Piezoelectric Head Chip Electrode Patterning to Prevent Debris Failures
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Solution Overview
Problem
The yield ratio of head chips in liquid jet recording devices decreases due to failures in the process of forming the actuator plate, particularly during the formation of grooves and electrode structures, which affects the manufacturing efficiency of both head chips and liquid jet heads.
Innovation Solution
A method involving laser processing and surface removal processing on piezoelectric substrates to form actuator plates with precise groove structures, where laser processing areas are created between grooves and surface removal areas are formed at the start and end points of these processes to prevent debris deposition and improve yield, eliminating the need for photolithography in forming electrode pads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional methods are used to form the actuator plate with grooves and electrodes, then the manufacturing process can be completed, but the yield ratio decreases due to failures in the forming process
Solution Approach 1:
The actuator plate is divided into multiple groove regions, with laser processing areas formed between adjacent grooves to separate conductive film regions. This segmentation prevents debris from affecting the entire surface and isolates potential failure points to specific local areas only.
Solution Approach 2:
Surface removal areas are created at the start and end points of laser processing to extract and remove debris before it can contaminate the groove regions or cause short circuits. This extraction of harmful debris prevents yield reduction.
2Manufacturing precision
If laser processing is performed to form precise groove structures, then manufacturing precision improves, but debris deposition occurs that can cause ink leakage and reduce yield
Solution Approach 1:
Surface removal areas are formed at the start and end points of laser processing paths to preemptively capture and remove debris before it can be deposited into groove regions. This preliminary anti-action prevents debris-related failures before they occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The laser processing debris, which is initially harmful, is redirected into designated surface removal areas where it serves as a defined feature. The debris accumulation in these areas is controlled and isolated, preventing it from causing short circuits or ink leakage while maintaining the precision of groove formation.
3Ease of manufacture
If photolithography is used to form electrode pads, then the process requires additional manufacturing steps, but the new method eliminates photolithography to simplify the process
Solution Approach 1:
The photolithography process is extracted and removed from the manufacturing flow. Instead of using photolithography to form electrode pads, the patent uses direct laser processing to define conductive film regions, simplifying the process while maintaining precision through controlled material removal and melting.
Solution Approach 2:
The chemical-based photolithography process is replaced with a laser-based thermal processing system. The laser directly modifies the conductive film and substrate through controlled heating, melting, and vaporization, eliminating the need for photoresist materials and chemical development processes while achieving precise electrode pad formation.
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 method enhances the yield ratio by reducing ink leakage and debris-related failures, allowing for more reliable and efficient production of head chips and liquid jet heads with improved design flexibility and reduced operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
forming a laser processing area in the conductive film between the grooves adjacent to each other by performing laser processing from a start point on the one end side of the piezoelectric substrate to an end point on the other end side
Implementation Method 2
performing laser processing from a start point on the one end side of the piezoelectric substrate to an end point on the other end side
Implementation Method 3
forming a surface removal area in at least a part including the start point and the end point out of the surface of the piezoelectric substrate by performing surface removal processing in a direction crossing the direction in which the laser processing is performed
Data Source
AI summary
There are provided a method of manufacturing a head chip capable of suppressing the occurrence of the failure in the process of forming the actuator plate to thereby increase the yield ratio, and a method of manufacturing a liquid jet head using the above method of manufacturing a head chip. The method of manufacturing a head chip according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is a method of manufacturing a head chip having an actuator plate adapted to apply pressure to liquid so as to jet the liquid. Forming the actuator plate includes forming a plurality of grooves on a surface of a piezoelectric substrate having one end and the other end so as to extend from the one end side toward the other end side, forming a conductive film on the surface of the piezoelectric substrate provided with the plurality of grooves, forming a laser processing area in the conductive film between the grooves adjacent to each other by performing laser processing from a start point on the one end side of the piezoelectric substrate to an end point on the other end side, and forming a surface removal area in at least a part including the start point and the end point out of the surface of the piezoelectric substrate by performing surface removal processing in a direction crossing the direction in which the laser processing is performed.