Self-registering fluid droplet transfer methods
AssigneeCreo Inc.
InventorsIchiro Shinkoda, Daniel Gelbart
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for the image-wise transfer of fluid droplets from at least one fluid droplet source onto a substrate comprises ejecting fluid droplets from the at least one fluid droplet source onto a transfer surface. The fluid droplets may be water-based or oil based. The transfer surface repels the fluid droplets. For water-based fluid droplets, the transfer surface comprises a spatially periodic arrangement of less-strongly hydrophobic regions and more-strongly hydrophobic regions. The method includes adjusting a spatial registration of the fluid droplets on the transfer surface; and transferring the fluid droplets from the transfer surface to the substrate by bringing the fluid droplets on the transfer surface into contact with the substrate.
Claims47
A method for the image-wise transfer of water-based fluid droplets from at least one fluid droplet source onto a substrate, the method comprising:
- ejecting fluid droplets from the at least one fluid droplet source onto a hydrophobic transfer surface which comprises a spatially periodic arrangement of less-strongly hydrophobic regions and more-strongly hydrophobic regions which are more strongly hydrophobic than the less strongly hydrophobic regions;
- adjusting a spatial registration of the fluid droplets on the transfer surface;
- and
- transferring the fluid droplets from the transfer surface to the substrate by bringing the fluid droplets on the transfer surface into contact with the substrate.
A method for the image-wise transfer of oil-based fluid droplets from at least one fluid droplet source onto a substrate, the method comprising:
- ejecting fluid droplets from the at least one fluid droplet source onto an oleophobic transfer surface which comprises a spatially periodic arrangement of less-strongly oleophobic regions and more strongly oleophobic regions that are more strongly oleophobic than the less strongly oleophobic regions;
- adjusting a spatial registration of the fluid droplets on the transfer surface;
- and,
- transferring the fluid droplets from the transfer surface to the substrate by bringing the fluid droplets on the transfer surface into contact with the substrate.
A method for the image-wise transfer of water-based fluid droplets from at least one fluid droplet source onto a substrate, the method comprising:
- ejecting the fluid droplets from the at least one fluid droplet source onto a hydrophobic transfer surface which comprises a spatially periodic plurality of ridges and depressed regions;
- and
- transferring the fluid droplets from the transfer surface to the substrate by bringing the fluid droplets on the transfer surface into contact with the substrate.
A method for the image-wise transfer of oil-based fluid droplets from at least one fluid droplet source onto a substrate, the method comprising:
- ejecting the fluid droplets from the at least one fluid droplet source onto a oleophobic transfer surface which comprises a spatially periodic plurality of ridges and depressed regions;
- and
- transferring the fluid droplets from the transfer surface to the substrate by bringing the fluid droplets on the transfer surface into contact with the substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.