Polymer Printhead Nozzle Plate Etching and Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Printheads with polymer nozzle plates face issues such as sinking during lamination, leading to skewed ejection directions and compromised structural rigidity, especially in longer designs, and the complexity of laser ablation processes which are not standard in microelectronic fabrication, making precise feature placement difficult and costly.

Innovation Solution

A method involving a polymeric substrate with a material layer and a patterned carrier substrate, where the polymeric substrate is etched to form liquid chambers and nozzle bores, allowing for precise alignment and attachment using conventional processes, and employing dry etching techniques like reactive ion etching for high-fidelity pattern transfer.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If laser ablation is used to form features in polymer nozzle plates, then precise feature placement can be achieved, but the process complexity increases and cleaning steps are required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefeature placement precisionVSAvoidfabrication process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical laser ablation process with a chemical etching process using photoresist lithography. Instead of using laser energy to ablate polymer material, the invention uses standard microelectronic photolithography techniques followed by chemical etching, which is more compatible with conventional manufacturing and eliminates the need for post-processing cleaning steps

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a disposable photoresist layer that is applied, patterned, and then removed after serving its masking function during etching. This temporary protective layer enables precise feature formation through standard lithographic processes while eliminating the complexity and cleaning requirements associated with laser ablation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Manufacturing precision

If polymer nozzle plate is laminated to silicon substrate, then alignment can be achieved, but the polymer plate sinks causing skewed ejection directions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealignment precisionVSAvoidejection direction accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies a rigid carrier substrate to the polymer nozzle plate before lamination to prevent sinking during the bonding process. This preliminary structural support counteracts the deformation that would otherwise occur during lamination, maintaining both alignment precision and ejection direction accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite structure combining polymer nozzle plate with rigid carrier substrate and silicon substrate. This multi-material construction maintains the advantages of polymer material for nozzle formation while adding structural rigidity to prevent deformation during assembly and operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Area of stationary object

If polymer nozzle plate length is increased for page wide printheads, then coverage area increases, but structural rigidity is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprinthead coverage areaVSAvoidstructural rigidity

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the printhead structure into modular components: polymer nozzle plate, rigid carrier substrate, and silicon substrate with thermal elements. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, enabling long page-wide coverage while maintaining local structural rigidity through the carrier substrate

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses composite construction with rigid carrier substrate providing structural support for long printhead designs. This composite approach enables page-wide coverage areas while the rigid carrier maintains structural integrity and prevents warping or deformation in extended configurations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

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 ensures accurate alignment and attachment of nozzle plates, maintaining structural integrity and simplifying the fabrication process by avoiding the complexities and costs associated with laser ablation, while enabling precise feature placement over larger areas.

Implementation Method 1

removing at least some of the polymeric substrate not covered by the patterned carrier substrate using an etching process

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEtching:

Implementation Method 2

employing dry etching techniques like reactive ion etching for high-fidelity pattern transfer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectReactive ion etching:

Data Source

PatentUS8585913B2Printhead and method of forming same

Publication Date: 2013.11.19 EASTMAN KODAK CO

AI summary

A printhead and a method of manufacturing a printhead are provided. The printhead includes a polymeric substrate including a surface. Portions of the polymeric substrate define a liquid chamber. A material layer is disposed on the surface of the polymeric substrate. Portions of the material layer define a nozzle bore. The nozzle bore is in fluid communication with the liquid chamber.