High efficiency printhead containing a novel oxynitride-based resistor system

An ink delivery system for use in generating printed images comprising:

• a printhead comprising:
• a support structure;
• at least one layer of material comprising at least one opening therethrough;
• and
• at least one resistor element for expelling ink on-demand from said printhead, said resistor element being positioned within said printhead between said support structure and said layer of material comprising said opening therethrough, said resistor element being comprised of at least one metal silicon oxynitride composition selected from the group consisting of tungsten silicon oxynitride, chromium silicon oxynitride, molybdenum silicon oxynitride, titanium silicon oxynitride, zirconium silicon oxynitride, hafnium silicon oxynitride, and mixtures thereof;
• and
• an ink containment vessel operatively connected to and in fluid communication with said printhead.

A method for fabricating a high efficiency printhead for use in an ink delivery system comprising:

• providing a support structure;
• forming at least one resistor element comprised of at least one metal silicon oxynitride composition selected from the group consisting of tungsten silicon oxynitride, chromium silicon oxynitride, molybdenum silicon oxynitride, titanium silicon oxynitride, hafnium silicon oxynitride, zirconium silicon oxynitride, and mixtures thereof on said support structure;
• providing at least one layer of material comprising at least one opening therethrough;
• and
• securing said layer of material comprising said opening therethrough in position above said support structure and said resistor element in order to produce said printhead.

A method for fabricating a high efficiency printhead for use in an ink delivery system comprising:

• providing a support structure;
• forming at least one resistor element comprised of at least one metal silicon oxynitride composition on said support structure;
• and
• stabilizing said resistor element in order to control fluctuations in resistance.

An ink delivery system for use in generating printed images comprising:

• a printhead comprising:
• a support structure;
• at least one layer of material comprising at least one opening therethrough;
• and
• at least one resistor element for expelling ink on-demand from said printhead, said resistor element being positioned within said printhead between said support structure and said layer of material comprising said opening therethrough, said resistor element being comprised of at least one metal silicon oxynitride composition selected from the group consisting of W17Si36O20N27, W22Si30O10N37, W17Si33O17N33, W19Si31O27N23, W15Si35O9N41, W21Si29O33N17, W14Si36O6N44, W23Si31O15N31, W27Si27O27N18, W20Si33O7N40, W32Si27O14N27, W35Si25O20N20, W29Si29O8N33, W44Si22O11N22, W50Si19O19N12, W40Si25O5N30, Ta20Si36O10N34, Ta17Si33O17N33, Ta19Si31O27N23, Ta15Si35O9N41, Ta21Si29O33N17, Ta14Si36O6N44, Ta23Si31O15N31, Ta27Si27O27N18, Ta20Si33O7N40, Ta32Si27O14N27, Ta35Si25O20N20, Ta29Si29O8N33, Ta44Si22O11N22, Ta50Si19O19N12, Ta40Si25O5N30, and mixtures thereof;
• and
• an ink containment vessel operatively connected to and in fluid communication with said printhead.

A method for fabricating a high efficiency printhead for use in an ink delivery system comprising:

• providing a support structure;
• forming at least one resistor element comprised of at least one metal silicon oxynitride composition on said support structure, said metal silicon oxynitride composition being selected from the group consisting of W17Si36O20N27, W22Si30O10N37, W17Si33O17N33, W19Si31O27N23, W15Si35O9N41, W21Si29O33N17, W14Si36O6N44, W23Si31O15N31, W27Si27O27N18, W20Si33O7N40, W32Si27O14N27, W35Si25O20N20, W29Si29O8N33, W44Si22O11N22, W50Si19O19N12, W40Si25O5N30, Ta20Si36O10N34, Ta17Si33O17N33, Ta19Si31O27N23, Ta15Si35O9N41, Ta21Si29O33N17, Ta14Si36O6N44, Ta23Si31O15N31, Ta27Si27O27N18, Ta20Si33O7N40, Ta32Si27O14N27, Ta35Si25O20N20, Ta29Si29O8N33, Ta44Si22O11N22, Ta50Si19O19N12, Ta40Si25O5N30, and mixtures thereof;
• providing at least one layer of material comprising at least one opening therethrough;
• and
• securing said layer of material comprising said opening therethrough in position above said support structure and said resistor element in order to produce said printhead.

A method for fabricating a high efficiency printhead for use in an ink delivery system comprising:

• providing a support structure;
• forming at least one resistor element comprised of at least one metal silicon oxynitride composition on said support structure;
• and
• stabilizing said resistor element in order to control fluctuations in resistance, said stabilizing of said resistor element comprising applying about 1×102 to 1×107 pulses of electrical energy to said resistor element, with each pulse having a pulse width of about 0.6-100 μsec., a pulse frequency of about 5-100 kHz, a pulse voltage of about 10-160 volts, and a pulse current of about 0.03-0.2 amps.

An ink delivery system for use in generating printed images comprising:

• a printhead comprising:
• a support structure;
• at least one layer of material comprising at least one opening therethrough;
• and
• at least one resistor element for expelling ink on-demand from said printhead, said resistor element being positioned within said printhead between said support structure and said layer of material comprising said opening therethrough, said resistor element being comprised of at least one metal silicon oxynitride composition, said metal silicon oxynitride composition having a formula MwSixOyNz, wherein M=at least one metal, W=about 13-50, X=about 18-40, Y=about 4-35, and Z=about 10-50;
• and
• an ink containment vessel operatively connected to and in fluid communication with said printhead.

A method for fabricating a high efficiency printhead for use in an ink delivery system comprising:

• providing a support structure;
• forming at least one resistor element comprised of at least one metal silicon oxynitride composition on said support structure, said metal silicon oxynitride composition having a formula MwSixOyNz, wherein M=at least one metal, W=about 13-50, X=about 18-40, Y=about 4-35, and Z=about 10-50;
• providing at least one layer of material comprising at least one opening therethrough;
• and
• securing said layer of material comprising said opening therethrough in position above said support structure and said resistor element in order to produce said printhead.