# US 11,305,538 B2 · Method of manufacturing microstructure and method of manufacturing liquid ejection head > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,305,538 B2 - Document ID: US11305538B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/590,186 - Filed: 2019-10-01 - Published: 2020-04-09 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2018-10-05 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Satoshi Tsutsui - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11305538B2 ## CPC - B41J 2/1603: {of the front shooter type} - B41J 2/1626: {etching} - B41J 2/1628: {dry etching} - B41J 2/1629: {wet etching} - B41J 2/1631: {photolithography} - B41J 2/1639: {sacrificial molding} - B41J 2/1645: {thin film formation by spincoating} - B41J 2202/11: characterised by specific geometrical characteristics - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS ## Abstract A microstructure including a minute structural part is manufactured by transferring a laminate including a photosensitive resin composition onto a substrate having an opening and patterning the laminate. The laminate includes a first layer that includes a first resin composition and a second layer that includes a second resin composition, each of the first and second resin compositions being a negative type photosensitive resin composition including a cationically polymerizable compound having an epoxy group. The laminate is transferred such that the second layer faces the substrate. The first resin composition is in a liquid state and the second resin composition is in a liquid state in the course of transferring the laminate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of manufacturing a microstructure, the method comprising steps of: transferring a laminate including a photosensitive resin composition onto a substrate having an opening; and patterning the laminate, wherein the laminate includes a first layer that includes a first resin composition and a second layer that includes a second resin composition, each of the first resin composition and the second resin composition being a negative type photosensitive resin composition containing a cationically polymerizable compound having an epoxy group, and wherein the laminate is transferred such that the second layer faces the substrate and in the step of transferring the laminate, the first resin composition is in a solid state and the second resin composition is in a liquid state. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of manufacturing a microstructure according to claim 1, wherein each of the first resin composition and the second resin composition contains a bifunctional or higher functional epoxy resin. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of manufacturing a microstructure according to claim 1, wherein an epoxy equivalent of the cationically polymerizable compound contained in the second resin composition is less than that of the cationically polymerizable compound contained in the first resin composition. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of manufacturing a microstructure according to claim 1, wherein the first resin composition contains a bifunctional epoxy resin and a trifunctional or higher functional epoxy resin. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of manufacturing a microstructure according to claim 4, wherein a weight average molecular weight (Mw) of the bifunctional epoxy resin is 5,000 to 100,000. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of manufacturing a microstructure according to claim 1, wherein the first resin composition contains a photoacid generator. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of manufacturing a microstructure according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the second layer is thinner than a thickness of the first layer in the laminate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of manufacturing a microstructure according to claim 1, wherein the substrate having an opening includes an inorganic material layer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of manufacturing a microstructure according to claim 8, wherein the inorganic material layer contains at least one member selected from the group consisting of silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, silicon carbonitride, and metal. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of manufacturing a microstructure according to claim 8, wherein the laminate is transferred such that the second layer of the laminate is disposed on a surface of the inorganic material layer included in the substrate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of manufacturing a microstructure according to claim 1, wherein in the step of transferring the laminate, the second layer in a solid state is disposed on the substrate having an opening under heated condition, whereby the second layer is changed to a liquid state. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of manufacturing a microstructure according to claim 1, wherein in the step of transferring the laminate, a viscosity of the second layer in a liquid state as transferred onto the substrate having an opening is 30 mPa·s or more and 500 mPa·s or less. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of manufacturing a microstructure according to claim 1, wherein in the step of patterning the laminate, a portion of the second layer that is positioned near the opening of the substrate is removed. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of manufacturing a microstructure according to claim 1, wherein, during the transferring, the substrate is at a transfer temperature, and wherein a melting point of the second resin composition is lower than the transfer temperature. ### Claim 15 A method of manufacturing a liquid ejection head including a nozzle layer that has an ejection orifice for ejecting liquid and a flow path that communicates with the ejection orifice, and an element substrate that has an energy generating element configured to generate energy for ejecting liquid from the ejection orifice and a liquid supply port which communicates with the flow path for supplying liquid, the method comprising steps of: transferring a laminate including a photosensitive resin composition onto the element substrate; and patterning the laminate, wherein the laminate includes a first layer that includes a first resin composition and a second layer that includes a second resin composition, each of the first resin composition and the second resin composition being a negative type photosensitive resin composition containing a cationically polymerizable compound having an epoxy group, and wherein the laminate is transferred such that the second layer faces the substrate and in the step of transferring the laminate, the first resin composition is in a solid state and the second resin composition is in a liquid state, and wherein at least a portion of the nozzle layer is manufactured by using the laminate. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of manufacturing a liquid ejection head according to claim 15, further comprising a step of: transferring a third layer that includes a third resin composition having photosensitivity onto the first layer of the laminate transferred onto the element substrate. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of manufacturing a liquid ejection head according to claim 16, wherein the third resin composition contains a trifunctional or higher functional epoxy resin and a photoacid generator. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of manufacturing a liquid ejection head according to claim 16, comprising steps of: forming a pattern of the flow path by exposing the laminate; and forming a pattern of the ejection orifice by exposing the third layer. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of manufacturing a liquid ejection head according to claim 18, further comprising a step of: developing the pattern of the flow path and the pattern of the ejection orifice collectively to form the flow path and the ejection orifice at the same time. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of manufacturing a liquid ejection head according to claim 18, wherein exposure sensitivity of the third layer is higher than exposure sensitivity of the first layer. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The method of manufacturing a liquid ejection head according to claim 19, wherein exposure sensitivity of the third layer is higher than exposure sensitivity of the first layer.