Jet nozzle structure for electrohydrodynamic droplet formation and ink jet printing system therewith

An ink jet printing system incorporating at least one jet nozzle orifice for a liquid ink jet stream exiting therefrom which comprises:

• a jet nozzle structure including a jet nozzle design in a single crystalline semiconductor substrate;
• an electrical insulation layer on said semiconductor of said jet nozzle design where it is traversed in contacting relationship by said liquid;
• electrode structure means integral with said jet nozzle structure and insulated from said jet stream exiting from said orifice, for electrohydrodynamically perturbing said jet stream for controlling formation of droplets in said stream temporally and spatially;
• and
• ink jet printing means for ink jet printing with said droplets.

A monolithic structure for electrohydrodynamically controlling the formation of droplets in a liquid jet stream exiting from a jet nozzle orifice of at least one jet nozzle structure comprising:

• a jet nozzle design for said jet nozzle structure in a block having at least a region of semiconductor at a surface thereof;
• an electrode structure integrally incorporated with said jet nozzle design for establishing an electric field proximate to said orifice of said jet nozzle structure;
• and
• electrical circuit means connected to said electrode structure and having integral and operational relationship to said semiconductor region, for applying a time varying electrical signal to said electrode structure for establishing a time varying electric field proximate to said orifice of said jet nozzle structure, which electrohydrodynamically perturbs a liquid jet stream exiting from said jet nozzle orifice for controllably achieving temporal and spatial formation of droplets in said jet stream.

An ink jet printing system incorporating at least one jet nozzle orifice for a liquid ink jet stream exiting therefrom which comprises:

• a jet nozzle structure including a jet nozzle design in a substrate having at least a region of semiconductor at a surface thereof;
• an electrical insulation layer on said substrate of said jet nozzle design where it is traversed in contacting relationship by said liquid;
• electrode structure means integral with said jet nozzle structure and insulated from said jet stream exiting from said orifice, for electrohydrodynamically perturbing said jet stream for controlling formation of droplets in said stream temporally and spatially;
• and
• ink jet printing means for ink jet printing with said droplets.