Printing Device Aperture Coating for Silicon Etching

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Pigmented inks containing charged dispersants can etch silicon substrates in printing devices, leading to silicon leaching and blockages in the firing ports, which reduces print quality and accuracy.

Innovation Solution

A protective coating, such as silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, or aluminum oxide, is applied to the substrate and strengthening structures within the printing device to prevent etching, using methods like plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, ensuring that silicon particles do not contaminate the ink and block the firing orifices.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If pigmented ink with charged dispersants is used, then print quality is improved, but silicon etching and blockage of firing ports occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprint qualityVSAvoidsilicon etching and blockage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A protective coating layer is applied to the substrate channel walls to serve as an intermediary barrier between the pigmented ink and the silicon substrate. This coating prevents direct contact and chemical reaction, allowing the use of pigmented inks without causing silicon etching or blockage of firing ports.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The protective coating is applied in advance to the substrate channels before ink delivery, creating a pre-established protective barrier that prevents silicon etching from occurring when pigmented ink flows through the channels.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

2Reliability

If protective coating is applied to substrate, then silicon contamination is reduced, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprint reliabilityVSAvoidcoating application process

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The substrate fabrication process is modified to include coating deposition as an integrated step, changing the manufacturing parameters to accommodate the protective layer. This approach manages the added complexity by incorporating it into the existing fabrication workflow rather than adding a separate post-processing step.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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

The coating significantly reduces silicon contamination in the ink, preventing blockages and maintaining print reliability and directionality, allowing the use of pigmented inks with silicon substrates without compromising print quality.

Implementation Method 1

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPlasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition: Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition

Data Source

PatentUS8333459B2Printing device

Publication Date: 2012.12.18 HEWLETT PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LP

AI summary

A printing device (10) including a substrate (22) having an aperture (20) extending therethrough, wherein the aperture includes a side wall and defines a liquid ink flow path, an ink firing chamber (24) fluidically connected to the aperture, and a coating positioned on the side wall of the aperture, the coating being impervious to etching by liquid ink, and wherein the coating is chosen from one of silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide, hafnium oxide and silicon nitride.