TWI402179B - Pagewidth printhead with more than 100000 nozzles - Google Patents

Description

Page width print head with more than 100,000 nozzles

This invention relates to the field of printing, and more particularly to an ink jet print head for high resolution printing.

The quality of the printed image is largely determined by the resolution of the printer, so efforts are constantly being made to improve the print resolution of the printer. The print resolution is closely dependent on the droplet volume and the spacing of the printer's addressable locations on the media substrate. The spacing between the nozzles on the inkjet head need not be as small as the spacing between the addressable locations on the media substrate. A nozzle that prints a point at an addressable location and a nozzle that prints a dot at an addressable location can be separated by any distance. Regardless of the spacing between the nozzles on the printhead, the movement of the printhead relative to the media, or the movement of the media relative to the printhead, or both, allows the printhead to eject droplets at each addressable position. At the extremes of the load, the same nozzle can print adjacent droplets due to proper relative motion between the print head and the media.

Excessive movement of the media relative to the print head reduces the print rate. In the case of a page wide printhead, multiple passes of a scan head to a full pack of media, or multiple passes of the media through the printhead, reduce the print rate per minute of printed pages.

Furthermore, the nozzles can be spaced along the media feed path or in the scan direction so that each addressable location on the media is less than the physical spacing of adjacent nozzles. It can be understood that a plurality of nozzles are spaced apart in a large section of the paper path or scanning direction, which violates the pocket design. More importantly, the paper needs to be carefully controlled to feed the paper, and the precision printer controls the number of nozzle firings.

The problem with large nozzle arrays is greater in terms of page width print heads. The nozzle array is required to have a relatively large area spaced apart in a large length of paper path to a plurality of nozzles. By definition, the nozzle array must extend across the width of the media, but the size of the nozzle array in the media feed direction should be as small as possible. Extending a relatively long distance array in the media feed direction requires a complex print cylinder that maintains the spacing between the nozzle and the media surface throughout the array. Some printers are designed to use a wide vacuum drum across the printhead to get the control needed for the media. In view of this issue, there is a strong incentive to increase the nozzle density (ie the number of nozzles per unit area) on the print head to increase the addressable position and resolution of the printer while maintaining the array (in the medium feed direction) ) Small width.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a printhead for an ink jet printer comprising: an array of nozzles disposed in adjacent columns, each nozzle having an ejection orifice and for ejecting a printing fluid through Corresponding actuators of the injection holes, each actuator having electrodes spaced apart from each other in the lateral direction of the columns; and a drive circuit for transmitting power to the electrodes; wherein the adjacent columns are The electrodes of the actuator have opposite polarities so that the actuators in adjacent columns have opposite current flow directions.

By making the polarities of the electrodes in adjacent columns opposite, the perforations in the power plane of the CMOS can be maintained at the outer edges of adjacent columns. This moves a row of narrow, resistive bridges between the perforations to a position where current does not flow through the bridge. This eliminates the impedance of the bridge from the actuator drive circuit. By reducing the resistive loss of the actuator away from the power supply side of the printhead integrated circuit, the droplet ejection characteristics of all the nozzles of the entire array can be made uniform.

Preferably, the electrodes in each column are offset from their adjacent actuators in the lateral direction of the column so that the electrodes of each of the second actuators are collinear. In another preferred form, the offset is less than 40 microns. In a particularly preferred form, the offset is less than 30 microns. Preferably, the array nozzle is fabricated on an elongated wafer substrate, the wafer substrate extending parallel to the columns of the array, and the driving circuit is a CMOS layer on a surface of the wafer substrate, Power and data are supplied to the CMOS layers along the long edges of the wafer substrate. In another preferred form, the CMOS layer has a top metal layer forming a power plane with a positive voltage, so the electrodes having a negative voltage are connected to vias formed in the holes in the power plane. In yet another preferred form, the CMOS layer has a drive field effect transistor (FET) for each actuator within the bottom metal layer. Preferably, the CMOS layer has a metal layer having a thickness of less than 0.3 microns.

In some embodiments, the actuators are heater elements for generating a vapor bubble within the printing fluid such that droplets of the printing fluid are ejected from the ejection orifice. Preferably, the heater elements are beams suspended between their individual electrodes so that the heater elements are immersed in the printing fluid. Preferably, the injection holes are elliptical and the long axis of the injection holes is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the beam. In another preferred form, the major axes of the injection holes in one of the columns are collinear with the major axes of the injection holes in adjacent columns, so that the columns are in one of the columns Each nozzle is aligned with one of the nozzles in the adjacent column. Preferably, the major axes of adjacent injection holes are separated by less than 50 microns. In another preferred form, the major axes of adjacent injection holes are separated by less than 25 microns. In a particularly preferred form, the major axes of adjacent orifices are separated by less than 16 microns.

In a particular embodiment, the printhead has a nozzle pitch of more than 1600 nozzles (npi) per turn in the transverse direction of the media feed direction. In a preferred embodiment, the nozzle pitch is greater than 3000 npi. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the print head has a print resolution per dot (dpi) equal to the nozzle pitch. In a particular embodiment, the printhead is a pagewidth printhead that is configured to print an A4-size medium. Preferably, the array has more than 100,000 nozzles.

Accordingly, the present invention provides an ink jet printhead for a printer that can be printed on a substrate at different print resolutions, the ink jet printhead comprising: an array of nozzles, each nozzle Having a spray orifice and a corresponding actuator for ejecting the print fluid through the spray orifice; and a print engine controller for feeding the print material to the nozzle of the array; wherein during use, by The print material is assigned to a single nozzle between at least two nozzles of the array, and the print engine controller can selectively reduce the print resolution.

The present invention recognizes that some printing jobs do not require the best resolution of the print head - a lower resolution is well suited for the purpose of the document to be printed. This situation is particularly true when the print head has a very high resolution (eg, greater than 1200 dpi). By selecting a lower resolution, the Print Engine Controller (PEC) can treat two or more laterally adjacent (but not touching) nozzles in a printhead with fewer nozzles as a single virtual nozzle. The adjacent nozzles then share the printed material - the dots required for the virtual nozzle are alternately printed by each actual nozzle. This is used to extend the working life of all nozzles.

Preferably, the position of the two nozzles in the array is set such that the two nozzles are the closest neighbors in the transverse direction of the movement of the print head relative to the substrate. Preferably, the print engine controller equally shares the print data to the two nozzles in the array. In another preferred form, the two nozzle centers are separated by less than 20 microns. In a particularly preferred form, the printhead is a pagewidth printhead and the centers of the two nozzles are spaced less than 16 microns apart in the transverse direction of the media feed direction. In a particular embodiment, the two nozzle centers are spaced apart by less than 8 microns in the transverse direction of the media feed direction. In a particular embodiment, the printhead has a nozzle pitch of more than 1600 nozzles per n (npi) in the transverse direction of the media feed direction. In a preferred embodiment, the nozzle pitch is greater than 3000 npi. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the print head has a print resolution per dot (dpi) equal to the nozzle pitch. In a particular embodiment, the printhead is configured to print an A4-size medium and the printhead has more than 100,000 nozzles.

In some embodiments, when printing at a lower print resolution, the printer operates at a higher print rate. Preferably, the higher printing rate is more than 60 pages per minute. In a preferred form, the print engine controller halves the color planes printed by the adjacent nozzles in a high frequency vibration matrix, the high frequency vibration matrix being optimized for each The lateral displacement of the jetted droplets.

Accordingly, the present invention provides an ink jet printhead comprising: an array of nozzles disposed in adjacent columns; each nozzle having an ejection orifice, a chamber for receiving a printing fluid, and a corresponding actuation The actuator is configured to inject the printing fluid through the injection hole; each chamber has an individual inlet to refill the printing fluid, the printing fluid is ejected by the actuator; and the printing fluid supply Channels extending parallel to the adjacent columns to supply printing fluid to the actuators of each nozzle in the array via the respective inlets; wherein the nozzle inlets are constructed in one of the adjacent columns The refill flow rate is different from the refill flow rate of the nozzle inlets in the other column of the adjacent columns.

The nozzle constructed in accordance with the present invention fills the ink supply channels on one side with a plurality of columns. Since the supply passage is not only supplied to one row of nozzles on one side, the above construction allows the nozzle density on the surface of the print head to be large. However, because the flow rate through each inlet of each column is different, the columns that are further away from the supply channel do not have significantly longer refill times.

Preferably, the nozzle inlets are constructed in one of the adjacent columns such that the refill flow rate is different from the refill flow rate of the nozzle inlets in the other column of the adjacent columns. Therefore, the chamber refilling time of all the nozzles in the array is approximately uniform. In another preferred form, the inlet closest to the column of supply channels is narrower than the row away from the supply channel. In some embodiments, there are two adjacent rows of nozzles on either side of the supply channel.

Preferably, the inlet has a flow damped configuration. In a particularly preferred form, the flow damped construction is a column that is designed to create a flow barrier. Columns in the inlet of one column and columns in the inlets of other columns create varying degrees of obstacles. Preferably, the column creates a bubble trap or trap between the side of the column and the inlet side wall. Preferably, the column diffusion propagates pressure pulses within the print fluid to reduce crosstalk between the nozzles.

In some embodiments, the actuators are heater elements for generating a vapor bubble within the printing fluid such that droplets of the printing fluid are ejected from the ejection orifice. Preferably, the heater elements are beams suspended between their individual electrodes so that the heater elements are immersed in the printing fluid. Preferably, the injection holes are elliptical and the long axis of the injection holes is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the beam. Preferably, the major axes of adjacent injection holes are separated by less than 50 microns. In another preferred form, the major axes of adjacent injection holes are separated by less than 25 microns. In a particularly preferred form, the major axes of adjacent orifices are separated by less than 16 microns.

In a particular embodiment, the printhead has a nozzle pitch of more than 1600 nozzles (npi) per turn in the transverse direction of the media feed direction. In a preferred embodiment, the nozzle pitch is greater than 3000 npi. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the print head has a print resolution per dot (dpi) equal to the nozzle pitch. In a particular embodiment, the printhead is a pagewidth printhead that is configured to print an A4-size medium. Preferably, the array has more than 100,000 nozzles.

Accordingly, the present invention provides an ink jet printhead comprising: an array of nozzles disposed in a series of columns; each nozzle having an ejection orifice, a chamber for holding a printing fluid, and a heater element; a heater element for generating a vapor bubble in the printing fluid contained in the chamber to eject a droplet of the printing fluid through the ejection orifice; wherein the nozzle, the heater element, and the chamber All are elongate configurations having a long dimension that exceeds the other dimensions of each elongate configuration; and the nozzle, the heater, and the individual elongated dimensions of the chamber are parallel And extending perpendicular to the column direction.

In order to increase the nozzle density of the columns, each nozzle assembly---chamber, injection orifice, and heater element are constructed into an elongate configuration that is all aligned in the transverse direction of the column direction. This increases the nozzle pitch of the column or the number of nozzles per turn (npi) while allowing a sufficiently large chamber volume and drop volume to be maintained for proper pigment density. This also avoids the need to extend the large distance in the paper feed direction (in the case of a page width printer) or in the scanning direction (in the case of scanning a print head).

Preferably, each column in the array is offset relative to its adjacent column, so that none of the equal lengths of the nozzles in a column does not match any of the same length dimensions in the adjacent column. Collinear. In another preferred form, the printhead is a pagewidth printhead for printing to a media substrate fed through the printhead in a media feed direction, such that the nozzles are of equal length Dimensions, parallel to the media feed direction.

Preferably, the length of each second nozzle is in the login. In a particularly preferred form, the spray holes of all of the nozzles are formed in a flat top layer that partially defines the chamber; the top layer has an outer surface that, in addition to the spray holes, The rest is flat. In a particularly preferred form, the nozzles of the array are formed on a substrate that extends parallel to the top layer and that is partially defined by sidewalls extending between the top layer and the substrate. The side wall is shaped such that the interior surface of the side wall is at least partially elliptical. Preferably, the side wall is elliptical except for the inlet opening for the printing fluid. In a particularly preferred form, the minor axes of the nozzles in one of the columns are partially overlapped with the minor axes of the nozzles in the adjacent column of the media feed direction. In another preferred form, the injection holes are elliptical.

Preferably, the heater elements are beams suspended between their individual electrodes such that during use, the heater elements are submerged within the printing fluid. Preferably, the vapor bubble generated by the heater element is elliptical in cross section parallel to the injection hole.

In some embodiments, the printhead further includes a supply channel adjacent the array, the array extending parallel to the columns. In a preferred form, the nozzles of the array are nozzles of the first array, and the nozzles of the second array are formed on the other side of the supply channel; the second array is a mirror image of the first array, but relative to The first array is offset such that none of the long axes of the injection holes in the first array are collinear with any of the long axes of the second array. Preferably, the long axes of the ejection holes in the first array are offset from the longitudinal axes of the ejection holes in the second array to the lateral direction of the medium feeding direction. Less than 20 microns. In a particularly preferred form, the offset is about 8 microns. In some embodiments, the printhead has a nozzle pitch of more than 1600 nozzles per n (npi) in the transverse direction of the media feed direction. In a particularly preferred form, the substrate has a width in the media feed direction of less than 3 mm.

Accordingly, the present invention provides an ink jet printhead comprising: an array of nozzles for ejecting droplets of printing fluid to a printing medium as it moves in a printing direction relative to the printing head The printing medium; wherein the nozzles in the array are spaced apart from each other by less than 10 microns in the vertical direction of the printing direction.

Since the nozzles are spaced less than 10 microns apart in the vertical direction of the printing direction, the print head has a very high "true" print resolution - that is, by the high number of nozzles per turn reaching the height of each turn Points.

Preferably, the nozzles in the array are spaced apart from each other by less than 10 microns in the vertical direction of the printing direction, and are also spaced apart from each other by less than 150 microns in the printing direction.

In another preferred form, the array has more than 700 nozzles per square millimeter.

Preferably, the array of nozzles is supported on a plurality of monolithic wafer substrates, each of which supports more than 10,000 of the nozzles. In another preferred form, each single wafer substrate supports more than 12,000 of the nozzles. In a particularly preferred form, the plurality of monolithic wafer substrates are mounted end to end to form a pagewidth printhead for mounting within the printer, the printer being constructed to feed in the media feed direction The medium passes through the print head; the print head has more than 100,000 of the nozzles, and the print head extends 200 mm to 330 mm in the transverse direction of the medium feed direction. In some embodiments, the array has more than 140,000 of these nozzles.

Optionally, the printhead further includes a plurality of actuators for each of the nozzles, the actuators being disposed in adjacent columns, each actuator having a transverse direction of the columns Electrodes spaced apart from one another for connection to individual drive transistors and a power supply; wherein the electrodes of the actuators in adjacent columns have opposite polarities, so in adjacent columns The actuator has opposite current flow directions. Preferably, the electrodes in each column are offset from their adjacent actuators in the lateral direction of the column so that the electrodes of each of the second actuators are collinear. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the droplet ejection injectors are fabricated on an elongate wafer substrate that extends parallel to the columns of the actuators and along the The long edge of the wafer substrate supplies power and data.

In some embodiments, the printhead has a print engine controller (PEC) for feeding print data to the nozzles of the array; wherein during use, at least the print data is dispensed to the array A single nozzle between the two nozzles, the print engine controller selectively reducing the print resolution. Preferably, the position of the two nozzles in the array is such that the two nozzles are the closest neighbors in the transverse direction of the movement of the print head relative to the printing medium substrate. In a particularly preferred form, the print engine controller equally shares the print data to the two nozzles in the array. Preferably, the two nozzle centers are separated by less than 40 microns.

In a particularly preferred form, the printhead is a pagewidth printhead and the centers of the two nozzles are spaced less than 16 microns apart in the transverse direction of the media feed direction. Preferably, the adjacent nozzle centers are spaced apart by less than 8 microns in the transverse direction of the media feed direction. Preferably, the printhead has a nozzle pitch of more than 1600 nozzles per n (npi) in the transverse direction of the media feed direction. In another preferred form, the nozzle pitch is greater than 3000 npi.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a printhead integrated circuit for an ink jet printhead, the printhead integrated circuit comprising: a single wafer substrate supporting an array of small droplet ejectors for Spraying droplets of the printing fluid onto the print medium, each droplet ejector having a nozzle and an actuator for ejecting droplets of the printing fluid through the nozzle; wherein the array has more than 10,000 These small droplet ejector.

Since a large number of small droplet ejectors are fabricated on a single wafer, the nozzle array has a high nozzle pitch and the print head has a very high "true" print resolution - ie by each The number of high nozzles of 吋 reaches the high number of points per 。.

Preferably, the array has more than 12,000 of such small droplet ejectors. In another preferred form, the printing medium moves in a printing direction relative to the printing head; and the nozzles in the array are spaced apart from each other in a vertical direction of the printing direction Up to less than 10 microns. In a particularly preferred form, the nozzles in the array are spaced apart from each other by less than 10 microns in the vertical direction of the printing direction, and are also spaced apart from each other by less than 150 microns in the printing direction.

In a preferred embodiment, the array has more than 700 such small droplet ejectors per square millimeter. In a particularly preferred form, the actuators are disposed in adjacent columns, each actuator having electrodes spaced apart from each other in the lateral direction of the columns for connection to an individual drive transistor and a power supply The electrodes of the actuators in adjacent columns have opposite polarities, so the actuators in adjacent columns have opposite current flow directions. In yet another preferred form, the electrodes in each column are offset from the adjacent actuators in the lateral direction of the column such that the electrodes of each of the second actuators are collinear.

In a particular embodiment, the monolithic wafer substrate is elongate and extends parallel to the columns of the actuators, so that in use, power is supplied along the long edge of the wafer substrate and data. In some forms, the inkjet printhead includes a plurality of printhead integrated circuits, and further includes a print engine controller (PEC) for feeding print data to the array of droplet dischargers; The print engine controller can selectively reduce the print resolution during use by assigning print data to a single droplet ejector between at least two droplet ejector of the array. Preferably, the position of the two nozzles in the array is such that the two nozzles are the closest neighbors in the transverse direction of the movement of the print head relative to the printing medium substrate. In a particularly preferred form, the print engine controller equally shares the print data to the two nozzles in the array. Optionally, the two nozzle centers are separated by less than 40 microns. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the printhead is a pagewidth printhead and the centers of the two nozzles are spaced less than 16 microns apart in the transverse direction of the media feed direction. In still another preferred form, the adjacent nozzle centers are spaced apart by less than 8 microns in the transverse direction of the media feed direction.

In some embodiments, the inkjet printhead includes a plurality of printhead integrated circuits that are mounted end-to-end to form a pagewidth printhead for a printer, the printer being constructed to The medium feed direction feeds the medium through the print head; the print head has more than 100,000 of the nozzles, and the print head extends 200 mm to 330 mm in the transverse direction of the medium feed direction. In another preferred form, the array has more than 140,000 of the nozzles.

Preferably, the array of droplet discharges has a nozzle pitch of more than 1600 nozzles per n (npi) in the transverse direction of the media feed direction. Preferably, the nozzle pitch is greater than 3000 npi.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a printhead integrated circuit for an ink jet printhead, the printhead integrated circuit comprising: a planar array of small droplet ejector, each droplet ejector having a data distribution a circuit, a drive transistor, a print fluid inlet, an actuator, a chamber, and a nozzle; a chamber is constructed to hold the print fluid adjacent the nozzle, so the drive transistor drives the actuator during use, A small droplet of the printing fluid is sprayed through the nozzle; wherein the array has more than 700 such droplet ejection injectors per square millimeter.

Due to the high density of small droplet ejectors fabricated on the wafer substrate, the nozzle array has a high nozzle pitch and the print head has a very high "true" print resolution - ie by The number of high nozzles per turn reaches the high number of points per turn.

Preferably, when the printing medium moves in a printing direction relative to the printing head, the array ejects droplets of the printing fluid onto the printing medium; and the nozzles in the array In the vertical direction of the printing direction, they are spaced apart from each other by less than 10 μm. In another preferred form, the nozzles spaced apart from each other by less than 10 microns in the vertical direction of the printing direction are also spaced apart from each other by less than 150 microns in the printing direction.

In a particular embodiment of the invention, a plurality of print head integrated circuits are used within the ink jet print head, each of the print head integrated circuits having more than 10,000 such small droplet ejectors, and preferably, exceeding 12,000 of these nozzle unit cells.

In some embodiments, the printhead integrated circuit is elongate and mounted end to end, so the printhead has more than 100,000 such small droplet ejectors, and the printhead is in the medium The feeding direction extends from 200 mm to 330 mm in the lateral direction. In another preferred form, the printhead has more than 140,000 such small droplet ejectors.

In some preferred forms, the actuators are disposed in adjacent columns, each actuator having electrodes spaced apart from each other in the lateral direction of the columns for connection to a corresponding drive transistor and a power source The supply; wherein the electrodes of the actuators in adjacent columns have opposite polarities, so the actuators in adjacent columns have opposite current flow directions.

Preferably, in these embodiments, the electrodes in each column are offset from their adjacent actuators in the lateral direction of the column so that the electrodes of each of the second actuators are collinear. In another preferred form, the elongate wafer substrate extends parallel to the columns of the actuators and supplies power and data along the long edges of the wafer substrate.

In a particular embodiment, the printhead includes a print engine controller (PEC) for feeding print data to the nozzles of the array; wherein during printing, the print data is assigned to the array A single nozzle between at least two nozzles, the print engine controller selectively reducing the print resolution.

Preferably, the position of the two nozzles in the array is such that the two nozzles are the closest neighbors in the transverse direction of the movement of the print head relative to the printing medium substrate. In another preferred form, the print engine controller equally shares the print data to the two nozzles in the array. Preferably, the two nozzle centers are separated by less than 40 microns. In a particularly preferred form, the printhead is a pagewidth printhead and the centers of the two nozzles are spaced less than 16 microns apart in the transverse direction of the media feed direction. In still another preferred form, the adjacent nozzle centers are spaced apart by less than 8 microns in the transverse direction of the media feed direction.

In some forms, the printhead has a nozzle pitch of more than 1600 nozzles per n (npi) in the transverse direction of the media feed direction. Preferably, the nozzle pitch is greater than 3000 npi.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a pagewidth inkjet printhead comprising: an array of droplet ejection injectors for ejecting droplets of printing fluid onto a printing medium, the printing medium being fed through The print head in the medium feed direction; each drop ejector having a nozzle, and an actuator for ejecting droplets of the print fluid through the nozzle; wherein the array has more than 100,000 such liquids The ejector is dropped, and the array extends 200 mm to 330 mm in the lateral direction of the medium feeding direction.

A page-width printhead with a large number of nozzles extending across the width of the media, providing a high nozzle pitch and a very high "true" print resolution - that is, a high number of turns per inch of high number of nozzles point.

Preferably, the array has more than 140,000 such small droplet ejectors. In another preferred form, the nozzles are spaced apart from each other by less than 10 microns in the vertical direction of the media feed direction. In a particularly preferred form, the nozzles spaced apart from one another by less than 10 microns in the vertical direction of the media feed direction are also spaced apart from each other by less than 150 microns in the media feed direction.

In a particular embodiment, the array droplet ejector is supported on a plurality of monolithic wafer substrates, each monolithic wafer substrate supporting more than 10,000 droplet ejection ejector, and preferably more than 12,000 small Droplet ejector. In these embodiments, it is desirable for the array to have more than 700 small droplet ejectors per square millimeter.

Optionally, the actuators are disposed in adjacent columns, each actuator having electrodes spaced apart from each other in the lateral direction of the columns for connection to an individual drive transistor and a power supply; The electrodes of the actuators in adjacent columns have opposite polarities, so the actuators in adjacent columns have opposite current flow directions. Preferably, the electrodes in each column are offset from their adjacent actuators in the lateral direction of the column so that the electrodes of each of the second actuators are collinear. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the droplet ejection injectors are fabricated on an elongate wafer substrate that extends parallel to the columns of the actuators and along the The long edge of the wafer substrate supplies power and data.

In some embodiments, the printhead has a print engine controller (PEC) for feeding print data to the nozzles of the array; wherein during use, at least the print data is dispensed to the array A single nozzle between the two nozzles, the print engine controller selectively reducing the print resolution. Preferably, the position of the two nozzles in the array is such that the two nozzles are most adjacent in the transverse direction of movement of the print head relative to the printing medium substrate. In a particularly preferred form, the print engine controller equally shares the print data to the two nozzles in the array. Preferably, the two nozzles are spaced apart by less than 40 microns.

In a particularly preferred form, the printhead is a pagewidth printhead and the centers of the two nozzles are spaced less than 16 microns apart in the transverse direction of the media feed direction. Preferably, the adjacent nozzle centers are spaced apart by less than 8 microns in the transverse direction of the media feed direction. Preferably, the printhead has a nozzle pitch of more than 1600 nozzles per n (npi) in the transverse direction of the media feed direction. In another preferred form, the nozzle pitch is greater than 3000 npi.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a printhead integrated circuit for an ink jet printer comprising: a single wafer substrate supporting an array of small droplet ejectors for Spraying droplets of the printing fluid onto the printing medium, each droplet ejector having a nozzle and an actuator for ejecting droplets of the printing fluid through the nozzle; with a series of light micro Forming the array on the monolithic wafer substrate; the steps involving an optical imaging device exposing the exposed area to light, the light being focused to project a pattern onto the monolithic substrate; The array has more than 10,000 such droplet ejection injectors that are constructed to be surrounded by the exposed regions.

The present invention configures the nozzle array such that the droplet ejector density is very high and reduces the number of exposure steps required.

Preferably, the exposed area is less than 900 mm ² . Preferably, the single wafer substrate is surrounded by the exposed area. In another preferred form, the light imaging device is a stepper that simultaneously exposes the entire mask. Optionally, the light imaging device is a scanner that scans a narrow band of light through the exposure region to expose the mask.

Preferably, the single wafer substrate supports more than 12,000 droplet ejection injectors. In these embodiments, it is desirable for the array to have more than 700 small droplet ejectors per square millimeter.

In some embodiments, the printhead integrated circuit is assembled to a pagewidth printhead having other similar printhead integrated circuits for ejecting droplets of the print fluid onto the print medium, the print The medium is fed through the printhead in the media feed direction; wherein the array has more than 100,000 such small droplet ejectors, and the array extends 200 mm to 330 in the lateral direction of the media feed direction Millimeter. In another preferred form, the nozzles are spaced apart from each other by less than 10 microns in the vertical direction of the media feed direction. Preferably, the printhead has more than 140,000 such small droplet ejectors. In a particularly preferred form, the nozzles spaced apart from one another by less than 10 microns in the vertical direction of the media feed direction are also spaced apart from each other by less than 150 microns in the media feed direction.

Optionally, the actuators are disposed in adjacent columns, each actuator having electrodes spaced apart from each other in the lateral direction of the columns for connection to an individual drive transistor and a power supply; The electrodes of the actuators in adjacent columns have opposite polarities, so the actuators in adjacent columns have opposite current flow directions. Preferably, the electrodes in each column are offset from their adjacent actuators in the lateral direction of the column so that the electrodes of each of the second actuators are collinear. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the droplet ejection injectors are fabricated on an elongate wafer substrate that extends parallel to the columns of the actuators and along the The long edge of the wafer substrate supplies power and data.

In some embodiments, the printhead has a print engine controller (PEC) for feeding print data to the nozzles of the array; wherein during use, at least the print data is dispensed to the array A single nozzle between the two nozzles, the print engine controller selectively reducing the print resolution. Preferably, the position of the two nozzles in the array is such that the two nozzles are the closest neighbors in the transverse direction of the movement of the print head relative to the printing medium substrate. In a particularly preferred form, the print engine controller equally shares the print data to the two nozzles in the array. Preferably, the two nozzle centers are separated by less than 40 microns.

In a particularly preferred form, the printhead is a pagewidth printhead and the centers of the two nozzles are spaced less than 16 microns apart in the transverse direction of the media feed direction. Preferably, the adjacent nozzle centers are spaced apart by less than 8 microns in the transverse direction of the media feed direction. Preferably, the printhead has a nozzle pitch of more than 1600 nozzles per n (npi) in the transverse direction of the media feed direction. In another preferred form, the nozzle pitch is greater than 3000 npi.

The print head integrated circuit (IC) shown in the drawings was fabricated using the same lithography etching and deposition steps as described in USSN 11/246,687 filed on Oct. 11, 2005, to the file number of the file number of The contents of this case are hereby incorporated by reference. The general worker will understand that the print head integrated circuit shown in the drawing has a chamber, a nozzle, and a heater electrode structure, which requires the use of USSN 11/246687 filed on October 11, 2005 (our File number MNN001US) The different exposure masks shown in the figure. However, the process steps for forming the cantilever heater element, chamber, and orifice are maintained the same. Similarly, a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) layer is formed in the same manner as discussed in USSN 11/246687 filed on October 11, 2005 (our file number MNN001US), except for driving field effect transistors ( Other than FET). Because of the higher density of the heater elements, the drive FET needs to be relatively small.

Link print head integrated circuit

Applicants have developed a number of printhead devices that use a series of printhead integrated circuits that are joined together to form a pagewidth printhead. In this manner, the print head integrated circuits can be combined into a print head, and the application range of the print heads can be printed from a wide format to a camera and mobile phone having a built-in printer. Each of the print head integrated circuits is mounted end to end on the support member to form a page width print head. The support member mounts the print head integrated circuit into the printer and dispenses the ink to the individual integrated circuits.

An example of this type of print head is described in USSN 11/293820, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

It should be understood that the term "ink" as used herein shall be interpreted to mean any printing fluid, unless the context clearly indicates that it is merely a coloring agent for image printing media. The print head integrated circuit can similarly inject ink, adhesive, medicament, or other functional fluid.

FIG. 1A shows a schematic view of a pagewidth printhead 100 having a series of print head integrated circuits 92 mounted to a support member 94. The curved side 96 allows the nozzles of one of the print head integrated circuits 92 to overlap with the nozzles of adjacent print head integrated circuits in the paper feed direction. The nozzles of each of the print head integrated circuits 92 are overlapped to provide a continuous print across the junction between the two print head integrated circuits 92. This avoids "banding" in the printed results. In this manner, each of the print head integrated circuits is connected, and a print head of any desired length can be fabricated using only a different number of print head integrated circuits.

The end-to-end configuration of the print head integrated circuit 92 requires the supply of power and data to the bond pads along the long side of each of the print head integrated circuits 92. The control of these connections, and the connected integrated circuit with the print engine controller (PEC), is described in detail in the application No. 11/544764 (our file number PUA001US) filed on October 10, 2006.

3200 dpi print head summary

Figure 1B shows a cross section of the nozzle array on the 3200 dpi (dot/吋) print head recently developed by the applicant. The printhead has a "true" resolution of 3200 dpi because the nozzle pitch is 3200 dpi instead of a printer with a 3200 dpi addressable position but a nozzle pitch of less than 200 dpi. The cross section shown in Figure 1B shows eight unit cells of the nozzle array and the top layer is removed. The outline of the injection hole 2 has been shown for the purpose of illustration. "Unit cell" is the smallest repeating unit of the nozzle array and has two complete droplet ejector, and four "half droplet jets" on either side of the complete ejector "". Figure 2 shows a unit cell.

The nozzles extend in the transverse direction of the media feed direction 8. The nozzles in the middle four columns are a pigment channel 4. Either side of the ink supply supply passage 6 has two columns extending. The ink from the opposite side of the wafer flows to the ink supply path 6 via the ink feed tube 14. The upper and lower ink supply channels 10, 12 are separate pigment channels (although for larger pigment densities, they can print ink of the same color - such as a CCMMY print head).

The columns 20, 22 above the feed channel 6 are laterally offset in the media feed direction 8. The columns 24, 26 below the supply channel 6 are similarly biased in the direction of the media. Again, columns 20, 22 and columns 24, 26 are offset relative to one another. Thus, the combined nozzle pitch of columns 20 through 26 in the transverse direction of the media feed direction is one quarter of the nozzle pitch of any individual column. The nozzle pitch along each column is approximately 32 microns (nominally 31.75 microns), so the combined nozzle pitch of all columns of a pigment channel is approximately 8 microns (nominally 7.9375 microns). This is equal to the nozzle pitch of 3200 npi, so the print head has a "true" resolution of 3200 dpi.

Unit cell

Figure 2 is a unit cell of a nozzle array. Each unit cell has an equivalent of four droplet ejectors (two complete droplet ejectors and four "half droplet ejectors" on either side of the complete injectors). Droplet injectors are nozzles, chambers, drive FETs, and drive circuits for a single microelectromechanical (MEMS) fluid ejection device. A general worker will understand that for convenience, a droplet ejector is generally referred to simply as a nozzle; however, it is understood from the context of use whether this term refers only to the orifice or the entire MEMS device.

The upper feed nozzle tube 14 is fed by the ink feed tube 14 via the upper ink supply passage 10. The lower nozzle row 16 is a different pigment channel that is fed by the feed channel 6. Each nozzle has a combined chamber 28 and a heater element 30 extending between the electrodes 34 and 36. The chambers are elliptical and offset from one another so their minor axes overlap laterally in the media feed direction. This configuration allows the chamber volume, nozzle area, and heater size to be substantially the same as the 1600 dpi print head shown in the above-referenced USSN 11/246,687 filed on Jan. 11, 2005 (our file MNN001US). Likewise, the chamber wall 32 is maintained 4 microns thick and the area of the contacts 34, 36 is still 10 microns x 10 microns.

Figure 3 shows a unit cell replica pattern constituting a nozzle array. Each unit cell 38 translates across the wafer to a width x. Adjacent columns are mirrored and translated by half a width: 0.5x = y. As noted above, this provides a combined nozzle pitch of 0.25x for a pigment channel (20, 22, 24, 26). In the embodiment shown, x = 31.75 and y = 7.9375. This provides a resolution of 3200 dpi without reducing the size of the heater, chamber, or nozzle. Therefore, when operating at 3200 dpi, the print density is higher than the 1600 dpi print head of USSN 11/246687 (Our file MNN001US) filed on October 11, 2005; or the print head can be at 1600 Dpi work to extend the life of the nozzle with a good print density. This feature of the print head is discussed further below.

Heater contact configuration

The dimensions of the heater element 30 and the individual contacts 34, 36 are the same as the 1600 dpi print head of USSN 11/246,687, filed on Oct. 11, 2005, to the file filed Jan. However, because there are twice the number of contacts, there are twice the number of FET contacts (negative contacts) that interrupt the "power plane (CMOS metal layer with positive voltage)". The high density of the holes in the power plane creates a high impedance between the thin metal sheets between the holes. This impedance detracts from the overall efficiency of the printhead and reduces the drive pulses of some heaters relative to other heaters.

4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a wafer, a CMOS drive circuit 56, and a heater. The drive circuit 56 of each of the print head integrated circuits is fabricated on the wafer substrate 48 in a plurality of metal layers 40, 42, 44, 45, and the dielectric materials 41, 43, 47 separate the metal layers, and the vias 46 Pass through the layers to establish the required interlayer connections. The drive circuit 56 has a drive FET (field effect transistor) 58 for each actuator 30, and the source 54 of the FET 58 is connected to the power plane 40 (a metal layer connected to the position voltage of the power supply) And the drain 52 is connected to the ground plane 42 (at a zero voltage or grounded metal layer). Additionally, each of the electrodes 34, 36 or each actuator 30 is coupled to a ground plane 42 and a power plane 40.

The power plane 40 is typically the uppermost metal layer and the ground plane 42 is the first layer below the power plane (separated by the dielectric layer 41). Actuator 30, ink chamber 28, and nozzle 2 are fabricated on top of power plane metal layer 40. Etching through this layer forms apertures 46 such that negative electrode 34 can be connected to the ground plane and ink flow path 14 can extend from the back of wafer substrate 48 to ink chamber 28. As the nozzle density increases, the density of these holes or punctuations through the power plane also increases. Because of the large density of perforations that pass through the power plane, the gap between the perforations becomes smaller. A thin layer of metal layer that passes through these gaps is a relatively high resistance point. Since the power plane is connected to the supply along the side of the printhead integrated circuit, the current flowing to the actuator on the non-supplier side of the printhead integrated circuit may have to pass through a series of these impedance gaps. The parasitic resistance added to the non-supply side actuator affects its drive current and affects the droplet ejection characteristics of these nozzles.

The printhead uses several countermeasures to solve this problem. First, the actuators of adjacent columns have opposite current flow directions, i.e., the polarity of the electrodes in one column changes in adjacent columns. For the purposes of this aspect of the printhead, the two rows of nozzles adjacent to the feed channel 6 are considered to be a single column as shown in Figure 5A, rather than being staggered as shown in the previous figures. The two columns A, B extend longitudinally along the length of the printhead integrated circuit. All of the negative electrodes 34 are along the outer edges of the two adjacent columns A, B. Power is supplied from one side (referred to as edge 62) and current flows through only a row of thin resistive metal segments 64 before passing through heater elements 30 in the two columns. Therefore, the direction of current flow in column A and the direction of current flow in column B are opposite.

The corresponding circuit diagram illustrates the benefits of this configuration. Because of the impedance R _A of the thin section between the negative electrodes 34 of the column A, the power supply V+ voltage drops. However, the positive electrode 36 of all heaters 30 is at the same voltage (V _A = V _B ) relative to the ground. The voltage drops as it traverses all of the heaters 30 of the two columns A and B (resistances R _HA , R _HB , respectively). The impedance R _B of the thin bridge portion 66 between the negative electrodes 34 of the column B is deleted in the circuits of the columns A and B.

Figure 5B shows the case if the polarity of the electrodes of two adjacent columns is not reversed. In this case, the entire row of resistive sections 66 of column B are presented in the circuit. The supply voltage V+ drops through the impedance R _{A and} then drops to the voltage of the positive electrode 36 of V _A --- column A. From there, after passing through the impedance R _HA of the column A heater, the voltage drops to ground. However, voltage V _A passes through the impedance R _{B of} thin section 66 between column B negative electrode 34, and the voltage at column B positive electrode 36 drops from V _A to V _B . Therefore, the voltage drop across column B heater 30 is less than the voltage drop across column A. This will change the drive pulse and thus the droplet ejection characteristics.

A second strategy for maintaining the integrity of the power plane is to interlace pairs of adjacent electrodes in each column. Referring to Figure 6, now each negative electrode 34 is staggered so that each second electrode is laterally displaced to the column. The adjacent columns of heater contacts 34 and 36 are likewise staggered. This serves to make the gaps 64, 66 between the holes through the power plane 40 wider. The wider gap has less electrical impedance and the voltage drop from the heater on the power supply side of the printhead integrated circuit is smaller. FIG. 7 shows a larger section of the power plane 40. The electrodes 34 in the staggered columns 41, 44 correspond to the pigment channels fed by the feed channel 6. The half-nozzles of the columns 124, 43 with respect to the pigment channels on either side of the two sides - the pigment fed by the supply channel 10 and the pigment channels fed by the supply channel 12 are fed. It will be appreciated that the five-pigment channel printhead integrated circuit has nine columns of negative electrodes that induce the resistance of the heater in the nozzle furthest from the power supply side. The gap between the negative electrodes is widened, greatly reducing the impedance generated by the components. This promotes more uniform droplet ejection characteristics throughout the nozzle array.

Efficient manufacturing

The above characteristics increase the density of the nozzles on the wafer. Each individual integrated circuit is approximately 22 mm long, less than 3 mm wide, and can support more than 10,000 nozzles. This represents a significant increase in the number of nozzles in the applicant's 1600 dpi print head integrated circuit (see the example of USSN 11/246687 (our file MNN001US) filed on October 11, 2005). In fact, an array of 3200 dpi print head nozzles of the size shown in Figure 12 was fabricated with 12,800 nozzles.

Since the entire nozzle array is located within the exposure range of the lithography stepper or scanner used to expose the mask (mask), the lithography manufacturing efficiency of so many (more than 10,000) nozzles is efficient. . Figure 14 shows schematically a photolithography stepper. The light source 102 emits parallel rays 104 of a particular wavelength through the mask 106, which has a pattern to be transmitted to the integrated circuit 92. The pattern is focused through a lens 108 for reducing features and is projected onto a wafer stage 110 carrying an integrated circuit (or so-called "die") 92. The area of wafer stage 110 that is illuminated by light 104 is referred to as exposure area 112. Unfortunately, the size of the exposure zone 112 is limited to maintain the accuracy of the projected pattern - the entire wafer disk cannot be exposed at the same time. Most lithographic steppers have an exposure area of less than 30 mm x 30 mm. A stepper manufactured by a major manufacturer (ASML, The Netherlands) has an exposure area of 22 mm x 22 mm, which is typical in the industry.

The stepper exposes a portion of a die or grain and then steps to another die or another portion of the same die. Having as many nozzles as possible on a single substrate facilitates the compact printhead design and facilitates minimizing the precise relationship of the assemblies of the integrated circuits on the support. The nozzle array constructed by the present invention allows more than 10,000 nozzles to be positioned within the exposure zone. In fact, the entire integrated circuit can be placed in the exposed area, so a single substrate can be provided with more than 14,000 nozzles without having to step and realign each pattern.

As will be appreciated by the average worker, the above techniques can be applied to the fabrication of nozzle arrays using photolithographic scanners. 15A to 15C illustrate the operation of the scanner. In the scanner, light source 102 emits a narrower beam of light 104 that is still wide enough to illuminate the entire width of mask 106. The narrow beam 104 is focused through the smaller lens 108 and is projected onto a portion of the integrated circuit 92 within the re-exposed area 112. The mask 106 and the wafer table 110 move relative to one another in opposite directions, so the pattern of the mask is scanned through the entire exposure zone 112.

Obviously, this type of optical imaging device is also suitable for efficiently producing a print head integrated circuit having a large number of nozzles.

Flat outer nozzle surface

As described above, the print head integrated circuit is fabricated in accordance with the steps set forth in the USSN 11/246687 (Our Archive MNN 001US) cross-reference filed on Oct. 11, 2005. Only change the exposure mask pattern to provide different chamber and heater configurations. As described in USSN 11/246687 (our file MNN 001US) filed on October 11, 2005, the top layer and the chamber walls are integrated constructions - a single plasma lift for the top and wall materials Chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). Suitable top materials can be tantalum nitride, hafnium oxide, hafnium oxynitride, aluminum nitride, and the like. The top and walls are deposited on a scaffold layer of sacrificial photoresist to form an integrated construction on the passivation layer of the CMOS.

FIG. 8 shows a pattern etched into the sacrificial layer 72. The pattern consists of a chamber wall 32 and a columnar structure 68 (discussed below), all of which have a uniform thickness. In the illustrated embodiment, the thickness of the walls and posts is 4 microns. These configurations are relatively thin so that there is little depression, if any, in the inner surface of the top layer 70 as the deposited top and wall materials cool. The thick construction in the etched pattern will maintain a relatively large volume of top/wall material. As the material cools and contracts, the outer surface pulls inward to create a depression.

These depressions make the outer surface uneven, which is detrimental to the maintenance of the print head. If you wipe or erase the print head, paper dust and other contaminants will remain in the recess. As shown in Figure 9, the outer surface of the top layer 72 is flat and featureless except for the nozzle 2. It is easier to remove dust and dried ink by wiping or wiping off.

Refill ink flow

Referring to Figure 10, each ink inlet is supplied with four nozzles except that fewer nozzles are supplied to the entrance of the longitudinally long end of the array. A random nozzle inlet 14 is advantageous during the initial injection and in the event of a bubble blockage.

As indicated by flow line 74, the refill flow to chamber 28 remote from inlet 14 is longer than the refill flow to chamber 28 adjacent supply channel 6. For uniform droplet ejection characteristics, it is desirable for each nozzle in the array to have the same ink refill time.

As shown in Figure 11, the inlet 76 adjacent the chamber and the inlet 78 remote from the chamber are designed to be different sizes. Likewise, the position of the columnar configuration 68 is designed to provide different levels of flow restriction to the adjacent nozzle inlet 76 and the remote nozzle inlet 78. The size of the inlet and the position of the column adjust the fluid drag so that the refill time of all nozzles in the array is uniform. The position of the column can also be designed to dampen the pressure pulses generated by the vapor bubbles in chamber 28. A damping pulse that moves through the inlet prevents fluid cross talk between the nozzles. Furthermore, the gaps 80, 82 between the posts 68 and the sides of the inlets 76, 78 can serve as effective bubble traps or traps for the larger bubbles contained in the ink refill stream.

Extended nozzle life

Figure 12 shows a cross-section of a pigment channel in a nozzle array having dimensions required for a resolution of 3200 dpi. It should be understood that the "real" 3200 dpi is a very high resolution - better than the photographic quality. This resolution goes beyond many printing jobs. Usually 1600 dpi resolution is appropriate. In view of this, the print head integration circuit sacrifices resolution by sharing the print data between two adjacent nozzles. In this way, the print material normally sent to one of the 1600 dpi print heads is instead sent to the adjacent nozzles in the 3200 dpi print head. This mode of operation extends the life of the nozzle by more than two times and allows the printer to operate at very high print rates. In 3200 dpi mode, the printer prints at 60 ppm (full color A4) and in 1600 dpi mode, the rate approaches 120 ppm.

An added benefit of the 1600 dpi mode is the ability to use this printhead integrated circuit with a print engine controller (PEC) and a flexible printed circuit board that can only be constructed at 1600 dpi resolution.

As shown in Figure 12, the nozzle 83 and nozzle 84 are laterally offset by only 7.9375 microns. The two nozzles are further spaced apart in absolute relationship, but the displacement in the paper feed direction may indicate the timing of the firing sequence. Since the lateral displacement of 8 microns between adjacent nozzles is small, this shift can be ignored for purposes of presentation. However, this shift can be resolved by optimizing the dither (if desired).

Bubble, chamber, and nozzle matching

Figure 13 is an enlarged view of the nozzle array. Both the injection hole and the chamber wall are elliptical. Configuring the long axis parallel to the media feed direction allows for a high nozzle pitch in the lateral direction of the feed direction while maintaining the required chamber volume. Furthermore, arranging the short axes of the chambers causes the short axes to overlap in the lateral direction, which also improves the nozzle packing density.

Heater 30 is a cantilever beam that extends between its individual electrodes 34 and 36. The elongate beam heater element produces bubbles that are generally elliptical (in a section parallel to the plane of the wafer). Matching the bubble 90, the chamber 28, and the ejection orifice 2 promotes energy efficient droplet ejection. Low-energy droplet ejection is important for a "self-cooling" printhead.

in conclusion

The printhead integrated circuit shown in the figure provides a choice of "real" 3200 dpi resolution and a much higher print rate than the 1600 dpi print rate. Share lower resolution prints to extend nozzle life and provide compatibility with existing 1600 dpi print engine controllers and flexible printed circuit boards. A uniform thickness chamber wall pattern has a flat outer nozzle surface that is less prone to clogging. In addition, the actuator contact configuration and the elongated nozzle configuration provide a high nozzle pitch in the lateral direction of the media feed direction while maintaining a thin nozzle array parallel to the media feed direction.

The particular embodiments described are intended to be illustrative only and not in a limiting

2‧‧‧(jet) hole (Fig. 1B)

2‧‧‧Nozzles (Figure 4)

4‧‧‧Pigment channel

6‧‧‧(ink) supply channel

8‧‧‧Media (paper) feed direction

10‧‧‧Upper ink supply channel

12‧‧‧Ink supply channel

14‧‧‧Ink feed tube (Fig. 1B)

14‧‧‧Ink flow path (Figure 4)

14‧‧‧Nozzle entrance (Figure 10)

16‧‧‧lower nozzle column

18‧‧‧Upper nozzle column

20‧‧‧

22‧‧‧

24‧‧‧

26‧‧‧

28‧‧‧ chamber

30‧‧‧heater components (Figure 2)

30‧‧‧Actuator (Figure 4)

32‧‧‧ chamber wall

34‧‧‧ (negative) electrode (contact)

36‧‧‧ (positive) electrode (contact)

38‧‧‧unit packet

40‧‧‧Power plane (metal layer)

41‧‧‧Dielectric layer (material) (Figure 4)

41‧‧‧ column (Figure 7)

42‧‧‧ Ground plane (metal layer) (Fig. 4)

42‧‧‧ column (Figure 7)

43‧‧‧Dielectric layer (material) (Figure 4)

43‧‧‧ column (Figure 7)

44‧‧‧metal layer (Figure 4)

44‧‧‧ column (Figure 7)

45‧‧‧metal layer

46‧‧‧(guide) hole

47‧‧‧Dielectric layer (material)

48‧‧‧ Wafer Substrate

52‧‧‧汲polar

54‧‧‧ source

56‧‧‧ (CMOS) drive circuit

58‧‧‧ Field Effect Crystal

62‧‧‧ edge

64‧‧‧impedance metal section

64‧‧‧ gap (Figure 6)

66‧‧ ‧Bridge (Figure 5A)

66‧‧‧impedance section (Figure 5B)

66. . . Clearance (Figure 6)

68. . . Column (structure)

70. . . Top layer

72. . . Sacrificial layer

74. . . Flow line

76. . . Entrance

78. . . Entrance

80. . . gap

82. . . gap

83. . . nozzle

84. . . nozzle

90. . . bubble

92. . . Print head integrated circuit

94. . . Support member

96. . . Curved side

98. . . Bond pad

100. . . Page width print head

102. . . light source

104. . . Light (ray)

106. . . Mask

108. . . lens

110. . . Wafer workbench

112. . . Exposure area

1A is a schematic view showing the construction of a junction print head integrated circuit; FIG. 1B is a partial plan view of the nozzle array on the print head integrated circuit of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a unit cell of the nozzle array; FIG. 3 shows a unit constituting the nozzle array. Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the CMOS layer and heater elements passing through the nozzle; Figure 5A schematically shows the electrode configuration having opposite polarity in adjacent actuator columns; Figure 5B is shown schematically in The adjacent actuator column has a typical electrode configuration; FIG. 6 shows the electrode configuration of the print head integrated circuit of FIG. 1; FIG. 7 shows the power plane profile of the CMOS layer; and FIG. 8 shows the etching into the top/side wall. The pattern of the sacrificial gantry layer of the layer; Figure 9 shows the outer surface at the top after etching the nozzle hole; Figure 10 shows the ink supply flow of the nozzle; Figure 11 shows the different inlets to the different chambers in different columns; Figure 12 shows a nozzle spacing of a pigment channel; Figure 13 shows an enlarged view of a nozzle array having matching elliptical channels and ejection orifices; Figure 14 is a schematic illustration of a photolithography stepper; and Figures 15A through 15C schematically illustrate photolithography steps Advance Operations.

8. . . Media (paper) feed direction

92. . . Print head integrated circuit

94. . . Support member

96. . . Curved side

98. . . Bond pad

100. . . Page width print head

Claims (17)

A pagewidth inkjet printhead comprising: an array of droplet ejection injectors for ejecting droplets of printing fluid onto a printing medium, the printing medium being fed through in a medium feed direction The print head; each drop ejector has a nozzle, and an actuator for ejecting droplets of the print fluid through the nozzle; the actuators are disposed in adjacent columns, each actuator Having electrodes spaced apart from each other in the lateral direction of the columns for connection to individual drive transistors and a power supply; the electrodes of the actuators in adjacent columns have opposite polarities, so The actuators in adjacent columns have opposite current flow directions; wherein the array has more than 100,000 such droplet ejection injectors, and the array extends 200 mm to 330 in the lateral direction of the media feed direction Millimeter. The page wide ink jet print head of claim 1, wherein the array has more than 140,000 such small droplet ejectors. The page wide inkjet printhead of claim 1, wherein the nozzles are spaced apart from each other by less than 10 microns in a vertical direction of the media feed direction. The page wide inkjet print head according to claim 3, wherein the nozzles spaced apart from each other by less than 10 micrometers in the vertical direction of the medium feed direction are also spaced apart from each other in the medium feed direction. The opening is less than 150 microns. The page wide inkjet print head according to claim 1, wherein the array droplet ejection device is supported on a plurality of single wafer substrates, each of which supports more than 10,000 small droplets Injector. A page wide inkjet printhead as described in claim 5, wherein each single wafer substrate supports more than 12,000 droplet ejection injectors. The page wide ink jet print head of claim 1, wherein the array has more than 700 small droplet ejectors per square millimeter. The ink jet print head of claim 1, wherein the electrodes in each column are offset from the adjacent actuators in the lateral direction of the column, so each of the second actuators The electrodes are collinear. The ink jet print head of claim 1, wherein the small droplet ejectors are fabricated on an elongate wafer substrate that is parallel to the actuators The columns extend and supply power and data along the long edges of the wafer substrate. The inkjet print head of claim 6, further comprising: a print engine controller (PEC) for feeding the print data to the nozzle of the array; wherein during printing, by printing Data is distributed to a single nozzle between at least two nozzles of the array, and the print engine controller can selectively reduce the print resolution. An ink jet print head according to claim 10, wherein the position of the two nozzles in the array is set such that the two nozzles are in a lateral direction of movement of the print head relative to the printing medium substrate Closest neighbor Living. The inkjet printhead of claim 11, wherein the print engine controller equally shares the print data to the two nozzles in the array. The ink jet print head of claim 12, wherein the two nozzle centers are separated by less than 40 microns. The inkjet printhead of claim 13, wherein the printhead is a pagewidth printhead, and the two nozzle centers are spaced apart by less than 16 microns in a transverse direction of the media feed direction. The inkjet printhead of claim 12, wherein the adjacent nozzle centers are spaced apart by less than 8 microns in the transverse direction of the media feed direction. The ink jet print head of claim 10, wherein the print head has a nozzle pitch of more than 1600 nozzles per n (npi) in a lateral direction of the medium feed direction. The ink jet print head of claim 16, wherein the nozzle pitch is greater than 3000 npi.