Nozzle plate producing method, nozzle plate, liquid droplet ejecting head and liquid droplet ejecting apparatus

Abstract

A method for producing a nozzle plate in a cost-effective manner is provided. The method produces the nozzle plate by bonding a plurality of chips to a nozzle plate body. Each chip includes a plurality of nozzle holes from which liquid droplets are to be ejected, a liquid droplet ejecting surface in which the nozzle holes are positioned for ejecting the liquid droplets and a liquid-repellant coat provided on the liquid droplet ejecting surface, the liquid-repellant coat exhibiting a liquid repellency with respect to the liquid droplets. The method comprises a liquid-repellant coat removal step for conducting a plasma treatment to each chip from the same side as the liquid droplet ejecting surface thereof under an atmospheric pressure, while supplying a gaseous mask material for protection of the liquid-repellant coat through the nozzle holes from the opposite side of the liquid droplet ejecting surface in such a manner that the mask material is leaked out over the liquid droplet ejecting surface around the nozzle holes, to thereby remove the liquid-repellant coat exposed outside the mask material; and a bonding step for bonding each chip to the nozzle plate body at the area from which the liquid-repellant coat is removed by the liquid-repellant coat removal step.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.