KR20100112443A - Ink jet device, the ink jetting method using the such, and the fabricating method of channels for ink jet device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: An ink jet device having a micro channel part, an ink jetting method using the same, and a method for manufacturing channels for an ink jet device are provided to increase the speed of mixing different ink by injecting gas to generate vortex. CONSTITUTION: An ink jet device(200) comprises an ink channel part(201), a gas channel part(202), a nozzle part(213) and a controller. The ink channel part comprises a first channel(203) in which ink flows, an ink reservoir(204) supplying ink to the first channel, and a first pump(205) pumping ink into the first channel. The gas channel part is connected to the first channel and includes a second channel(206), a gas tank(208) and a second pump(209). The nozzle part is connected to the ink channel part and the gas channel part and discharges the ink surrounded with the gas. The controller controls the ink channel part and the gas channel part.

Description

Ink jet device, ink jetting method using same and manufacturing method of channel part for ink jet device {Ink jet device, the ink jetting method using the such, and the fabricating method of channels for ink jet device}

The present invention relates to an inkjet device, and more particularly, an inkjet device having an improved structure and a device according to the present invention so that fine droplets can be discharged through a nozzle part in a microchannel part, and an inkjetting method and a channel for the inkjet device using the same. The manufacturing method of a part is related.

In general, an inkjet device jets ink onto a substrate such as a substrate, paper, polymer, glass, and silicon to form a circuit pattern layer, to fabricate an electronic component, to document, to apply a biochemical (antigen, enzyme), to a biomaterial (artificial organ). , Muscles, bones).

Conventional ink jetting uses a method of filling ink in a head unit provided with a nozzle unit and a storage unit, and applying a pressure to eject droplets through the nozzle unit. In order to refill the ejected ink, ink flows to the storage part by capillary pressure, or a pneumatic pressure is applied directly to the ink. In addition, the pressure generated by deforming a mechanical structure such as a thin film or cantilever is used for ejecting ink.

The conventional ink ejection method will be briefly described as follows.

First, US Patent Publication No. 2008-0055370 discloses an ink ejecting method using a deformation of a piezoelectric thin film. The above-described method is a method of forming a thin film with a piezoelectric element and deforming the thin film by applying a voltage to the piezoelectric element.

Second, US Patent Publication No. 2008-0158302 discloses an ink ejection method using a deformation of the magnetic cantilever beam. The above method is a method of deforming the cantilever beam by applying a magnetic field to the cantilever beam of the magnetic material.

Third, US Patent Registration No. 7,325,904 discloses an ink ejection method using deformation of a thin film by heating. The above-described method is a method of producing a fine heater in the thin film / cantilever, and deforms the thin film by heating it.

Fourth, US Patent Publication No. 2006-0087533 discloses an ink ejecting method using bubble generation. The above method is a method in which the ink is heated above the boiling point with a fine heater to generate bubbles and expand.

However, the conventional ink ejecting method has the following problems.

First, ink jetting becomes impossible when the print head nozzle portion is blocked by ink.

Second, the manufacturing process of the head portion including the thin film, the storage portion, the nozzle portion, etc. is complicated.

Third, since the physical properties (viscosity, surface energy) of the ink must be suitable for the jetting conditions of the ink, the method for producing the ink is limited.

Fourth, in the case of droplet generation by a heating method, the kind of applicable ink is limited. For example, heat-sensitive substances such as cells, antigens, and biochemicals cannot be used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, by forming a channel portion through which at least one ink can flow, and generating ink droplets and ejecting them through a nozzle unit, an inkjetting method and an inkjet using the same It is a main subject to provide a manufacturing method of the channel part for apparatuses.

In order to achieve the above object, the inkjet device according to an aspect of the present invention,

An ink channel portion having a first channel portion through which ink flows, an ink storage portion for supplying ink into the first channel portion, and a first pump for pumping ink into the first channel portion;

A gas in communication with said first channel portion, said second channel portion through which gas flows, a gas tank portion for supplying gas into said second channel portion, and a second pump for pumping gas into said second channel portion; Channel section;

A nozzle portion communicating with the ink channel portion and the gas channel portion, and configured to discharge ink surrounded by gas; And

And a controller configured to control the ink channel unit and the gas channel unit.

Further, on the downstream side of the portion where the first channel portion and the second channel portion are coupled to each other, channel intersections are formed which are integrally connected to each other to form ink surrounded by gas.

In addition, the nozzle portion is coated with a hydrophilic material or a hydrophobic material having opposite properties depending on whether the droplets are hydrophobic or hydrophilic.

In addition, the first channel portion includes a first ink channel portion through which first ink flows, and a second ink channel portion in communication with the first ink channel portion and through which the second ink flows,

Downstream of the portion where the first ink channel portion and the second ink channel portion are joined, they are integrally connected to each other to form a laminar flow channel portion that provides a region in which the first ink and the second ink flow in laminar flow.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of manufacturing an inkjet device channel portion is provided.

Flowing ink into the ink channel portion by pumping a first pump;

Supplying gas into a gas channel portion connected to a downstream side of the ink channel portion by pumping a second pump; And

And forming ink surrounded by the gas at a channel intersection formed on the downstream side of the portion where the gas channel portion is coupled to the ink channel portion, and discharging a droplet through the nozzle portion.

The flow rate ratio of ink and gas is controlled using the ink channel part and the control part which controls a gas channel part.

In addition, the volume of the discharged droplets may be controlled such that the pressure of the ink channel portion in which ink flows is proportional to the time at which the pressure is maintained larger than the pressure of the gas channel portion to which the gas is supplied.

Inkjetting method using an inkjet device according to another aspect of the present invention,

Preparing a substrate;

By etching the substrate, an ink channel portion in which ink flows, a gas channel portion communicating with the ink channel portion, and a gas supply portion supplied with a gas, and a portion downstream of the portion where the ink channel portion and the gas channel portion are coupled to each other Patterning a channel portion of the ink jet apparatus having a channel intersection portion in which the enclosed ink flows and a nozzle portion formed downstream of the channel intersection portion;

Bonding a cover to the surface of the substrate to seal the substrate and other regions of the cover except for the ink channel portion, the gas channel portion, the channel intersection portion, and the nozzle portion; And

And cutting the bonded substrate and the cover to complete the outline of the channel portion of the inkjet apparatus.

As described above, the inkjet device of the present invention, an inkjetting method using the same, and a method of manufacturing a channel for an inkjet device can obtain the following effects.

First, by controlling the flow rate ratio of the injected gas and ink, it is possible to control the volume of the droplets in real time.

Second, while flowing different inks in one channel portion, gas can be injected in the path to create a vortex to accelerate mixing of the different inks.

Third, by controlling the flow rate of the ink to be mixed in real time, it is possible to change the ink properties in the ink jetting step in real time.

Fourth, it is advantageous for precision printing by using MEMS process technique.

Fifth, since the nozzles can be easily arranged by the MEMS process technique, it is advantageous to improve the printing speed.

Sixth, by spraying gas, the amount of ink residues in the nozzle portion is small.

Seventh, since the droplets have a high contact angle with respect to the inside of the nozzle portion, the jetting property is excellent even if the pressure of the gas is not high.

Eighth, even if the ink is not heated with a heater, it is possible to inkjet print even ink having a property that is susceptible to heat.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 illustrates a semiconductor package 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, the semiconductor package 100 is provided with a circuit board 101. The circuit board 101 includes a base film 102 and a circuit pattern layer 103 patterned on the base film 102. A photo solder resistor 104 is formed on the circuit pattern layer 103 except for a partial region.

The base film 102 may be formed of a rigid substrate such as FR-4 (flame retardent-4) or BT (bismaleimid triazine), which is a composite in which a polymer resin is mixed with a fibrous material such as glass fiber. For example, a flexible substrate having flexibility such as polyimide may be used.

The circuit pattern layer 103 may be patterned using at least one metal ink.

The photo solder resist 104 is formed except for a solder ball land, which is an area where the circuit pattern layer 103 is connected to the solder ball 110, and a wire bonding area.

The semiconductor chip 105 is attached to the other surface of the base film 102 by an adhesive 106. Longitudinal slots 107 are formed in the central region of the base film 102, and the circuit pattern layer 103 and the semiconductor chip 105 are connected to the conductive wires 108 through the slots 107. Is electrically connected. The slot 107 is filled with a molding material 111 to protect the wire bonded portion.

Since the photo solder resist 104 is not formed, the solder ball 110 is bonded to an area 109 where the circuit pattern layer 103 is exposed to the outside, thereby electrically connecting the circuit pattern layer 103 and the solder ball 110 to each other. It is connected.

Here, the circuit pattern layer 103 is formed by using at least one or more unmixed ink to pass through the micro channel portion of the inkjet device to generate fine droplets.

2 illustrates an inkjet apparatus 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, the inkjet apparatus 200 includes an ink channel portion 201 and a gas channel portion 202 in communication with the ink channel portion 201.

The ink channel portion 201 includes a first channel portion 203 through which ink flows. The first channel portion 203 is a micrometer sized channel portion, and may be manufactured using silicon or glass. The ink flowing through the first channel portion 203 is preferably a metal ink having conductivity such as gold, silver, and copper, but may be other than a semiconductor package, such as a display panel, a biosensor, a chip, or an electronic device. When used in the field of circuits, clothing fashion, etc., various materials such as fluorescent materials and biomaterials can be nano-inkized.

The first channel unit 203 is connected with an ink storage unit 204 for storing ink to supply ink therethrough. A front side of the ink reservoir 204 is provided with a first pump 205 for pumping ink to supply ink from the ink reservoir 204 to the first channel portion 203.

The gas channel portion 202 includes a second channel portion 206 in communication with the first channel portion 203. Gas is flowable in the second channel portion 206. The gas supplied through the second channel part 206 is preferably an inert gas such as nitrogen or argon or air, but a specific gas may be used to induce oxidation and reduction reactions. The second channel portion 206 is provided downstream of the first channel portion 203.

A communication hole 207 is formed in a portion of the first channel portion 203, and an end portion of the second channel portion 206 is coupled through the communication hole 207. The coupling of the second channel portion 206 to the first channel portion 203 may be formed by assembling between the separated channel portions, but as in the present embodiment, the first channel portion 203 and the second channel portion are formed. It is preferable to process 206 and form it integrally with each other.

The second channel part 206 is connected to a gas tank part 208 for storing gas so as to supply gas therethrough. In front of the gas tank unit 208, a second pump 209 is installed to pump gas from the gas tank unit 208 to the second channel unit 206.

The downstream side of the portion where the first channel portion 203 and the second channel portion 206 are coupled to each other is supplied from the second channel portion 206 for ink flowing from the first channel portion 203. Channel intersections 210 are formed to be mixed with each other so that the gas can flow. On the downstream side of the channel intersection 210, a nozzle unit 213 is formed to discharge the droplet 212 on the substrate 211 by discharging ink surrounded by the gas flowing therethrough.

The nozzle unit 213 may be coated with a hydrophilic material or a hydrophobic material having opposite properties depending on whether the droplet 212 is discharged or hydrophilic.

That is, when the droplet 212 has a high contact angle with respect to the inside of the nozzle unit 213, the jettability is excellent even if the pressure of the gas is not high. When the droplet is hydrophobic property, in order to have a high contact angle of the droplet 212 with respect to the inner surface of the nozzle unit 213, the inner surface of the nozzle unit 213 is coated with a hydrophilic material such as silicon dioxide, or a similar material is used. To manufacture. When the droplet 212 is hydrophilic, the inside of the nozzle unit 213 is manufactured to be hydrophobic.

In this way, the ink channel portion 201, the gas channel portion 202, the channel intersection portion 210, and the nozzle portion 213, which are integrally coupled, have a "T" shape.

The ink channel unit 201 and the gas channel unit 202 are connected by the control unit 214 to supply ink from the first channel unit 203 by applying different pulses, respectively, and the second channel. By adjusting the flow rate ratio when supplying gas from the unit 206, the volume of the droplet 212 can be controlled in real time.

Meanwhile, the ink channel unit 201, the gas channel unit 202, the channel crossing unit 210, and the nozzle unit 213 may be formed by using a micro electromechanical system (hereinafter, MEMS) process technique. To 1000 micrometers in width. In addition, since the nozzle unit 213 can be easily arranged by the MEMS process technique, the droplet 212 can be discharged at the same time by using the multi-nozzle.

In the above, the method of ejecting the droplet 212 using the inkjet device 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

First, the ink flows from the ink reservoir 204 to the first channel portion 203 by pumping the first pump 205. In addition, the gas is supplied from the gas tank 209 to the second channel portion 206 by pumping the second pump 209. The flow rate ratio of the ink and the gas is controlled by controlling the operations of the first pump 205 and the second pump 209 using the controller 214.

At this time, the gas is continuously supplied at a channel crossing portion 210 formed downstream of the portion where the first channel portion 203 and the second channel portion are coupled in such a manner as to increase the pressure of the ink rather than the pressure of the gas for a predetermined time. The ink surrounded by the gas is formed.

While maintaining the pressure of the gas, the above-described process is repeated to flow the ink surrounded by the gas to discharge the droplet 212 on the substrate 211 through the nozzle unit 213. The volume of the discharged droplets 212 is proportional to the time Δt at which the pressure of the first channel portion 203 through which ink flows is kept greater than the pressure of the second channel portion 206 to which gas is supplied. In addition, the generation period of the ink droplets 212 is from several hundred Hz to several KHz depending on the pressure of the gas.

Through the above process, it is possible to generate the fine droplets 212 patterned on the substrate 211 from the ink channel portion 201 and the gas channel portion 202.

3A to 3D are cross-sectional views sequentially illustrating a state of manufacturing a channel unit of an inkjet apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 4A to 4D illustrate a state of manufacturing a channel unit of an inkjet apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Is a perspective view sequentially.

First, referring to FIGS. 3A and 4A, a substrate 301 is prepared. The substrate 301 is preferably made of a material such as silicon or glass.

After the substrate 301 is prepared, the channel portion 302 of the inkjet apparatus is patterned by etching as shown in FIGS. 3B and 4B. The channel portion 302 includes an ink channel portion 303 through which ink flows, and a gas channel portion 304 communicating with the ink channel portion 303 and supplied with gas. The gas channel portion 304 is located downstream of the ink channel portion 303, and the ink channel portion 303 and the gas channel portion 304 are etched to communicate with each other.

Downstream of the portion where the ink channel portion 303 and the gas channel portion 304 are coupled to each other, the gas supplied from the gas channel portion 304 may be surrounded by ink flowing from the ink channel portion 303. Channel intersections 305 are formed to mix and flow with one another. On the downstream side of the channel intersection portion 305, a nozzle portion 306 for discharging ink surrounded by gas is formed.

As such, the entire outline of the inkjet apparatus is etched to form a "T" shape.

Subsequently, as shown in FIGS. 3C and 4C, an ink jet apparatus including an ink channel portion 303, a gas channel portion 304 in communication therewith, a channel intersection portion 305, and a nozzle portion 306 is provided. The cover 307 is coupled to the front surface of the channel unit 302. The cover 307 is bonded to the surface of the substrate 301 on which the channel portion 302 of the inkjet apparatus is formed, such that the ink channel portion 303, the gas channel portion 304, the channel crossing portion 305, and the nozzle portion are formed. Except for 306, other areas of the substrate 301 and the cover 307 are sealed.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 3D and 4D, cutting the bonded substrate 301 and the cover 307 completes the external shape of the channel portion 302 of the inkjet apparatus. Accordingly, the ink channel portion 303, the gas channel portion 304 in communication therewith, the channel intersection portion 305 formed downstream of the combined ink channel portion 303 and the gas channel portion 304, It is possible to manufacture the channel portion 302 of the inkjet apparatus having the nozzle portion 306. At this time, the width of the channel portion 302 of the inkjet device is 1 to 1000 micrometers.

5 illustrates an inkjet device 500 according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, the inkjet apparatus 500 may include a first ink channel portion 501, a second ink channel portion 502, a first ink channel portion 501, and a second ink channel portion 502. It includes a gas channel portion 503 which is in communication with each other at the same time. First ink flows in the first ink channel portion 501, and second ink flows in the second ink channel portion 502.

The first ink and the second ink are inks having different physical properties, and metal inks having conductivity such as gold, silver, and copper are preferable, but nano-inks various materials such as fluorescent materials and biomaterials according to the applied fields. It can be used.

On the downstream side of the portion where the first ink channel portion 501 and the second ink channel portion 502 are joined, a laminar flow channel portion 504 is provided which provides a region in which the first ink and the second ink flow in laminar flow. It is. The laminar flow channel portion 504 is a region in which the first ink flowing from the first ink channel portion 501 and the second ink flowing from the second ink channel portion 502 do not mix with each other but flow in a layered manner. . The first ink channel portion 501, the second ink channel portion 502, and the laminar flow channel portion 504 are combined in a “Y” shape.

A downstream side of the laminar flow channel portion 504 is coupled to the gas channel portion 503 in communication therewith. Gas may flow in the gas channel part 503. The gas supplied through the gas channel part 503 may be an inert gas such as nitrogen or argon, or air. The gas channel part 503 is preferably formed integrally with the first ink channel part 501, the second ink channel part 502, and the laminar flow channel part 504.

On the downstream side of the portion where the gas channel portion 503 is coupled to the laminar flow channel portion 504, the channel crosses the first ink, the second ink, and the gas that are separated and flow in laminar flow so that the gas can be mixed with each other and flow. The part 505 is formed. In the channel crossing portion 505, gas is injected into the path while the first ink flowing in the laminar flow and the second ink flow in one channel, and the first ink and the second ink are dropped into small volumes. Simultaneously with sharing, a vortex may be generated inside the droplets to accelerate the mixing of the first and second inks.

On the downstream side of the channel intersection 505, a nozzle unit 506 is formed to eject the mixed ink surrounded by the gas flowing therethrough to eject the droplet 512 onto the substrate 511.

The inkjet apparatus 500 having the above-described configuration discharges the inkjet apparatus 500 by controlling the flow rates of the first ink flowing from the first ink channel portion 501 and the second ink flowing from the second ink channel portion 502. It is possible to change the physical properties of the first ink and the second ink, for example, viscosity, surface tension, conductivity, and concentration, in real time.

For example, the liquid generated when the second ink is a diluent of the first ink and the flow rate of the droplets generated when the flow rate is 1: 1 and the first ink and the second ink is 1: 1 is 1: 2. Higher than the enemy's viscosity. In the conventional inkjet printing method, droplets are generated by fixing the physical properties of the ink itself and adjusting an electrical signal or temperature for applying a printing process, whereas the inkjet apparatus 500 controls flow rate in the same device or condition. Only there is a difference in controlling the physical properties of the droplets.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to one embodiment shown in the drawings, this is merely exemplary, and those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and equivalent other embodiments are possible therefrom. Accordingly, the true scope of the present invention should be determined by the technical idea of the appended claims.

1 is a cross-sectional view showing a semiconductor package according to an embodiment of the present invention;

2 is a block diagram showing an inkjet device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

3A to 3D are cross-sectional views sequentially showing a state of manufacturing a channel portion of the inkjet apparatus of the present invention.

3A is a cross-sectional view showing a state after preparing a substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention;

3B is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state after patterning a channel unit on the substrate of FIG. 3A;

3C is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state after bonding a cover to the substrate of FIG. 3B;

3D is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state after cutting the bonded substrate and the cover of FIG. 3C;

4A to 4D are perspective views sequentially illustrating a state of manufacturing a channel portion of the inkjet apparatus of the present invention.

4A is a perspective view showing a state after preparing a substrate of the present invention;

4B is a perspective view illustrating a state after patterning a channel part on the substrate of FIG. 4A;

Figure 4c is a perspective view showing a state after the cover is bonded on the substrate of Figure 4b,

Figure 4d is a perspective view showing a state after cutting the bonded substrate and the cover of Figure 4c,

5 is a block diagram showing an inkjet device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

<Brief description of the major symbols in the drawings>

200 Inkjet unit 201 Ink channel section

202.Gas channel part 203 ... First channel part

204 Ink reservoir 205 First pump

206 ... 2nd channel part 207 ... Communicator

208.Gas tank part 209.2nd pump

210 ... channel intersection 211 ... substrate

212 ... droplet 213 ... nozzle part

Claims (12)

An ink channel portion having a first channel portion through which ink flows, an ink storage portion for supplying ink into the first channel portion, and a first pump for pumping ink into the first channel portion; A gas in communication with said first channel portion, said second channel portion through which gas flows, a gas tank portion for supplying gas into said second channel portion, and a second pump for pumping gas into said second channel portion; Channel section; A nozzle portion communicating with the ink channel portion and the gas channel portion, and configured to discharge ink surrounded by gas; And And a control unit for controlling the ink channel unit and the gas channel unit. The method of claim 1, And a channel crossing portion formed downstream of the portion where the first channel portion and the second channel portion are coupled to each other so that they are integrally connected to each other to form ink surrounded by gas. The method of claim 2, And the nozzle portion is formed downstream of the channel intersection. The method of claim 1, An inkjet device, characterized in that the width of the ink channel portion is 1 to 1000 micrometers. The method of claim 1, The gas of the gas channel portion is an inert gas or air, characterized in that the inkjet device. The method of claim 1, The nozzle unit is characterized in that the hydrophilic material or the hydrophobic material of the opposite properties depending on the hydrophobicity or hydrophilicity of the discharged droplet is coated along the inside. The method of claim 1, The first channel portion includes a first ink channel portion through which first ink flows, and a second ink channel portion in communication with the first ink channel portion and through which the second ink flows. An ink jet, characterized in that the downstream side of the portion where the first ink channel portion and the second ink channel portion are coupled are integrally connected to each other to provide a laminar flow channel portion that provides a region in which the first ink and the second ink flow in laminar flow. Device. The method of claim 7, wherein And a second channel portion for supplying gas to the downstream side of the laminar flow channel portion. Flowing ink into the ink channel portion by pumping a first pump; Supplying gas into a gas channel portion connected to a downstream side of the ink channel portion by pumping a second pump; And And forming ink surrounded by the gas at a channel intersection formed on the downstream side of the portion where the gas channel portion is coupled to the ink channel portion, and discharging a droplet through the nozzle portion. An ink jetting method of an ink jet apparatus, characterized in that the flow rate ratio of ink and gas is controlled using an ink channel unit and a control unit for controlling the gas channel unit. The method of claim 9, And the volume of the discharged droplets is controlled such that the pressure of the ink channel portion through which ink flows is proportional to the time at which the pressure is maintained greater than the pressure of the gas channel portion to which gas is supplied. Preparing a substrate; By etching the substrate, an ink channel portion in which ink flows, a gas channel portion communicating with the ink channel portion, and a gas supply portion supplied with a gas, and a portion downstream of the portion where the ink channel portion and the gas channel portion are coupled to each other Patterning a channel portion of the ink jet apparatus having a channel intersection portion in which the enclosed ink flows and a nozzle portion formed downstream of the channel intersection portion; Bonding a cover to the surface of the substrate to seal the substrate and other regions of the cover except for the ink channel portion, the gas channel portion, the channel intersection portion, and the nozzle portion; And Comprising: Comprising the shape of the channel portion of the inkjet device by cutting the bonded substrate and cover; manufacturing method of the channel portion of the inkjet device comprising a. The method of claim 11, The width of the inkjet channel portion is a manufacturing method of the channel portion of the inkjet device, characterized in that formed in 1 to 1000 micrometers.

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