Composite Diaphragm Actuator for High-Frequency Liquid Discharge
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-frequency liquid discharge heads face a trade-off between increased rigidity and discharge efficiency, as enhancing diaphragm thickness to improve rigidity reduces deformation and thus degrades discharge efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A novel actuator design featuring a diaphragm with a first silicon oxide film, a silicon layer, and a second silicon oxide film, where the silicon layer has a thickness of 3 μm or more and a volume resistivity between 10^3 Ω·cm and 10^6 Ω·cm, shifting stress to the compression side to enhance displacement and maintain rigidity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the thickness of the diaphragm is increased to increase rigidity, then the rigidity of the diaphragm is improved, but the amount of deformation of the diaphragm decreases, thus degrading discharge efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The diaphragm is constructed as a composite structure with a silicon layer (3 μm or more) having volume resistivity of 10³ Ω·cm or more and 10⁶ Ω·cm or less, sandwiched between first and second silicon oxide films each with thickness of 0.5 μm or more. This composite configuration enables the diaphragm to simultaneously achieve high rigidity through the silicon layer and sufficient deformation capability through the oxide films, resolving the contradiction between rigidity and discharge efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The invention specifies precise parameter ranges: silicon layer thickness of 3 μm or more with volume resistivity between 10³-10⁶ Ω·cm, and silicon oxide film thicknesses of 0.5 μm or more. By controlling these parameters, the diaphragm achieves optimal balance between rigidity (from thicker silicon layer) and deformability (from oxide films with specific thickness and resistivity characteristics), enabling both high rigidity and maintained discharge efficiency
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration improves discharge efficiency while maintaining the rigidity of the diaphragm, allowing for stable high-frequency operation of liquid discharge heads.
Implementation Method 1
shifting stress to the compression side to enhance displacement and maintain rigidity
Data Source
AI summary
An actuator includes a diaphragm, a lower electrode on the diaphragm, an electromechanical transducer film on the lower electrode, and an upper electrode on the electromechanical transducer film. The diaphragm includes a first silicon oxide film having a thickness of 0.5 μm or more, a silicon layer on the first silicon oxide film, a thickness of which is 3 μm or more, and a second silicon oxide film on the silicon layer, a thickness of which is 0.5 μm or more. A volume resistivity of the silicon layer is 103 Ω·cm or more and 106 Ω·cm or less.