacture of ion generator - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing an ion generator that can be used in electrostatic recording and the like.

11. In electrostatic printing, generating ions with high current density, extracting the ions, and selectively applying them to a charged member to charge the member in an image-like manner is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. 4
It is known from Publication No. 155093. The ion generator used in this device includes a dielectric, a plurality of first electrodes fixed to one side of the dielectric and extending in a first direction, and a plurality of first electrodes fixed to the other side of the dielectric and extending in a first direction. The plurality of first electrodes and the plurality of second electrodes constitute a matrix.

By applying alternating voltages between the first electrode and the second electrode corresponding to a selected portion of the matrix, positive and negative ions are generated in the vicinity of the second electrode facing the selected portion. The generated ions can be selectively extracted to charge the member to be charged. Therefore, electrostatic recording using dots can be performed by selectively driving the electrodes of the matrix structure.

Electrostatic recording using this method is considered useful, but the currently known methods have variations in dot size;
The drawback is that high-definition images cannot be obtained.

1. Dispersion 11 Therefore, an object of the present invention is to eliminate this variation in dot size and enable high-definition image formation.

The present invention aims to achieve the above-mentioned object by improving the manufacturing method of an ion generator. An ion generator having a plurality of first electrodes extending in a first direction and a plurality of second electrodes fixed to the other side of the dielectric and extending in a direction intersecting the first direction. After forming a first conductive layer on the substrate by vapor deposition, patterning and etching are performed to form the first conductive layer.
forming an electrode, depositing a dielectric material on the first electrode to form the dielectric, forming a second conductive layer by vapor deposition on the side of the dielectric opposite to the first electrode, and then patterning and etching. In the ion generating device manufactured by this method, the linearity at the edge of the electrode is greatly improved, and the size of the dots formed thereby is highly variable. There are very few.

Support 11 FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of an ion generator, which is the object of the manufacturing method of the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the same.

This ion generator or electrostatic recording head 1 includes a first electrode 11 which is an induction electrode extending in the lateral direction (first direction) in FIG. 1, and a discharge electrode extending in a second direction different from the first direction. When viewed from above in FIG. 1, these electrodes constitute a matrix. On the opposite side of the second electrode 12 from the first electrode 11 is a third electrode 13, which has a plurality of openings corresponding to the matrix. A first electrode 11, a second electrode 12, and a first dielectric 14 are sandwiched between them.

That is, the first electrode 11 and the second electrode 12 are the first dielectric 1
It is fixed to each surface of 4. The second electrode 12 and the third electrode 13 also sandwich the second dielectric 15 therebetween. Second
The dielectric 15 has openings 1 corresponding to the plurality of openings of the third electrode 13.
It has 6. By selectively applying alternating voltages between the plurality of first electrodes 11 and second electrodes 12 of the ion generator having this configuration, a selected portion of the matrix is applied. A high insulating pressure is applied between the second electrode 12 and the third electrode 13, and only ions of polarity determined by the polarity are extracted from the positive and negative ions, and these ions pass through the openings 16 and 17. As a result, a charged member (not shown) provided opposite to the opening 17 is charged. In this manner, a dot latent image can be formed on the charged member by selectively driving the plurality of first electrodes 11 and second electrodes 12. That is, this ion generator functions as an electrostatic recording head.

Hereinafter, the manufacturing method of this ion generator 1 according to the present invention will be explained in detail.

In FIG. 3, 20 is an insulating substrate made of glass, ceramics, resin, or the like. The thickness of the substrate 20 is from 0.1 to 2
0 mm, preferably 0.2 to 10 mm. Substrate 20
It is not limited to those made only of insulating materials,
It is sufficient if the first electrode 11 side is insulating.For example, a metal substrate such as aluminum, copper or stainless steel (with a thickness of 0
．． 1- I Am mv'm ht
1. / Ito '2 ~ I n m m
'+ /7'l μ Lf met material,
Example Eva, S i02, S i s ~4 tttt
With a thickness of O, l to lOBm, preferably L to 5 p-m, spar/evening evaporation, CVD (CHEMICALVA
PORDEPO3ITON), plasma polymerization, glow discharge polymerization, EB deposition, etc. may be used.

Next, on the substrate 20 (lower side in FIG. 3), a high melting point metal such as Ti, V, Cr, Ta%No,
Fe.

A metal containing at least one of Go, Ni, Nb, Au, Pt, or an alloy containing these metals is coated with a thickness of 0.1 to IQpm, preferably 0.2 to #Lm is evaporated by snotting or the like. Next, this vapor-deposited metal is formed into a plurality of linearly extending first electrodes 11 by ordinary photolithography and etching (FIG. 4).

Next, on the substrate 20 on which the first electrode 11 is formed, an insulating material such as SiO□, MgO1AI20
3. Polystyrene, polyethylene, Teflon, parylene, polyimide resin films, vinyl chloride, etc., or composite films thereof can be deposited using conventional vapor deposition, electron beam vapor deposition, sputter vapor deposition, plasma polymerization, glow discharge polymerization, CVD vapor deposition, or solution immersion. The film is deposited or coated to a thickness of 0.2 to 50 pm, preferably 1 to 20 g, by a method or the like. As a result, the first dielectric 14 is firmly formed on the first electrode 11 (
5), the first dielectric 14 can be formed by vapor deposition and coating as described above, but due to the problem of deterioration of the dielectric 14 due to discharge or dielectric breakdown, an inorganic insulator (for example, vapor deposition) is possible.

5i02. MgO1A120. etc.) is preferably formed.

Next, an electrode material similar to that of the first electrode 11 is deposited on the first LM electric body 14 in the same manner as in the case of the first electrode 11, and further, it extends in a direction different from that of the first electrode 11 and has a shape as shown in FIG. An electrode pattern of the second electrode 12 having the following structure is formed by ordinary photolithography and etching. In this way, a plurality of second electrodes 12 are fixedly formed on the first dielectric 14 (FIG. 6), thereby forming the ion generating device 1 which is the object of the present invention.

By applying an AC voltage between the first electrode 11 and the second electrode 12 of the ion generating device 1 thus formed, positive and negative ions are generated near the second electrode 12. In order to use this as an electrostatic recording device, a second insulating plate having openings 16 through which generated ions pass is added.
It is glued onto the electrode 12. At this time, the gap between the two fingers of the second electrode 12 and the opening 16 of the second dielectric 15 are bonded in an aligned state (FIG. 7), and the width of the opening 16 is preferably 10 to 800 gm. is 30 to 500 um. Further, the thickness of the second dielectric 15 is 50 to 250
um, preferably 100 to 200 ILm. Second
As the material of the dielectric 15, glass, ceramics, organic film, photosensitive resin, etc. can be used.

Next, the third electrode 13 having the opening 17 is connected to the second dielectric material 15.
Glue to. The opening 17 of the third electrode 13 is located at a position corresponding to the intersection between the space between the two fingers of the second electrode 12 and the first electrode 11. (Kan AIW) - The opening 17 has a diameter of 10 to 200 u,
m, preferably a circular aperture of 30 to 150 u-m.

As the third electrode 13, a metal plate similar to that of the first electrode 11, such as delminilum, copper, stainless steel, or a metal plate having a thickness of 0.01 to 5 mm, preferably 0.02 to 0.2 mm, can be used.

Comparing the configuration of FIG. 8 with that of FIG. 1, in FIG. 8, the substrate 20 is present above the first electrode 11. Although this substrate 20 is not necessary for ion generation and electrostatic recording, it has the effect of reinforcing the ion generation device 1.

The above has described a method of manufacturing using the substrate 20 as a starting material, but the manufacturing order may be reversed and manufacturing using the second dielectric 15 as a starting material. In this case, the third electrode 13 also Like the first electrode 11 or the second electrode 12, it can be manufactured by vapor deposition, photolithography, or etching. In this case, as shown in FIG. 9, an opening 16 is formed in the second dielectric 15, electrodes are deposited on both sides of the second dielectric 15, and then the second electrode 12 and the opening 17 are etched. Compared to the case where the substrate 20 is manufactured as a starting material, there is no need to align the openings 16 and 17, and the second electrode 12 and the openings 16,
Another advantage is that no adhesive is required between the second dielectric 15 and the opening 17.

Furthermore, FIG. 10 shows a case where the first dielectric 14 is used as the substrate instead of the substrate 20. In this case, the first dielectric 14 which is the substrate
The same metal as in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 4 to 8 is deposited on both sides of the N electric body 14 in the same dimensions, and then patterned on each surface, and then etched to form the respective electrodes. It is to be formed. As can be seen from a comparison with FIG. 6, in this method, the substrate 20 does not exist.

For pattern formation by etching or the like of the above-mentioned materials, techniques that have been put into practical use in the manufacturing process of electronic devices such as semiconductors can be used.

As explained above, in the present invention, the first electrode 11 and the second electrode 12 are formed based on the vapor deposition method.
Very thin membrane (0.1 to 10 ILm, preferably 0.1 to 10 ILm)
2 to 7 ILm), there is no side etching during pattern formation such as etching, and the knee and jig portions of the electrode can be formed flat. In other words, the opposing edges of the two fingers of the second electrode 12 have no irregularities and have high linearity. , because the metal plate is inevitably thick, after etching, etc., the edge has irregularities about the thickness of the metal plate, and the inventor's numerous experiments have shown that these irregularities are the most important for electrostatic recording. According to the present invention, such unevenness does not exist, and therefore, there is no variation in dot size, so that each of the ion generators 1 The dot size in the aperture 17 became constant.

If the dot size varies due to the above reasons, increasing the alternating voltage applied between the first electrode 11 and the second electrode 12 (for example, 2 to 2.5 KV) will relatively reduce the effect of the unevenness. According to the present invention, this voltage increase becomes unnecessary. In other words, the voltage can be lowered (l~
1, 7KV), and this voltage drop reduces the amount of heat generated during ion generation operation, that is, the energy loss, from about 1/4 to 1/4.
/2.

Furthermore, since an adhesive is not used for the first electrode 11 and the second electrode 12, it is possible to prevent the adhesive from deteriorating due to the heat and ions generated during discharge and causing the electrodes to peel off.

Furthermore, if the first dielectric material 14 is also manufactured by vapor deposition, it is possible to easily form a uniform thin film, which was impossible in the past. Since the alternating voltage applied can be further reduced, the above-mentioned voltage reduction effect can be further promoted.

Regarding the possibility of electrode deterioration due to thinning of the electrode, as mentioned above, high melting point metal is used.1+ and circle 1As explained above, according to the present invention, the dot size is uniform and the working voltage is low. A method of manufacturing an ion generator is provided.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an electrostatic recording head using an ion generator manufactured by the manufacturing method of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the electrostatic recording head of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an electrostatic recording head manufactured according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 4 to 8 are cross-sectional views showing the manufacturing process according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a manufacturing method according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a manufacturing method according to a third embodiment of the present invention. 11 Stand 1'' 12: Second electrode 14: First dielectric Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 7 Figure 8 Figure 9

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1) a dielectric, a plurality of first electrodes fixed to one side of the dielectric and extending in a first direction, and a plurality of first electrodes fixed to the other side of the dielectric and extending in the first direction; In an ion generating device having a plurality of second electrodes extending in a direction intersecting with the second electrode, the first conductive layer is formed on an insulating substrate by vapor deposition, and then the first electrode is formed by patterning and etching. , forming the dielectric material by vapor depositing a dielectric material on the first electrode, forming a second conductive layer by vapor deposition on the side opposite to the first electrode of the dielectric material, and then patterning and etching the dielectric material. A method of manufacturing an ion generator, comprising forming a second electrode. 2) a dielectric, a plurality of first electrodes fixed to one side of the dielectric and extending in a first direction, and a plurality of first electrodes fixed to the other side of the dielectric and extending in a direction intersecting the first direction; In an ion generator having a plurality of second electrodes, a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer are formed on both sides of the dielectric by vapor deposition, and then patterned and etched to remove the dielectric. A method for manufacturing an ion generator, comprising forming the first electrode and the second electrode on the front surface of the body.