JPS61286146A - Liquid jet recording head and liquid jet recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enhance the heat response of a liquid jet recording head provided with a heating resistor, by a method wherein the heating resistor layer constituting an electrothermal conversion body consists of a specific amorphous material containing carbon atoms as the base. CONSTITUTION:A heating resistor layer 14, constituting an electrothermal conversion body in the liquid jet recording head, consists of an amorphous material containing carbon atoms as the base, silicon atoms, halogen atoms, and hydrogen atoms. This construction allows the liquid jet recording head and the liquid jet recorder to have remarkably excellent heat response and repeated use durability. Additionally, the variation in the contents of silicon atom, halogen atoms, and/or hydrogen atom in the film thickness direction in the heating resistor layer 14 is suitably selected so as to easily obtain the desired characteristics in heat accumulation, heat radiation, adhesion between a substrate 12 and the resistor layer 14, resistance to chemical reaction to a recording liquid, and the like. Electrodes 16, 17 are protected by the heating resistor 14, eliminating the need for forming a protective layer thereon.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a liquid jet recording head and a liquid jet recording apparatus equipped with the recording head.

[Prior Art] Among the various recording methods currently known, the non-impact recording method generates almost no noise during recording, is capable of high-speed recording, and uses special fixing treatment on plain paper. The so-called inkjet recording method, which can perform recording without the need for a conventional inkjet recording method, is recognized as an extremely useful recording method. Regarding this inkjet recording method, various methods have been proposed so far, some of which have been improved and commercialized, and efforts are still being made to put some into practical use.

The inkjet recording method is a method in which droplets of a recording liquid called ink are ejected using various principles of operation, and the droplets are attached to a recording material such as paper to perform recording. be.

The present applicant has also already proposed a new system related to such an inkjet recording method. This new method has been proposed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 52-118798, and its basic principle is as outlined below.

In other words, in this inkjet recording method, a thermal pulse is applied as an information signal to the recording liquid introduced into an action chamber that can contain the recording liquid, whereby the recording liquid generates vapor bubbles and self-contracts. In this method, the recording liquid is ejected from an ejection port communicating with the action chamber according to the acting force generated in the process, and is caused to fly as small droplets, which are attached to a recording member to perform recording.

By the way, this method has a high-density multi-array configuration and is easily adapted to high-speed recording and color recording, and the configuration of the implementation device is simpler than conventional ones, so the overall recording head can be made more compact and mass-produced. to turn towards;
By making full use of the advantages of IC technology and micro-processing technology, which have seen remarkable technological progress and improved reliability in the semiconductor field, it has the advantage of being easy to lengthen, and is a method with a wide range of applications. be.

The characteristic recording head of the liquid jet recording apparatus described above is provided with an electrothermal transducer as a means for ejecting liquid from an ejection port to form flying droplets.

The electrothermal converter has a discharge port that communicates with the liquid so that it is in direct contact with the liquid in order to efficiently apply the generated thermal energy to the liquid and increase the ON-OFF response speed of the thermal effect on the liquid. It is said that it is desirable to have a structure in which the heat acting part is provided in a heat-acting part.

However, since the electrothermal converter basically consists of a heating resistor that generates heat when energized and a pair of electrodes for energizing the heating resistor,
If the heating resistor is in direct contact with the liquid, depending on the electrical resistance of the recording liquid, electricity may flow through the liquid, or the liquid itself may be electrolyzed by the flow of electricity through the liquid. When the heating resistor is energized, the heating resistor reacts with the liquid, resulting in a change in resistance value due to corrosion of the heating resistor itself, damage or destruction of the heating resistor, or even damage from the heating resistor. The surface of the heating resistor may be damaged or a portion of the heating resistor may be cracked due to the mechanical impact caused by the change in state from the generation of liquid vapor bubbles to self-extinction due to the action of the generated heat. In some cases, it was destroyed due to the occurrence of damage.

For this reason, in the past, alloys such as NiCr and Zr
B2. The heating resistor is made of an inorganic material such as a metal boride such as HfB2, which has relatively excellent characteristics as a heating resistor material, and 5t0
By providing a protective layer (upper layer) made of a material with excellent oxidation resistance such as No. It has been proposed to improve durability against repeated use.

However, a liquid jet recording device having a recording head equipped with an electrothermal converter having the above-mentioned configuration uses a liquid with relatively low electrical conductivity (for example, water or alcohol as a liquid medium) as a colored liquid for recording. When using recording liquids with high content of Na ions and high electrical conductivity, they have excellent oxidation resistance and are satisfactory in terms of repeated use durability. When an electrolyte liquid is used, it is insufficient in terms of durability against repeated use and resistance to change over time. Therefore, there are restrictions on the selection of the recording liquid to be used, which is particularly an obstacle when recording in multiple colors or in natural colors.

Furthermore, even when a protective layer is provided on the heating resistor as described above, it is possible to virtually completely prevent liquid from entering the heating resistor due to defects in the protective layer itself that occur during layer formation, for example. It is extremely difficult in terms of performance and mass production. Furthermore, in the case of so-called high-density multi-orifice construction, in which a liquid flow path (nozzle) is provided with a large number of high-density heat acting parts as part of its configuration, at least as many electrothermal converters as the number of liquid flow paths are installed at once. Because of the need to provide a protective layer, the influence of failures due to defects in the protective layer on the manufacturing yield of electrothermal converters is a major problem, including in terms of manufacturing costs. Furthermore, there is also the problem that thermal responsiveness is sacrificed due to the presence of the protective layer. Furthermore, the presence of the protective layer sacrifices heat generation responsiveness to a given electrical signal. Therefore, even when there is no protective layer and the heating resistor is in direct contact with the recording liquid, it has excellent heat resistance, oxidation resistance, mechanical shock resistance, electrochemical reaction resistance, and thermal response. It is widely desired to develop a liquid jet recording device equipped with an electrothermal converter.

[Object of the invention] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and
The main object of the present invention is to provide an excellent liquid jet recording head that solves the conventional problems described above, and a liquid jet recording apparatus equipped with the recording head.

Another object of the present invention is to have particularly high chemical stability, excellent electrochemical reaction resistance, and oxidation resistance, as well as excellent mechanical impact resistance and heat resistance, and furthermore, by eliminating the protective layer, thermal response is improved. An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid jet recording head equipped with a heating resistor that can improve performance, and a liquid jet recording apparatus equipped with the recording head.

[Summary of the Invention] According to the present invention, the above-mentioned object includes an ejection port provided for ejecting a liquid to form flying droplets, and a heat utilized for forming the flying droplets. In a liquid jet recording head equipped with an electrothermal transducer that generates energy, the heat generating resistive layer constituting the electrothermal transducer is a non-heating resistor layer made of carbon atoms as a matrix and containing silicon atoms, halogen atoms, and hydrogen atoms. A liquid jet recording head made of a crystalline material and characterized in that silicon atoms, halogen atoms and/or hydrogen atoms are unevenly distributed in the film thickness direction in the heating resistance layer, and the liquid jet recording head. This is achieved by a liquid jet recording device equipped with a.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically explained with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a partial plan view showing the configuration of an embodiment of the liquid jet recording head of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line nn.

In the figure, 12 is a support body on which an electrothermal converter is provided, 14 is a heating resistance layer constituting the electrothermal converter, and 16 and 17 are paired electrodes constituting the electrothermal converter. As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of pairs of a heat generating resistor layer 14 and a pair of electrodes 16 and 17 connected to the heat generating resistor layer 14 by 41i are provided, thereby forming an effective heat generating section 1.
8.18'.

18. φ... are arranged at predetermined intervals. In this embodiment, one electrode 16 is a common electrode in which a plurality of electrodes are grouped together. Each heat generating part 18.18', 18''.

An electric signal is applied to the heat generating resistor layer 14 constituting the... through electrodes 16 and 17, and each heat generating portion generates heat based on this.

As shown in FIG. 2, a top plate 20 in which a groove is formed on the side of the heat generating portion of the support 12 is bonded to a substrate having the support 12, the heat generating resistance layer 14, and the electrodes 16,17. A sectional view taken along the line ■-■ in FIG. 2 is shown in FIG. 3. As shown in FIGS.
”, ... in Figure 1, respectively.
Grooves 22, 22'', 22'' along the direction...
is formed. These grooves each form a space between them and the support 12 to accommodate the recording liquid. These spaces serve as a heat acting section 2 that applies thermal energy to the recording liquid.
It has 4.

On the left side in FIG. 2, the space opens to the outside, and this opening becomes a liquid discharge port 26. The space is connected to a recording liquid supply source on the right side in FIG. Then, when thermal energy is generated from the heat generating part in response to the recording signal in the space and acts on the recording liquid in the space, vapor bubbles are generated in the recording liquid, and the pressure at that time causes the recording liquid near the discharge port 26 to flow as shown in the arrow. Discharge in the X direction.

Furthermore, as can be seen from the above explanation, in Fig. 1, the top plate 2
The illustration of 0 is omitted.

In the present invention, the material of the support 12 is not particularly limited, but in practice, the heating resistance layer 1 formed on the surface of the support 12 is not particularly limited.
4 and during use, the heat generating resistive layer 1
A material having good durability against the heat generated by No. 4 is preferably used. Further, it is preferable that the support 12 has a higher electrical resistance than the heat generating resistance layer 14 formed on the surface thereof, but in the case where an insulating layer is interposed between the support 12 and the heat generating resistance layer 14. Alternatively, the support 12 may be made of a material having a smaller electrical resistance than the heat generating resistance layer 14.Furthermore, in the present invention, depending on the usage conditions of the liquid jet recording head, the support 12 may be made of a material having a lower electrical resistance than the heat generating resistance layer 14. Small or large supports 12 can be used.

The support 12 used in the present invention is glass,
Examples include those made of inorganic materials such as ceramics, silicon, and metals, and those made of organic materials such as polyamide resin and polyimide resin.

In the present invention, the heating resistor layer 14 is made of an amorphous material having carbon atoms as its base material and containing silicon atoms, halogen atoms, and hydrogen atoms. F, C as halogen atoms
I, Br, I, etc. can be used, and these may be used alone or in combination. Especially as halogen atoms, F, C
I is preferred, and F is especially preferred.

The content of silicon atoms in the heating resistor layer 14 is appropriately selected depending on the purpose of use so as to obtain desired characteristics, but is preferably o, oooi to 40 atomic %, more preferably 0.0005 to 40 atomic %. The content is 20 atomic %, preferably 0.001 to 10 atomic %.

The content of halogen atoms in the heating resistor layer 14 is appropriately selected depending on the purpose of use so as to obtain desired characteristics, and is preferably 0.0001 to 30 atomic %, more preferably 0.0005 to 30 atomic %. The content is 20 atomic %, preferably 0.001 to 10 atomic %.

The content of hydrogen atoms in the heat generating resistor layer 14 is appropriately selected so as to obtain desired characteristics depending on the purpose of use.
Preferably it is o,ooot~30 atom%, more preferably 0.0005-20 atom%, and suitably 0.001-1o atom%.

The sum of the silicon atom content, halogen atom content, and hydrogen atom content in the heating resistor layer 14 is appropriately selected so as to obtain desired characteristics depending on the purpose of use.
Preferably it is 0.0001 to 40 atom%, more preferably 0.0005 to 30 atom%, preferably o,
oot~2°at%.

In the present invention, the distribution of silicon atoms, halogen atoms, and/or hydrogen atoms in the heating resistance layer 14 is non-uniform in the thickness direction. ＼The change in the content of rogen atoms and/or hydrogen atoms may be such that the content gradually increases from the support 12 side to the surface side, or may be such that the content decreases conversely.Furthermore, silicon atom.

The content of halogen atoms and/or hydrogen atoms may be such that it has a maximum value or a minimum value in the heat generating resistor layer 14. The content of silicon atoms, halogen atoms and/or hydrogen atoms in the heat generating resistor layer 14 in the thickness direction may vary. Alternatively, the change in the content of hydrogen atoms is appropriately selected so as to obtain desired characteristics.

4 to 9, the heating resistor Ji1 of the recording head of the present invention is shown.
In these figures, the vertical axis represents the distance aT in the film thickness direction from the interface with the support 12. , and t represents the thickness of the heat generating resistor layer 14.

In addition, the horizontal axis represents the content C of silicon atoms, halogen atoms, and/or hydrogen atoms. In each figure, the scale of the vertical axis T and the horizontal axis C is not necessarily uniform, so that the characteristics of each figure can be seen. is being forced to change. Therefore, in actual application, various distributions are used for each diagram based on the differences in specific numerical values.

Furthermore, there is no particular limit to the thickness of the heating resistor R14.

In the recording head of the present invention, an amorphous material (hereinafter referred to as ra-C: Si: (X)) made of carbon as a matrix and containing silicon atoms, halogen atoms, and hydrogen atoms.

H) May be abbreviated as J. Here, X represents a halogen atom.

For example, it is formed by a plasma CVD method such as a glow discharge method, or a vacuum deposition method such as a sputtering method.

For example, a-C:Si:(X,
In order to form the resistance layer 14 consisting of H), basically the support 12 is placed in a deposition chamber under reduced pressure, and a raw material gas for C supply that can supply carbon atoms (C) into the deposition chamber is added. Introducing a raw material gas for Si supply that can supply silicon atoms (Si), a raw material gas for X supply that can supply halogen atoms (X), and a raw material gas for H supply that can supply hydrogen atoms (H). At this time, while changing the introduced amounts of the Si supply raw material gas, the X supply raw material gas, and/or the H supply raw material gas, a glow discharge is generated in the deposition chamber using high frequency waves or microwaves. on the surface of a-C:St:
A layer consisting of (X, H) may be formed.

In addition, a-C:Si:(X,
In order to form the resistance layer 14 made of H), basically the support 12 is placed in a deposition chamber under reduced pressure, and an inert gas such as Ar, He, etc. or a base gas of these gases is injected in the deposition chamber. When sputtering a target made of C in an atmosphere of a mixed gas of What is necessary is to change the amount introduced.

In the above method, as the raw material gas for C supply, the raw material gas for Si supply, the raw material gas for X supply, and the raw material gas for H supply, in addition to gaseous materials at room temperature and normal pressure, substances that can be gasified under reduced pressure are used. can be used.

Examples of raw materials for C supply include saturated hydrocarbons having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, ethylene hydrocarbons having 2 to 5 carbon atoms, acetylenic hydrocarbons having 2 to 4 carbon atoms, aromatic hydrocarbons, etc. The saturated hydrocarbons are methane (CH4) and ethane (C2Hll).

Propane (C3Ha), n-butane (n-C4H1G)
, pentane (C5H12), ethylene (C2H4), propylene (C3H
a), butene-1 (C4Hs), butene-2 (
C4Ha ), imbutylene (C4Ha ), pentene (C5Hlo), acetylene hydrocarbons such as acetylene (C2H2), methylacetylene (C
3H4), butyne (C4Hs), and aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene (CoHe).

As raw materials for Si supply, for example, SiH4, Si2
Silicon hydride (silanes) such as H6,5i3HB, Si+Hto, SiF4, (SiF2)5, (SiF2)
s, (S i F2 ) 4, Si2 F6 , Si3
FB, SiHF3, SiH2F2,5iC14 (
SiC12)5, SiBr4゜(SiBrz)s, 5i
Examples include silicon halides (silane derivatives substituted with halogen atoms) such as 2C16, 5i2C1+F3.

Examples of raw materials for supplying X include halogens, halides, interhalogen compounds, halogen-substituted hydrocarbon derivatives, etc. Specifically, the halogens include F2. C12, Br2
．． I2. Halides include HF, HCl, HBr
, HI, interhalogen compounds and shite are BrF, CIF, C
lF3, BrF5, BrF3. IF3, IF7
, IC1, IBr, halogen-substituted hydrocarbon derivatives include CF4, CHF3, CH2F2, CH3F, C
Cl4. CHCl3, CH2C12, CH3Cl, C
Br4. CHBr3, CH2Br2.

CH3B r, CI4, CHI3, CH2I2, C
Examples include H3I.

Examples of raw materials for supplying H include hydrogen gas and hydrocarbons such as saturated hydrocarbons, ethylene hydrocarbons, acetylene hydrocarbons, and aromatic hydrocarbons, which are also the raw materials for supplying C.

These raw materials may be used alone or in combination. In the heat generating resistive layer forming method as described above, the amount of silicon atoms contained in the resistive layer 14 to be formed.

In order to control the amount of halogen atoms, the amount of hydrogen atoms, and the characteristics of the resistance layer 14, the support temperature, the supply amount of source gas, the discharge power, the pressure in the deposition chamber, etc. are appropriately set.

In particular, the heating resistor layer of the present invention in which the distribution of silicon atoms, halogen atoms, and/or hydrogen atoms is uneven in the film thickness direction is formed in one layer.
In order to obtain 4, it is preferable to change the amount of silicon atoms, halogen atoms and/or hydrogen atoms introduced into the deposition chamber over time, for example, by controlling a valve.

The support temperature is preferably selected from 20 to 1200C, more preferably 30 to 1200C, and optimally 50 to 1100C.

The supply amount of the raw material gas is determined as appropriate depending on the desired performance of the heating resistance layer and the desired film formation rate.

The discharge power is preferably o, ooi to 20 W/C, more preferably 0, oi to l5 W/crn'.

Optimally, it is selected from 0.05 to IOW/cm''.

The pressure inside the deposition chamber is preferably 1O-4 to 1OTorr.
, more preferably 10-2 to 5 Torr.

The resistive layer of the recording head of the present invention obtained using the heat generating resistive layer forming method as described above has characteristics close to those of diamond.

That is, for example, one having a Vickers hardness of 1,800 to 5,000 can be obtained. In addition, since it contains silicon atoms, halogen atoms, and hydrogen atoms, it has particularly good mechanical strength.

The heat generating resistive layer of the present invention has high durability against mechanical shock and excellent chemical stability, and therefore does not require a special protective layer. The liquid jet recording head has good thermal responsiveness because thermal energy generated in response to signal input is applied to the liquid extremely efficiently. This also leads to improved ejection responsiveness of flying droplets that are formed in response to signals input to the liquid jet recording head.

However, as long as the desired responsiveness is exhibited, a protective layer may be formed on the heating resistor layer as described above.

Furthermore, when the recording liquid is conductive, a protective layer is necessary to prevent short circuits between electrodes.

In the above embodiment example, an example is shown in which the heat generating resistive layer and the electrode are provided on the support in this order, but in the recording head of the present invention, the electrode and the heat generating resistive layer may be provided in this order on the support. . FIG. 10 is a partial sectional view of a substrate having an electrothermal transducer of such a recording head.

Note that in one or more embodiments, the support 12 is described as being single, but the support 12 in the present invention may be a composite. The support 12 shown in FIG. 11 is composed of a composite body of a base 12a and a surface layer L2b, and the support material described in connection with FIGS. 1 to 3 above can be used as the base 12a, and the surface For the layer 12b, a material with better adhesion to the resistance layer 14 formed thereon can be used.The surface layer 12b may be made of, for example, an amorphous material containing carbon atoms as a matrix or a conventionally known material. It is composed of oxides etc. Such a surface layer 12b can be obtained by depositing an appropriate raw material on the base 12a by a method similar to the above-described method for forming the heating resistor layer. In addition, the surface layer 12
b may be a normal glassy glaze layer, or if the base 12a is metal, it may be an oxide layer formed by oxidizing its surface.

The electrodes 16 and 17 in the recording head of the present invention may be made of any material having a predetermined conductivity, such as Au or Cu.
, A1. Made of metal such as Ag and Ni.

Next, the outline of the method for manufacturing the recording head of the present invention will be explained.

FIG. 12 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of a deposition apparatus used when forming a heat generating resistive layer on the surface of a support. 1
toi is a deposition chamber, 1102 to 1106 are gas cylinders, 1107 to 1111 are mass flow controllers, 1112 to 1116 are inflow valves,
1117-1121 have outflow valve f, 1122-1
126 is a gas cylinder valve, 1127 to 113
1 is the outlet pressure gauge, 1132 is the auxiliary valve, 1133 is the lever, 1134 is the main valve, 1135 is the leak valve, 1136 is the vacuum gauge, 1137 is the electrothermal converter to be manufactured 1138 is a heater, 1139 is a support support means, 114 is a support material for forming a substrate having a body;
0 is a high voltage power supply, 1141 is an electrode, 114
2 is a shutter. Note that 1142-1 is a target attached to the electrode 1141 when performing the sputtering method.

For example, 1102 is sealed with CF4 gas (99.9% purity or higher) diluted with Ar gas, and 1103
02F6 gas (purity 99.9) diluted with Ar gas
% or more) is sealed, and 1104 is sealed with SiH4 gas (purity of 99.9% or more) diluted with Ar gas.

1105 is sealed with 5t2H6 gas (purity of 99.9% or more) diluted with Ar gas. Before the gas in these cylinders flows into the deposition chamber 1101, each gas cylinder 1102-1106 (7) valve 1122-11
26 and leak valve 1135 are closed, and check that the inflow valves 1112 to 1116, outflow valves 1117 to 1121, and auxiliary valve 1132 are open. First, open the main valve 1134 and start the deposition. The chamber 1101 and the gas piping are evacuated.

Next, the reading of vacuum gauge 1136 is 1.5X10-6 Torr.
At the point when the auxiliary valve 1132 and the inflow valve 11
12-1116 and outflow valves 1117-1121 are closed. Thereafter, a valve of a gas pipe connected to a cylinder of gas to be introduced into the deposition chamber 1101 is opened to introduce a desired gas into the deposition chamber 1101.

Next, an example of the procedure for forming the resistive layer of the recording head of the present invention by the glow discharge method using the above-described apparatus will be described. Open the valve 1122 and open the gas cylinder 110
Let the CF4/Ar gas flow out from valve 1
124 and SiH4/Ar from the gas cylinder 1104.
Let the gas flow out and adjust the pressure at outlet pressure gauges 1127.1129 to 1 kg/C, then inlet valve 1112.
1114 gradually opens the mass flow controller 110.
7.1109, followed by outflow valves 1117.1119. The auxiliary valve 1132 is gradually opened to introduce CF4/Ar gas and S i H4/Ar gas into the deposition chamber 1101. At this time, the mass flow controllers 1107 and 1109 are adjusted so that the ratio between the flow rate of CF4/Ar gas and the flow rate of SiH4/Ar gas becomes the desired value, and the pressure inside the deposition chamber 1101 is adjusted to the desired value. While checking the reading on the vacuum gauge 1136, check the main valve 113.
Adjust the opening degree of 4. Then, the temperature of the support 1137 supported by the support means 1139 in the deposition chamber 1101 is heated by the heater 1138 to a desired temperature, and then the shutter 1142 is opened to generate a glow discharge in the deposition chamber 1101. Then, the opening degree of the outflow valves 1117 and 1119 is changed manually or by an external drive motor, etc., so that the flow rate of CF4/Ar gas and/or the flow rate of SiH4/Ar gas is adjusted according to a pre-designed rate of change curve. The content rate of Si atoms, F atoms, and/or H atoms in the resistance layer 14 is thereby changed in the film thickness direction.

Next, an example of a procedure for forming the resistive layer of the recording head of the present invention by sputtering using one or more devices will be described. High-purity graphite 11 is preliminarily placed on the electrode 1141 to which a high voltage is applied by the high-voltage power supply 1140.
Set up 42-1 as a target, do the same as in the glow discharge method, and set the gas pump 1102 to CF.
, /Ar gas from the gas pump 1104 S i H4/
Ar gas is supplied to the deposition chamber 1101 at desired flow rates.
be introduced within. By opening the shutter 1142 and turning on the high voltage power supply 1140, the target 1142-
Sputter 1. At this time, the support body 1137 is heated to a desired temperature by the heater 1138, and the deposition chamber 1101 is heated by adjusting the opening degree of the main valve 1134.
Setting the inside to a desired pressure is the same as in the glow discharge method. Then, as in the case of the glow discharge method described above, the opening degree of the outflow valves 1117 and 1119 is changed to adjust the flow rate of CF4/Ar gas and/or StH4/
The flow rate of the Ar gas is changed over time according to a predesigned rate of change curve, thereby changing the content of Si atoms, F atoms, and/or H atoms in the resistance layer 14 in the film thickness direction.

In the case of a substrate having an electrothermal transducer of a liquid jet recording head as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, after forming a heat generating resistor layer on the support as described above, A conductive layer (for example, an Au layer, an A1 layer) for forming an electrode is formed, and then a conductive layer and a heat-generating resistive layer are patterned using photolithography, and if necessary, the layer is made of an insulating material, etc. A protective layer may be laminated.

In addition, in the case of a substrate having an electrothermal converter for a liquid jet recording head as shown in Figure 310, a conductive layer is formed on the support in advance, and the conductive layer is patterned using photolithography technology. After this, a heat generating resistor layer is formed by the glow discharge method or sputtering method as described above.

The grooved top plate may be made of the same material as the above-mentioned support, for example, by mechanical cutting with a microcutter, chemical etching, etc., or if the top plate is made of photosensitive glass, the desired shape can be formed. It is possible to use a material in which grooves are formed by pattern exposure and development.

The substrate having the electrothermal transducer and the top plate can be bonded after sufficient alignment, for example, by bonding with an adhesive or by thermal fusion depending on the material of the top plate.

In the above embodiment, a liquid jet recording head of the type shown in a partial perspective view in FIG. However, in the present invention, the fourteenth
As shown in the figure, the liquid ejection port 26 may be provided directly on the top plate 20. In the head of the type shown in FIG. The recording liquid is ejected from the ejection port 26 in the direction of arrow Y. Of course, one end of the groove 22 may be closed, and the recording liquid may be introduced from at least one opening.

Next, a modification of the liquid jet recording head of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 15 is a sectional view of IX-]X in FIG. 14 above. In this case, the portion of the top plate 20 other than the groove 22 is in close contact with the substrate having the electrothermal converter.

Therefore, the respective heat-acting parts 24 formed corresponding to the six grooves 22 of the top plate 20 are isolated from each other by the barrier part 30 formed by the part in close contact with the support body 12.

In FIG. 15, each heat generating part 18 is provided corresponding to each discharge port 26.

16 to 18 are sectional views corresponding to FIG. 15 showing other examples.

In the case of FIG. 16, the barrier portion 30 is not in complete contact with the support 12, and the heat acting portions 24 corresponding to the respective heat generating portions 18 are in communication with each other.

In the case of FIG. 17, the barrier portion 30 is formed on the substrate instead of the top plate 20, and the heat acting portions 24 corresponding to the six heat generating portions 18 communicate with each other as in the case of FIG. 16.

In the case of FIG. 18, no barrier portion is formed as in the cases of FIGS. 15 to 17.

15 to 18 above relate to the liquid jet recording head of the type shown in FIG. 14, but the same applies to the type of liquid jet recording head shown in FIG. 13.

The barrier part (wall) 30 does not necessarily have to be provided as described above, and even if it affects the ejection direction, ejection speed, or ejection amount of the liquid ejected from the adjacent ejection ports, the flying droplets may be prevented. It is not necessary to provide a barrier section unless there is an error that exceeds an allowable range in the point of impact of the liquid on the recording material. In order to improve this, it is preferable to provide a barrier section. Furthermore, it goes without saying that the barrier portion may be formed integrally with the top plate, or only the barrier portion may be a separate member. The flat top plate may be made of the same material as the grooved top plate. Moreover, a photosensitive resin can also be used for the barrier part and the top plate.

Specific examples of the liquid jet recording head of the present invention will be shown below.

[Example] First, a substrate having an electrothermal converter used in the following Examples and Comparative Examples was prepared in the following manner.

As a support, 97059 glass manufactured by Koh Kong Co., Ltd.
Thermal oxidation 5i02 heat storage layer as surface layer (thickness 5 pm)
A St plate provided with the following was used.

A heating resistance layer, an electrode, and optionally a protective layer are formed on the support. The layer configurations of the heating resistor layer, electrode, and protective layer were of the following three types: A, B, and C.

A heating resistor layer was formed on the Type A support using the deposition apparatus shown in FIG. The conditions during the deposition are as shown in Tables 1 and 2, respectively.

The Examples listed in Table 1 were carried out by the glow discharge method, and the Examples and Comparative Examples listed in Table 2 were carried out by the sputtering method. As a target during sputtering, Graphi (99,99%) was used except for the comparative example, in which HfB2 was used.

During the deposition, the flow rate of each gas and other conditions were maintained as shown in Tables 1 and 2, respectively, and the heat generation resistance layer was formed with the thickness shown in Table 3. An At layer was formed on the resistance layer by an electron beam method, a resist pattern was formed by a photolithography technique, and the At layer was etched into a desired shape to form a plurality of pairs of electrodes. &! Then, a resist pattern was formed by photolithography, and predetermined portions of the heating resistor layer were removed using an HF etching solution. As an example, a heating resistor element was formed in which the above-mentioned electrodes were attached to a heating portion consisting of a portion of a heating resistor layer of 40 gm x 200 tiles. The heat generating parts were arranged at a pitch of 8 pieces/mm.

Next, a photosensitive polyimide (trade name: Photonice) is spin-coded. Then, prebaked at 80℃ for 1 hour,
After exposure with an aligner, it is developed and the heat-generating part has a structure with a window opening. Then, heat to 400°C for 30 minutes at 140°C.
Post-baking is performed for 1 hour to complete a substrate having an electrothermal converter.

The resistance of each heat generating part of the electrothermal converter thus obtained was as shown in Table 3.

Note that the photosensitive polyimide is used to prevent electrolysis in the ink of the A1 electrode.

A schematic perspective view of a completed substrate having an electrothermal converter is shown in FIG. 19, and a schematic cross-sectional view is shown in FIG. 20. In the figure, 28 is a polyimide layer.

Type B A heating resistance layer was formed on the support in the same manner as in Type A. The deposition conditions are as shown in Tables 1 and 2, respectively. During the deposition, the flow rate of each gas and other conditions were maintained as shown in Tables 1 and 2, respectively, and the heating resistor layer with the thickness shown in Table 3 was formed. An Au layer was formed on the heating resistor layer by an electron beam method, a resist pattern was formed by photolithography, and the Au layer was etched into a desired shape to form a plurality of pairs of electrodes. Next, a resist pattern is formed using photolithography technology and HF is applied.
Predetermined portions of the heat generating resistor layer were removed using an etching solution. As an example, a heating resistor element was formed in which the above-mentioned electrodes were attached to a heating portion consisting of a heating resistor layer of 40 Bm x 200 ILm. The heat generating parts were arranged at a pitch of 8 pieces/mm. In this way, a substrate having an electrothermal transducer is completed.

The resistance of each heat generating part of the electrothermal converter thus obtained was as shown in Table 3.

A schematic perspective view of a completed substrate having an electrothermal converter is shown in FIG. 21, and a schematic cross-sectional view is shown in FIG. 22.

Type C A1 layer is formed on the support by electron beam method, and a resist pattern is formed by photolithography technique.
After etching the layer into a desired shape to form a plurality of pairs of electrodes, a heating resistor layer was formed on the patterned At layer.

The heating resistance layer was formed in the same manner as in the case of type A.

The deposition conditions were maintained as shown in Tables 1 and 2, respectively, and heat generating resistive layers having the thicknesses shown in Table 3 were formed. Subsequently, a resist pattern was formed by photolithography, and predetermined portions of the heating resistor layer were removed using an HF-based etching solution. - 40p as an example
A heat generating resistor element was formed in which the above electrode was attached to a heat generating portion consisting of a portion of the heat generating resistor layer measuring m×200 lum.

The heat generating parts were arranged at a pitch of 8 pieces/mm. Furthermore, A
Since the t-electrode is protected by this heating resistance layer, there is no need to form a protective film. Thus, a substrate having an electrothermal transducer is completed.

The resistance of each heat generating part of the electrothermal converter thus obtained was as shown in Table 3.

A schematic perspective view of a completed substrate having an electrothermal converter is shown in FIG. 23, and a schematic cross-sectional view is shown in FIG. 24.

A liquid jet recording head is manufactured using the substrate having the electrothermal converter completed as described above.The heads to be created include the type shown in FIG. 13 (hereinafter referred to as type 1) and the type 14 shown in FIG. There is a type shown in the figure (hereinafter referred to as type 2).

Type 1 was created using two methods, and Type 2 was created using one method. The method for creating them will be described below.

Type 1-1 First, as shown in the schematic perspective view of FIG.
0 with multiple grooves 22 (width 40 gm, depth 40 pm)
) and a groove 42 serving as a common ink chamber are cut using a micro cutter to create a grooved top plate 20.

Next, the substrate completed above and the top plate 20 are connected to the heat generating part and the groove 2.
2 and then joined together, and furthermore, as shown in the schematic perspective view of FIG. 26, an ink introduction pipe 44 for introducing ink from an ink supply section (not shown) to the common ink chamber is connected. The recording head 46 was completed in one piece.

Type 1-2 A photosensitive film 50 (trade name: Odile, Tokyo Ohka) is laminated on the substrate completed above. Then, a glass plate 54 laminated with a photosensitive resin film 52 (trade name Odile, Tokyo Ohka) is placed on top of the patterned film, which is exposed and developed using an aligner to create a desired pattern shape. Glue and join.

Then, this joined body is shaped by machining such as dicing to form the discharge port 26, and an ink introduction pipe 44 is connected from an ink supply section (not shown) to the common ink chamber, as shown in the schematic diagram of FIG. A recording head 56 as shown in the perspective view was integrally completed.

Type 2 First, the top plate 20 in which the discharge port 26 is formed is created. The top plate 20 is created by forming a pattern of photosensitive film (trade name: PHT-145FT-50, Hitachi Chemical) on a stainless steel plate with grooves formed by etching, etc., and then electroforming with Ni plating on the pattern. . The holes serving as the discharge ports 26 are where the pattern of the photosensitive film is located. The top plate 20 created in this way and the substrate completed above are aligned with the heat generating parts and the discharge ports 26 corresponding thereto, and then bonded with adhesive. The board is machined to make holes so that ink can be supplied into the top plate 20. Next, a hole is made by machining so that ink can be introduced into the common ink chamber from an ink supply section (not shown) on the back side of the joined board. The introduction pipe 60 of the second
A recording pad 62 as shown in the schematic perspective view of FIG. 8 was integrally completed. Note that 64 is a recessed portion of the top plate 20 and constitutes a rebarrier portion.

There are combinations of type A, type B, and type C of the layer structure of the substrate having an electrothermal converter and type 1-1, type 1-2, and type 2 of the head manufacturing method, but in the following durability experiment, A combination of type A and type 1-1 was used.

Hereinafter, an experiment regarding the durability of the produced recording head will be described.

The recording head created above has electrode leads (individual electrode leads and common electrode leads: not shown) connected to individual electrodes 17 for each heat generating part and electrodes 16 common to each heat generating part. The recording head unit was completed.

Using these recording head units, a liquid jet recording apparatus as shown in a schematic perspective view in FIG. 29 was constructed.

In FIG. 29, 70 is a recording head unit;
72 is a carriage on which the recording unit 70 is placed, and 74 is a guide member for reciprocating the carriage 72. Also, 76 is a platen,
Reference numeral 78 indicates a recording member, such as paper, held on the platen 76.

The recording liquid ejection opening of the recording head unit 70 is oriented in the direction of arrow Z, and the recording liquid is ejected in the direction of the arrow in the form of droplets and adheres to the recording member 78 on the platen 76 in the form of dots. do. Main scanning is performed by moving the recording head unit 70 along the guide member 74 by an appropriate driving means, and sub-scanning is performed by rotating the platen 76 around a rotation axis 77 by an appropriate driving means. , whereby recording is performed on the recording member 78.

The experimental conditions were as follows.

Apply a rectangular pulse with a voltage 1.2 times the minimum bubbling voltage (the voltage at which bubbling begins in the ink) (for example, 24 V if the minimum bubbling voltage is 20 V) to the heat generating part with a pulse width of 10 psec and a pulse input cycle of 2001 LSec. did. The composition of the ink used was as follows.

Water: 68 parts by weight DEC: 30 parts by weight Black dyeing: $4: 2 parts by weight When an ink droplet ejection experiment was conducted using the above experimental conditions and ink, durability evaluations as shown in Table 3 were obtained.

The durability of these Examples and Comparative Examples was evaluated based on the number of times electrical pulses could be repeatedly applied as follows. In other words, "
"O" and "x" indicate the number of times the electrical pulse was repeatedly applied, as shown in 2 or less.

From the results of 106 times or more x 106 times or more, it can be seen that in the examples of the present invention, recording heads with significantly superior durability compared to the comparative examples were obtained. Further, in the examples of the present invention, the recording properties were also excellent.

In the above durability experiment, the above type A and type 1-1 were used.
Similar results were obtained with other combinations.

Next, FIG. 30 shows a partially cutaway perspective view of an embodiment of the liquid jet recording apparatus of the present invention.

In this embodiment, two recording head units 7
0 are held in parallel by the carriage 72 by the holding member 71.
It is fixed and placed on. 7 units to record 70
is a so-called disposable type, and contains recording liquid. The movement of the carriage 72 along the guide member 74 is achieved by fixing a part of the wire 82 wound between the pulleys 80 and 81 to the carriage 72, and moving the carriage 72 along the guide member 74 using the motor 84.
This is done by driving and rotating the pulley 81.

On the other hand, the rotating shaft 77 of the platen 76 is driven and rotated by a motor 86 and a gear mechanism 88, thereby feeding the recording member 78.

90 is a recording head unit 70 via a carriage 72.
This is a flexible wiring board connected to the carriage 72 in order to supply an electric signal for ejecting recording liquid in the Z direction.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention as described below, by using an amorphous material made of carbon atoms as a matrix and containing silicon atoms, halogen atoms, and hydrogen atoms as the heating resistance layer, High chemical stability, excellent electrochemical reactivity resistance, and oxidation resistance.
The present invention also provides a liquid jet recording head and a liquid jet recording device that have an electrothermal converter having excellent mechanical impact resistance and heat resistance, and therefore have extremely good thermal response and repeated use durability. Accordingly, an electrothermal converter having particularly excellent mechanical strength can be obtained.

Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to realize liquid jet recording with high frequency response and high reliability.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, the content of silicon atoms, halogen atoms, and/or hydrogen atoms in the heat generating resistive layer is unevenly distributed in the film thickness direction, which improves heat storage, heat dissipation, and support and resistance. Various properties such as adhesion with the layer and resistance to chemical reaction with the recording liquid can be easily achieved.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partial plan view of the recording head of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 1--2, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line mm in FIG. 4 to 9 are graphs showing the distribution of the content of silicon atoms, halogen atoms, and/or hydrogen atoms in the heating resistance layer. 10 and 11 are partial cross-sectional views of a substrate having an electrothermal transducer of the recording head of the present invention. FIG. 12 is a schematic explanatory diagram of the deposition apparatus. 13 and 14 are partial perspective views of the recording head of the present invention. 15 to 18 are partial cross-sectional views of the recording head of the present invention. 19, 21 and 23 are perspective views of a substrate having an electrothermal converter of the recording head of the present invention, and FIGS.
FIG. 22 and FIG. 24 are sectional views thereof, respectively. FIG. 25 is a perspective view of the top plate of the recording head of the present invention. 26, 27, and 28 are perspective views of the recording head of the present invention. FIG. 29 is a perspective view of the recording apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 30 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the recording apparatus of the present invention. 12: Support 24: Heat generating resistive layer 16. 17: Electrode 18: Heat generating part 20: Top plate 24: Heat acting part 26: Discharge port agent Patent attorney Tsumi Taira Yamashita Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Fig. 7 Fig. 8 Fig. 13 Fig. 14 Fig. 15 Fig. 1 G entry Fig. 21 Fig. 22 Fig. 2 γ Fig.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A liquid comprising an ejection port provided for ejecting a liquid to form flying droplets, and an electrothermal converter that generates thermal energy used to form the flying droplets. In the ejection recording head, the heating resistance layer constituting the electrothermal converter is made of an amorphous material containing carbon atoms as a matrix and silicon atoms, halogen atoms, and hydrogen atoms; A liquid jet recording head characterized in that halogen atoms and/or hydrogen atoms are distributed non-uniformly in the film thickness direction. (2) A liquid comprising an ejection port provided for ejecting the liquid to form flying droplets, and an electrothermal converter that generates thermal energy used to form the flying droplets. In a liquid jet recording device equipped with a jet recording head, the heating resistance layer constituting the electrothermal converter is made of an amorphous material having carbon atoms as a matrix and containing silicon atoms, halogen atoms, and hydrogen atoms. A liquid jet recording device characterized in that silicon atoms, halogen atoms and/or hydrogen atoms are non-uniformly distributed in the film thickness direction in the heating resistance layer.