In-situ fluid jet orifice
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Company
InventorsMartha Truninger, Phillip R. Coffman, Charles C. Haluzak, John P. Whitlock, Douglas A. Sexton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process for creating and an apparatus employing reentrant (pointing or directed inward) shaped orifices in a semiconductor substrate. A layer of graded dielectric material is deposited on the semiconductor substrate. A masked photoimagable material is deposited upon the graded dielectric material and exposed to electromagnetic energy such that a patterned photoimagable material is created. The patterned photoimagable material is developed to unveil the graded dielectric material which is then anisotropically etched. The bore in the graded dielectric material is then isotropically etched to complete the creation of holes in the substrate.
Claims42
A method for creating a printhead for ejecting fluid from reentrant holes comprising the steps of:
- depositing a plurality of energy dissipating elements, in proximity to where said reentrant holes are to be located, within in a plurality of thin-film layers on a first surface of a semiconductor substrate;
- creating a plurality of fluid feed, slots through said plurality of thin-film layers and said plurality of fluid feed slots opening within where said reentrant holes in the dielectric material are to be located;
- depositing a layer of graded dielectric material on said plurality of thin-film layers;
- applying a masked photoimagable material on said deposited layer of graded dielectric material;
- exposing said masked photoimagable material to electromagnetic energy, whereby patterned photoimagable material is created;
- developing said patterned photoimagable material;
- anisotropically etching said deposited layer of graded dielectric material;
- isotropically etching said deposited layer of graded dielectric material thereby creating the reentrant holes;
- and
- creating a plurality of fluid feed channels through a second surface of said semiconductor substrate and disposing said plurality of fluid feed channels in association with said plurality of fluid feed slots so that said plurality of fluid feed slots are exposed.
A method for creating reentrant orifices in a dielectric material on a semiconductor substrate, comprising the steps of:
- depositing a first layer of dielectric material, reactive to isotropic etching, on said semiconductor substrate;
- depositing a second layer of dielectric material, reactive to anisotropic etching and minimally reactive to isotropic etching, on said first layer of dielectric material;
- applying a photoimagable material on said deposited second layer of dielectric material;
- exposing said photoimagable material to electromagnetic energy, whereby patterned photoimagable material is created;
- developing said patterned photoimagable material;
- anisotropically etching said deposited second layer of dielectric material;
- removing remaining said photoimagable material;
- and
- isotropically etching said deposited first layer of dielectric material.
A method for constructing a fluid jet print head having a semiconductor substrate having a first surface and a second surface, comprising the steps of:
- depositing a layer of graded dielectric material on said first surface of said semiconductor substrate;
- applying a layer of photoimagable material on said deposited layer of graded dielectric material;
- transferring a plurality of individual orifice images to said deposited layer of photoimagable material;
- developing said plurality of individual orifice images on said layer of photoimagable material;
- anisotropically dry etching said deposited layer of graded dielectric material to produce a plurality of dry etched orifices, each dry etched orifice circumscribed by a erect wall having a first portion and a second portion;
- and
- isotropically etching said layer of deposited graded dielectric material such that the etch rate is enhanced toward said second portion of said erect wall and whereby a reentrant orifice bore profile is created.
A method for creating reentrant orifices in a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of fluid feed slots, comprising the steps of:
- filling said plurality of fluid feed slots with a carbon-based material;
- depositing a first layer of graded dielectric material on said semiconductor substrate;
- depositing a second layer of graded dielectric material on said first layer of graded dielectric material;
- applying a photoimagable material on said deposited second layer of graded dielectric material;
- exposing said photoimagable material to electromagnetic energy, whereby a patterned photoimagable material is created;
- developing said patterned photoimagable material;
- anisotropically etching said deposited second layer of graded dielectric material;
- removing remaining said photoimagable material;
- isotropically etching said deposited first layer of graded dielectric material;
- and
- etching said carbon-based material in said plurality of fluid feed slots.
A method for creating reentrant orifices in a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of fluid feed slots comprising the steps of:
- filling said plurality of fluid feed slots with a carbon-based material;
- depositing a first layer of graded dielectric material on said semiconductor substrate;
- depositing a second layer of graded dielectric material on said first layer of graded dielectric material;
- applying a photoimagable material on said deposited second layer of graded dielectric material;
- exposing said photoimagable material to electromagnetic energy, whereby a patterned photoimagable material is created;
- developing said patterned photoimagable material;
- anisotropically etching said deposited second layer of graded dielectric material and said deposited first layer of graded dielectric material;
- removing remaining said photoimagable material;
- isotropically etching said deposited first layer of graded dielectric material;
- and
- etching said carbon-based material in said plurality of fluid feed slots.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.