MXPA97008937A - Large systems of chips heaters for impression heads of ink jet - Google Patents

Abstract

A high-resolution thermal ink jet head construction is exposed and the method for forming a large heating chip system for thermal inkjet print heads is carried out by manufacturing "unit megachips" in which define multiple shields of electrical components in a plurality of columnar patterns, in a plane of a silicon wafer. The cells of a first column are vertically deflected from the cells of an adjacent column, so that they overlap in the space between the cells and the first column. The megachip is formed in this way by grouping at least one cell of each of two adjacent columns and cutting the chip to remove the megachip.

Description

LARGE SYSTEMS OF CHIPS HEATERS FOR THERMAL INK JET PRESSURE HEADS FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to inkjet printers, and more particularly it relates to the construction of thermal ink jet printheads with increased resolution and A method for forming same.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART The present invention is advantageously employed in an ink jet method which uses kinetic energy to eject ink droplets and transfers the thermal energy to the ink. In this method, a rapid volumetric change in the ink occurs, resulting from a transition of ink from its liquid to vapor state, caused by thermal energy. As a result, a drop of ink is ejected from an ejection outlet (nozzle) formed in a registration head whereby a drop of ink is created. The ink receiving or registration means is placed near the nozzle and the ejected drop makes contact with the surface of the recording medium to establish the engraving of the information. A registration head or printhead P1535 / 97MX used in the ink ejection method described above, in general, has an ink ejection outlet or nozzle to eject ink droplets and a passage of liquid ink that communicates with the ink ejection outlet and that it includes an electrothermal converter element to generate thermal energy. The electrothermal converter element includes a resistor or resistor layer for heating by applying a voltage between two electrodes in the resistive material. In this class of printheads, forces are applied to the ink in the liquid ink passage, which are induced by capillary action, pressure drops or the like, and are swung so that a meniscus forms in the liquid passage adjacent to the ink. ink ejection output. Each time a drop of ink is ejected, by means of the energy applied to the aforementioned ink, the ink is drawn into the ink passage and a meniscus re-forms in the ink passage, adjacent to the ejection outlet. of inta. Heating chips for thermal inkjet, or dies, are conventionally formed with semiconductor devices active in silicon. The silicon heating chips include systems of resistive and active elements oriented both horizontally and vertically, so that in conjunction with plates of P1535 / 97MX coupling nozzle, form nozzles for thermal ejection of ink droplets. Depending on the physical orientation of the nozzle plate relative to the print receiving means (eg paper), the vertical height or extension, the diameter of the nozzles and the spaces between the nozzles determine the vertical size of the printing strip and the horizontal width and space determines the density of packaging and speed of discharge of the print head. While printing speeds and reduction density increase, larger and larger element arrays are required. These arrays can be formed by multiple elements of smaller matrix installation in a (Automated Tape Joining) media. However, it is difficult to maintain individual matrix mounting tolerances. Alternatively, hundreds of elements can be placed on a very large single chip, but with manufacturing yields remarkably low. This defect has been recognized in prior art such as US Patent 5,218,754. This patent suggests the possibility of making larger heating chips. Typically, the performance decreases with larger chips, therefore, it is desired to make a plurality of smaller chips, which have less opportunity to contain defective heating elements, and poneilos P1535 / 97MX contiguous, bumping into each other. However, as may be mentioned, the difficulties in multiple chip alignment increase; while the number of chips in an ink jet print head is increased. This problem of alignment is avoided in the present invention by grouping banks or cells composed of heating systems and nozzles in a single matrix or chip. The silicon chip processes of the present ink jet heating system form single banks or cells in a matrix or chip having a simple active and passive pattern thereon for coupling with the associated nozzle plate. Before the matrix and separation of the silicon wafer, these chips are tested and the defective ones are marked to indicate that they should not be used. The productivity studies of the location of banks or good and bad cells indicate that most of the bad banks are adjacent to the outer periphery of the tablet and that the most productive banks are inside the tablet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a nozzle heater rhip, of very yiande size arrangement, of high performance and low cost ("megachip or matrix") for P1535 / 97MX inkjet printheads, and a method for manufacturing same, in which hundreds of heating elements are built into a simple multi-element chip system with relative accuracy in position tolerance and which produces a high performance of each tablet. Furthermore, the present invention provides a method that adjusts to the needs of the market, with respect to inkjet both high and low quality, with a common process using a single geometry of the system to form multiple banks of heaters / nozzles in a common process line for the silicon wafer. A preferred method of the invention for manufacturing chips that are used in ink jet printheads, includes the steps of: processing a silicon wafer to establish a plurality of individual cells having electrical components formed therein, which define a first matrix that has multiple cells at the lower part, a high-yield portion of the silicon wafer; defining at least one second matrix in a portion of the silicon wafer, wherein the second matrix has a number of cells different from the number of cells included in the first matrix; and grid the pellet to separate the respective matrices from the remaining silicon pellet.

P1535 / 97MX A preferred ink jet head of the invention is a unit megachip having a plurality of cells and a layer forming a plurality of ink chambers, wherein each cell includes multiple heating elements and circuitry to selectively energize the heating elements . The print head further includes at least one nozzle plate resting on the megachip, wherein the nozzle plate includes a plurality of nozzles and wherein each plurality of nozzles rest on a corresponding ink chamber that receives a supply of ink. A heating element, corresponding to the ink chamber, heats the ink in the corresponding ink chamber. The plurality of cells are accommodated so that the first cell is deviated from a second cell to provide at least one relative overlap of the nozzles associated with the first cell, relative to the nozzles associated with the second cell. Preferably, multiple simple cell patterns of the invention are oriented in vertical alignment, but are offset horizontally so that the columns of subsequent cells overlap the space between the verticals. In this way, the individual cells can be grouped and expanded to form a larger cell system like the one that is deee. The P1535 / 97MX overlay allows the system to maintain its drop separation density and allows simple patterns or individual banks to be separated into an individual matrix, if necessary. This "megachip" that has multiple cells allows a relative precision of positioning of the cell patterns, since the cell patterns are established during the tablet processing. Other features and advantages of the invention can be determined from the drawings and from the detailed description of the continuing invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure IA is a schematic plan view of a thermal ink jet printer for receiving an ink cartridge, having a print head, to which the novel method and apparatus of the present invention relates. invention. Figure IB is a view in reduced size; schematic and fragmentary, of a portion of the apparatus illustrated in Figure IA, and shows the print head and the relative movement of the print receiving means. Figure IC is a sectional view, fragmented partially in exploded view; increased from a portion of P1535 / 97MX apparatus shown in Figure IA, taken along line 1C-1C of Figure IA. Figure 2 is a schematic view, in plan enlargement, of a print head having a nozzle plate seen in transparent form to show the relative position of a single bank or cell of electrical components placed thereunder. Figure 3 is a fragmentary and enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Figure 2. Figure 4 is the schematic representation in magnification of a printhead formed of multiple cells on a single semiconductor chip , forming according to the invention, a megachip. Figure 5 is a schematic representation of a megachip that has been attached to the belt by an automated ribbon binding material ( ) and schematically illustrates the connection made between cells and tapes or electrode-type connections in the medium for connection to the controllers external and logical addressing of the machine of Figure IA, and more specifically for assembly in the ink reservoir or tank to form a print head as illustrated in Figure IC. Figure 6 is a plan view, enlarged and fragmented, of the TAB circuit connected to the megachip of the P1535 / 97MX Figure 4. Figure 7 is a partial schematic representation of a silicon wafer incorporating the distribution of the multiple cells of heaters and the associated semiconductor matrix systems for the member. Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7, but illustrates how to define both megachip structures, which have multiple cells of heater and active semiconductor systems and simple megachip structures having one cell.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Figure IA illustrates an embodiment of an inkjet printer 10, by way of example only, to which the present invention is applied. In Figure IA, a printing receiving means 12 which is a recording medium made of paper, or a thin plastic tape or the like, moves in the direction of the arrow 14, being guided by the superimposed pairs 16, 18. of the sheet feed rolls and under the control of the medium drive mechanism, which in this case is a drive motor 19. As shown in FIGS. IA and IB, a print cartridge 28 is mounted on a carrier 22, which is brought in close proximity to the receiving means of P1535 / 97MX printing 12, which is also transported by roller pairs 16,18. As shown by the arrow 24, the cartridge 28 (and, therefore, the printhead carrier 22) is mounted for a reciprocating orthogonal movement relative to the print receiving means 12. For this purpose, as shown in Figure IA, the carrier 22 is mounted for reciprocating movement along a pair of guide shafts 26, 27. The cartridge 28 includes a registration head unit, or registration head 29, which includes a chip 20 attached to a nozzle plate 30 having a plurality of individually selectable and operable nozzles 30a (see Figures 2 and 3) including an ink supply in an ink reservoir 32, such as a tank or bottle. The nozzle plate portion 30 is preferably made of stainless steel (sometimes coated on the opposite sides with gold and / or tantalum, for coupling with the thick side of the film) or a layer of a hard, thin polymer and high resistance to use. The nozzle plate 30 is shown in the drawings as transparent to improve the observation of the silicon structure that is below it. However, a typical nozzle plate instrumented according to the invention would not be transparent. Lae ink ejecting nozzle 30a in the nozzle plate 30 of the P1535 / 97MX ink jet head 29 confront the printing receiving means 12 and the ink can be ejected by the thermal heater of the ink in the nozzles, to effect printing on the print receiving means 12. It should be noted that the nozzles 30a shown in Figure 2 are not to scale and although it shows a plurality thereof the number ee is only by way of example. The reciprocating or side-by-side movement of the carrier 22 is established by a driver of the carrier, in the illustrated example, having a transmission mechanism including a cable or belt 34 and pulleys 36, 38 carrying the belt 34 driven by an engine 40. In this way the print cartridge 28 can be moved and placed at designated positions along a path defined and controlled by the wearer's impeller and the electronic components 46. The carrier 22 and the cartridge 28 are connected:; electrically by a flexible printed circuit cable 4J to supply power from the power supply 44 to the cartridge 29 and to provide control and data signals to the cartridge 29 from the electronic components 46 of the machine, which include a logical print control ( PCD As illustrated in Figure IC, the nozzle plate H) is attached to the chip 20 which in turn is glued to the P1535 / 97MX reservoir 32. The I / O chip (input / output), which includes control and energy signals, is applied through the TAB circuit 31 and separated from the integrated planes 33 within it (see Figures 1C, 5 and 6) to make the 1/0 connection (including the electrical) to the chip 20. In the illustrated instance, the tape 31 extends along a surface of the reservoir 32 with terminal zones 31a (see Figure 5) in the same, for coupling with the terminal projections or protrusions 43 (see Figure IC) on the flexible printed circuit cable 42. To facilitate illustration and understanding, the portion of the carrier 22 leading to the flexible printed circuit cable 42 and its electrical connections protruding or projecting 4 e separate sample of the terminal areas 31a of the TAB or ribbon 31. However, when inserting the cartridge 28 in the carrier 22, an electrical coupling occurs between the terminal areas 31a of the tape 31 and the protrusions or projections 43 of the flexible printed circuit cable 42. There are numerous techniques for coupling contacts 4 'and zones 31a, including sliding friction coupling, and any other technique that decreases static discharge between the two connections or avoids this during the coupling or interconnection. When it is being printed, with the aforementioned structure, simultaneously with a movement of the P1535 / 97MX carrier 22 in the direction of arrow 24 of Figure IA, the electrothermal converter element (resistor), associated with each nozzle 30a, is selectively driven in accordance with the registration data so that the ink droplets are ejected from lae nozzle 30a, in the nozzle plates 30 and touch the surface of the print receiving means 12, wherein the ink drops form the registration information in the print receiving means 12. Figure 2 is a very schematic representation of an Integrated Circuit (IC) chip 20, which has a bank or cell 21 of electrical components, which are part of the print head 29. In real measurement terms, the chip 20 is approximately l ^ inches (~ 8.5 mm.) By 1/9 inches (~ 2.8 mm.). The chip 20 is one of many that were cut, conventionally, from a silicon wafer that has been coated with photoresist, exposed photolithographically through a mask, attached to a mordant bath and doped by well-known processes in the art. art of semiconductor manufacturing. The process is repeated through the various ones including metallization for zones 1/0 35, commonly making multiple integrated cyclic chips in a single chip, which is then cut or gridded into individual chips P1535 / 97MX matrices. As shown in Figure 3 cell 21 of chip 20 includes electrical components such as resistors 23 and active circuits 25a and 25b. The resistors 23 are preferably accommodated in longitudinally extended systems, where a resistor is associated with each nozzle 30a. Each resistor connects to the active circuit 25a or 25b comprising, for example, a field effect transistor (FET), accommodated, as shown in Figure 2 on opposite sides of the resistor systems 23 (shown in Figure 3) . The FETs are represented by two columns 25a, 25b. The active circuits can be accommodated, for example in a matrix and include data lines and address lines. The 1/0 zones 35, along the periphery of the chip 20, can be connected to a data line and address bar (not shown) on the chip. As shown in Figure 3 the chip 20 includes a guideway or tracks 52 through the silicon to allow the ink to pass from the ink reservoir 32 behind the chip to the channels or chambers 54 over the heating re-emitters 23. Lae track 52 can be cut by a jet file or a laser cut. The channels or chambers 54 can be formed in conjunction with the nozzle plate 30 and a thick separator or film P1535 / 97MX insulator 56, and defined by these. The thick film layer 56 may be attacked to expose the heater resistor 23, which may include a protective metal on the heating resistors, thereby placing the resistors 23 below the ink channels. Alternatively, ink channels and nozzles can be created from a simple polymer as is known in the art. Such a polymer nozzle plate would, however, include slots or openings for exposing electrical connection points, such as zones 35. As shown in Figure 3 the ink flows from a track orifice 52 to channels 54 and outward through of the nozzles 30a, as illustrated by the arrows. In accordance with the invention, as illustrated in Figures 4-8, a single large megachip containing multiple cells or banks 21 forms a shape in which at least one pair of superimposed horizontally displaced cells 21 is cut from a single semiconductor chip. It should be understood that, in general, the elements shown in Figures 2-8 that are functionally equivalent are identified using the same reference numerals. For example, cell 21 of Figure 2 is substantially identical to cells 21 of Figures 4-8. Figure 4 illustrates a partial vieta of the P1535 / 97MX printhead 48 including a single chip, or a megachip 50, having multiple cells or silicon banks 21 that have been extracted from a semiconductor silicon wafer by the grid of a single silicon substrate 100 (see Figures) 7 and 8). The megachip 50 is covered with a nozzle plate 30, which includes nozzles or holes 30a for ejection of the ink. The nozzles 30a can be provided by a single nozzle plate covering all the cells or banks 21 of the megachip 50, or they can comprise multiple nozzle plates corresponding to the number of cells 21. The cells 21 are substantially identical and correspond generally to the cells 21 illustrated in Figure 2. The number of individual cell patrons of the megachip 50 will depend in part on the number of heating resistors 23 in each individual cell 21. Another consideration for the choice of the number of individual cell patterns includes considerations of structural strength and deformation. A choice of three cell patterns provides greater structural strength than two in columnar alignment, but two that are adjacent but deviate in columnar relationship with brinel, are also more reeistent than doe cells that are aligned in a column While the egachips rum P1535 / 97MX additional cells are also possible, and it is still desirable in certain extremely high resolution requirements, the additional cell requirements are cost due to a concomitant decrease in performance. Any known silicon technology can be used for the manufacture of silicon cells. The active circuits (FET 25a and 25b) and the passive elements (such as the heating resistors 23) can all be formed in each silicon cell 21 in the megachip 50 by typical large-scale integrated circuit techniques, as known to those skilled in the art. in art. An example of manufacturing techniques is taught in American Patent Re 32,572 by Hawkins, et al., And North American Patent 5,000,811 by Campunelli et al. Turning now to Figures 5 and 6, and especially to Figure 5, the TAB or tape 31 circuitry is schematically shown in a poem relating to megachip 50. In the automated tape gluing process ( ), the tape 31 is formed with multiple cuts or openings to receive the megachip 50 with sufficient space therebetween to allow gluing of the arm ends of the planes 33 to the selected individual zones of the zones 35. The poem of the egachip 50 in relation to the ribbon 31 is shown in dotted or hidden lines. The planes 33 on the tape are connected to the P1535 / 97MX terminal zones 31a, or depending on the configuration of the ink jet head, a "cell interconnection scheme" may be included, depending on the desired machine designer for the parallel operation of the selected nozzles or the independent control of each nozzle The terminal areas 31a are in engagement with the protrusion 43 of Figure IC of the circuit 42 for electrical coupling of the electronic components 46 of the machine (See Figures IA and IC) Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a portion of the TAB circuitry or the ribbon 31 connected to the chip 21 of Figure 2. As shown, the extended arm ends 33a of the planes 33 adhere to the individual zones 35 of the cell 21. The Area 21a (limited by the phantom lines) along the end 21b are conventionally covered by an encapsulant, such as an embedding compound, to inhibit ink bridging (and therefore the cuts) between the arms 33a and the chip zones 1/0. Figure 7 is a partial schematic representation of the silicon semiconductor wafer 100 incorporating the distribution of the multiple cells or banks 21 of the semiconductor active matrix and heaters. As described above, the multiple silicon cells 21 are placed in a vetic line, P1535 / 97MX but are offset horizontally so that, for example, the cells of a first column are superimposed on the space between the cells of an adjacent column. In this way, several multiple cells form a megachip and the number of cells can be expanded as desired to form larger systems. For this purpose, the individual cell distribution in the chip has been deliberately expanded to increase the separation at appropriate or selected intervals, and is dependent on the particular design of a desired megachip 50. For example, the cell layout can be uniform with a small row of spaces between the cells 21 in the columns d "cl, c2, c3 ... cn, but the adjacent columns are offset so that the matrix columns overlap , so that each cell in the adjacent column overlaps two of the cells in its previous adjacent column With a distribution or megachip 50 of three cells 21, such as those shown in Figure 4, the columns can be distributed in the way illustrated in Figure 7, or as suggested above, the cell space in each column can be uniform, depending on the megachip 50 design. The design requirement, in a nutshell, is based on the number of cells or nozzles overlays necessary or desired, if the layout of the design is as shown in the Figui P1535 / 97MX 4, the overlap is approximately 1/3, that is, the cell overlap between adjacent cells and columns of the megachip is approximately 1/3. The overlap is only critical for the resolution and coverage desired by the designer. For example, such overlap may result in higher resolution by horizontal interpolation of the nozzles associated with a first cell with the nozzles associated with the second cell. Figure 8 shows a seventh of structured cell patterns so that a selective laser-like cutting process can be performed. The selective cutting process begins with the test and performance study of the silicon cells 21. An optimal array is then determined to form arrays of the cells 21. As shown in Figure 8, megachips 50a are designed or selected, 50b of cell tree (by way of example only) to form matrices according to the most marked contour of the megachip. Of course, many more megachip structures with multicells can be selected. For example, megachip 50c, as shown by the thicker contour of megachip 51c, includes two cells 21 instead of three. Preferentially, the process of selective cutting is carried out by means of a laser grid tool, but any other P1535 / 97MX methods can be used for proper die cutting, according to known techniques. The designated number of cells for the megachip can be cut as a unit, if the performance is appropriate, or it can be cut into individual chips if a single cell can not be grouped with the adjacent cell. The alignment or reference marks (+ -) as shown in Figure 2, can be used for proper alignment of the nozzle plates and individual chips, one with respect to the other. Some of the cells 21 may be indicated as "good", ie fully functional and of acceptable quality, in accordance with their initial tests, but the adjacent cell, for example near the periphery of the tablet 100, may not have sufficient performance or quality to allow its use in a megachip. In such a case, "good" chips, such as the 50d and 50e chips, can be extracted and used in simple inkjet printheads for a low end design, or they can be coupled in overlay relationship (such as the pattern). chip cell 50c) to form a megachip. As the various possible combinations of silicon cells result in megachips, the effective yield of a silicon wafer is improved. In this way, previously to the preeent, a P1535 / 97MX simple chip of similar size to the megachip, would be completely lost or wasted, if part of it would fail in its operation. With the concept of megachip, one of the silicon cells 21 in the megachip does not work satisfactorily, the other two are feasible to be saved as separate chips for the individual use of printheads, or they can be regrouped in a different combination of unit megachip . An advantage of the single-cut multicell megachip on the separate chips, since the alignment of the silicon cells in the megachip is more accurate than an alignment union; because the silicon cells are processed together with the pellet and the tolerances involved are predominantly the manufacturing tolerances of the pellet. In that way, precision can be had regarding the placement of the heating elements along the silicon cells. An additional modality to this concept may include a wired connection scheme between simple cell patterns, such as common connections made in megachips to reduce the total number of off-chip connections needed in the TAB junction. In accordance with this, certain cabling of cell with cell in the megachip is possible with the metallization fabrication pads already used in the processing of the P1535 / 97MX megachip. In embodiments that include a polymer nozzle plate, slots or openings therein may be formed to expose electrical connection points associated with cell-to-cell wiring. As a result of the invention, the exact position or positioning of the cells 21 is obtained from each other in a unitary multiple-cell megachip. Such a megachip is preferably taken near the center of the silicon wafer, where the yield is high, and a higher nozzle resolution can be obtained by matrix. For example, the resolution of 1000 or more heaters per chip capacity can be achieved. Single cells or banks can be formed (or saved) in the matrix near the edges of the tablet, where yields are low and such simple cells with cells can be used where very high resolution may not be a major factor or can combine to form megachips. Although the invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art can recognize that it is feasible to make changes in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the following claims.

P1535 / 97MX

Claims (19)

1. NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION Having described the present invention, it is considered as a novelty and, therefore, the content of the following is claimed as property: CLAIMS 1. A method for manufacturing ink jet printhead matrices, comprising the steps of: processing a silicon wafer to establish a plurality of cells, uniquely identical and having electrical components formed therein; defining a first array that has multiple cells in at least a first portion of said silicon wafer; defining at least one second matrix in a second portion of said silicon wafer, said second matrix having a number of cells different from the number of cells included in said first matrix; and grid or cut the pad to separate the first die and the at least one second die from a remnant of the silicon pellet.
2. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing step further comprises the steps of: arranging the plurality of individual cells in P1535 / 97MX a plurality of columns in the silicon wafer, wherein the cells comprising a first column are vertically deflected from the cells comprising an adjacent column.
3. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first column includes the menoe doe vertically arranged cells and the adjacent column includes at least one cell.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: testing each cell in each tablet; determining which cells, if any, of the plurality of individual cells in the tablet are fully functional; and grid or cut the matrix of said pad to form the first die from a plurality of fully functioning cells.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the fully functional cells are accommodated in such a way that at least one cell is deviated with respect to another cell, whereby the cell in combination with the other cell forms an over-cell cell structure in a plane.
6. 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of combining the multiple matrices P1535 / 97MX individual cut off the pellet, to form a simple printhead chip.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second matrix comprises a single cell.
8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing cabling connections between individual cells so as to form common connections therebetween.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the wiring connections are formed during a metallization of said chip.
10. 10. An ink jet printhead, comprising: a unit megachip comprising a plurality of cells, wherein each of said cells comprises multiple heating elements and circuitry for selectively energizing said heating elements; a layer forming a plurality of ink chambers, and at least one nozzle plate resting on the megachip, said nozzle plate includes a plurality of nozzles, wherein each of the plurality of nozzles rests in a corresponding ink chamber which receives an ink supply, and where each heating element corresponds to a respective ink chamber for heating P1535 / 97MX the ink in the corresponding chamber, said plurality of cells arranged so that the first cell is positioned offset from the second cell to provide at least some relative overlap of the nozzles associated with said first cell, with respect to the nozzles associated with said second cell.
11. 11. The ink jet print head of claim 10, wherein the overlap results in the nozzles associated with said first cell interleaving with the nozzles associated with the second cells.
12. 12. The ink jet print head of claim 10, wherein at least one cell of the plurality of cells are arranged in a column.
13. The ink jet print head of claim 10, further comprising a third cell, wherein the third cell is aligned in column with one of the first cell and the second cell mentioned and is vertically spaced therefrom.
14. 14. An ink cartridge including the print head of claim 10, comprising an ink supply connected to the megachip, and wherein a path is formed on the chip to connect the ink supply to each of the plurality of ink. ink cameras.
15. 15. The ink cartridge of the claim P1535 / 97MX 14, wherein ink supply includes an ink container attached to a flat side of said chip, the nozzle plate being connected to another flat side of the chip, further comprising: a ribbon having conductive planes that provide a I / O connection and electrical power to the chip; and means in the belt for making an electrical connection movable to an ink jet printer.
16. 16. A method for manufacturing chips for use in ink jet printheads, comprising the steps of: processing a silicon wafer to form a plurality of cells having electrical components, the plurality of cells arranged in a plurality of columns, wherein a first group of cells comprising a first column are positioned so as to be deflected from a second group of cells comprising a second column; defining a first matrix in which at least one cell is selected from each of the doe adjacent columns of cells; and grid or cut the pellet to separate the first matrix from the pellet.
17. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein P1535 / 97MX The first matrix is formed in a high performance area of the silicon wafer.
18. 18. The method of claim 16, wherein the first matrix comprises the menoe tree cells. The method of claim 16, further comprising the steps of: defining a second array consisting of a single, - and grid cell or cutting the chip to separate the second matrix from the chip. P1535 / 97MX