US 6,450,619 B1 · CMOS/MEMS integrated ink jet print head with heater elements formed during CMOS processing and method of forming same

Abstract

A continuous ink jet print head is formed of a silicon substrate that includes integrated circuits formed therein for controlling operation of the print head. An insulating layer or layers overlies the silicon substrate and has a series or an array of nozzle openings or bores formed therein along the length of the substrate and each nozzle opening is formed in a recess in the insulating layer or layers by a material depletion process such as etching. The process of etching defines the nozzle openings at locations where heater elements are formed in the insulating layer or layers during a conventional CMOS processing of the integrated circuits. The print head structure thereby provides for minimal post processing of the print head after the completion of the CMOS processing.

Claims29

Dependent claims

An ink jet print head comprising:

a silicon substrate including an integrated circuit formed therein for controlling operation of the print head, the silicon substrate having one or more ink channels formed therein along the substrate;
an insulating layer or layers overlying the silicon substrate, the insulating layer or layers having a series of ink jet nozzle bores each formed in a respective recess of the insulating layer or layers, the recess being formed by an etching or other material depletion process and each bore communicates with an ink channel;
and
each bore having located proximate thereto a heater element formed prior to the material depletion process for forming the recess so that upon forming the recess each heater element is covered by material from the insulating layer or layers.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

CMOS/MEMS integrated ink jet print head with heater elements formed during CMOS processing and method of forming same

Life of this patent

CMOS/MEMS integrated ink jet print head with heater elements formed during CMOS processing and method of forming same

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims29