Photoimageable Nozzle Member Lamination for Micro-Fluid Ejection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional micro-fluid ejection heads face alignment issues and manufacturing challenges due to the use of thick photoresist materials, which are too brittle for lamination and require complex processing techniques, leading to misalignment and performance issues in nozzle placement and fluid droplet ejection.
Innovation Solution
A photoimageable nozzle member is developed using a negative photoresist composition comprising a di-functional epoxy compound, a high molecular weight polyhydroxy ether, a photoacid generator devoid of aryl sulfonium salts, an adhesion enhancer, and an aliphatic ketone solvent, allowing for a thickness range of 10 to 30 microns, enabling lamination adjacent a thick film layer and eliminating the need for separate processing steps and alignment procedures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional thick photoresist materials (35-80 microns) are used for nozzle plate application, then the material is available and can be applied, but the resulting film is too brittle to handle and apply by lamination process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the thickness parameter of the photoresist film from conventional 35-80 microns to a thinner range of 1-10 microns. This parameter change transforms the mechanical properties of the film, making it flexible and handleable for lamination while still providing adequate nozzle definition functionality.
2Length of moving object
If photoresist materials are screened down to appropriate thickness (10-30 microns), then the film becomes handleable for lamination, but the resulting film is too brittle to handle and apply
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite photoresist formulation containing multiple epoxy compounds (diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A and diglycidyl ether of bisphenol F), phenoxy resin, and specific additives. This composite material composition provides the optimal balance between flexibility for handling and structural integrity for nozzle formation, resolving the brittleness issue at reduced thicknesses.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional laser ablation and adhesive attachment methods are used for nozzle plate fabrication, then nozzle plates can be manufactured, but alignment steps are required which increase device complexity and reduce productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the nozzle plate and thick film layer into a single integrated structure by laminating the photoresist nozzle plate directly onto the thick film layer before development. This combining eliminates the need for separate alignment steps between nozzle plates and actuators, reducing device complexity and improving productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs the lamination of the photoresist nozzle plate onto the thick film layer before the development step. This preliminary action ensures that the nozzles are pre-aligned with the actuators and flow features, eliminating the need for subsequent alignment operations and streamlining the manufacturing process.
4Ease of manufacture
If spin coating technique is used to apply nozzle plate photoresist material, then the material can be applied to the thick film layer, but the processing technique becomes difficult after developing the flow features
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the photoresist nozzle plate material to the thick film layer before developing the flow features. This preliminary application ensures that the nozzles are formed in the correct positions relative to the actuators, and the lamination process simplifies subsequent processing by eliminating the need for complex post-development handling.
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 solution facilitates wafer level processing, reduces raw material requirements, improves adhesion and durability, and achieves significant manufacturing cost savings by eliminating laser ablation and alignment steps, while enhancing the performance of micro-fluid ejection heads.
Implementation Method 1
a photoacid generator devoid of aryl sulfonium salts
Implementation Method 2
negative photoresist composition... di-functional epoxy compound... cross-linked polymer network
Implementation Method 3
an adhesion enhancer
Data Source
AI summary
Nozzle members, such as for a micro-fluid ejection head, micro-fluid ejection heads, and a method for making the same. One such nozzle member includes a negative photoresist composition derived from a first di-functional epoxy compound, a relatively high molecular weight polyhydroxy ether, a photoacid generator devoid of aryl sulfonium salts, an adhesion enhancer, and an aliphatic ketone solvent. The nozzle member has a thickness ranging from about 10 microns to about 30 microns.