Liquid discharge head and manufacturing method thereof

A liquid discharge head, comprising:

• liquid chambers for housing liquid;
• a piezoelectric element configured so that a plurality of layers including a piezoelectric layer, an electrode layer and a diaphragm layer are laminated, the piezoelectric element being deformed to a laminating direction so that a capacity of the liquid chambers is reduced and discharging the liquid in the liquid chambers;
• and
• a liquid chamber member made of an electroless plating material provided on one side of the piezoelectric element in the laminating direction, the liquid chamber member having liquid chamber holes for composing the liquid chambers opened on a side of the piezoelectric element and a surface opposite to the piezoelectric element,
• wherein at least a part on the surface of the piezoelectric element on the side of the liquid chamber member is composed of a nucleus forming assistance material contained layer containing a material for assisting nucleus forming for growth of plating at the time of forming the liquid chamber member on the surface by means of the electroless plating;
• wherein the entire surface of the piezoelectric element on the side of the liquid chamber member is composed of the nucleus forming assistance material contained layer.

A method for manufacturing a liquid discharge head, the liquid discharge head having liquid chambers for housing liquid, and a piezoelectric element configured so that a plurality of layers including a piezoelectric layer, an electrode layer and a diaphragm layer are laminated, the piezoelectric element being deformed to a laminating direction so that a capacity of the liquid chambers is reduced and discharging the liquid in the liquid chambers, the manufacturing method comprising:

• the laminate forming step of laminating at least the piezoelectric layer, the electrode layer and the diaphragm layer so as to form a laminate on a substrate;
• the liquid chamber member forming step of forming a liquid chamber member on a surface of the laminate opposite to the substrate by means of electroless plating, the liquid chamber member having liquid chamber holes for composing the liquid chambers being opened on a side of the laminate and a surface opposite to the laminate;
• and
• the substrate removing step of removing the substrate after the liquid chamber member forming step;
• wherein the liquid chamber member forming step includes:
• the mold forming step of forming molds which are patterned correspondingly to a position of the liquid chamber holes of the liquid chamber member on the surface of the laminate opposite to the substrate;
• the side wall forming step of forming a side wall of the liquid chamber holes on the liquid chamber member on a portion on the surface of the laminate opposite to the substrate where the molds do not exist by means of electroless plating;
• and
• the liquid chamber hole forming step of removing the molds after the side wall forming step so as to form the liquid chamber holes.