Nozzle plate, method of manufacturing nozzle plate, and image forming apparatus

A method of manufacturing a nozzle plate through which a nozzle hole is formed, the method comprising the steps of:

• forming the nozzle hole through an SOI substrate including a supporting layer, an active layer and an oxide film layer interposed between the supporting layer and the active layer, the nozzle hole having a nozzle mouth from which a liquid is ejected, the nozzle mouth opening on a surface on the active layer of the SOI substrate;
• then forming a liquid-phobic film on at least an inner surface defining the nozzle hole in the SOI substrate, the liquid-phobic film having liquid-phobicity;
• and
• then removing the liquid-phobic film other than a portion of the liquid-phobic film covering a portion of the inner surface defining the nozzle hole corresponding to the oxide film layer.

A method of manufacturing a nozzle plate through which a nozzle hole is formed, the method comprising the steps of:

• forming a first opening in an SOI substrate that includes a first active layer, a second active layer, a supporting layer, a first oxide film layer interposed between the first active layer and the second active layer, a second oxide film layer interposed between the second active layer and the supporting layer, by etching the first active layer, the first oxide film layer and the second active layer;
• forming a first liquid-phobic film on at least an inner surface defining the first opening in the SOI substrate;
• forming a second opening in the SOI substrate by etching the supporting layer and the second oxide film layer, the second opening connecting to the first opening to form the nozzle hole;
• forming a second liquid-phobic film on at least an inner surface defining the second opening in the SOI substrate;
• removing the first liquid-phobic film other than a portion of the first liquid-phobic film covering a portion of the inner surface defining the first opening corresponding to the first oxide film layer;
• and
• removing the second liquid-phobic film other than a portion of the second liquid-phobic film covering a portion of the inner surface defining the second opening corresponding to the second oxide film layer,
• wherein the first and second liquid-phobic films have liquid-phobicity, and the first liquid-phobic film has a surface energy lower than the second liquid-phobic film.