Inspection apparatus and method for liquid discharge head and liquid discharge head

An inspection method for inspecting a liquid discharge head including an energy generation element provided on an element substrate and configured to make energy act on a liquid to discharge the liquid from an orifice, a lower protection film having an electrical insulating property and provided on the element substrate while covering the energy generation element, a wiring layer provided between the element substrate and the lower protection film and configured to supply an electrical signal for driving to the energy generation element, and a conductive upper protection film provided on the lower protection film, comprising:

• driving the energy generation element by an electrical signal;
• detecting a potential of the upper protection film by connecting the upper protection film by a wire;
• and
• determining a driving state of the energy generation element based on information about the potential detected when the energy generation element is driven.

A liquid discharge head comprising:

• an element substrate;
• an energy generation element provided on the element substrate and configured to make energy act on a liquid to discharge the liquid from an orifice;
• a lower protection film having an electrical insulating property and provided on the element substrate while covering the energy generation element;
• a wiring layer provided between the element substrate and the lower protection film and configured to supply an electrical signal for driving to the energy generation element;
• and
• a conductive upper protection film provided on the lower protection film,
• wherein the upper protection film is electrically separated into a first portion arranged in correspondence with a position where the energy generation element is formed and provided between the lower protection film and the liquid and a second portion arranged in correspondence with a position where the wiring layer is formed, and
• a terminal electrically connected to the second portion and configured to measure a potential of the second portion is provided.