Liquid drop discharger, test chip processor, printer device, method of discharging liquid drop and printing method, method of processing test chip, method of producing organic electroluminescent panel, method of forming conductive pattern, and method of producing field emission display

A method of discharging a liquid drop, comprising the steps of:

• applying a magnetic field vertically to a peripheral surface of a peripheral member of a moving section removably disposed with respect to a coil so as to be movable in a central axial direction of the coil;
• generating a magnetic field by applying a predetermined electric current to the coil;
• generating an induced current around the peripheral member by applying the magnetic field generated by the coil to the peripheral member;
• moving the moving section by an electromagnetic force based on the applied magnetic field and the generated induced current;
• and
• discharging a liquid from a discharge opening by changing the volume of a liquid chamber containing the liquid by moving the moving section.

A test chip processor comprising:

• a chip drive section for holding a test chip and moving the test chip under a predetermined condition;
• a liquid drop discharge head section for discharging a liquid to be tested dropwise onto predetermined locations of the test chip;
• and
• a sensor for performing testing by irradiating the predetermined locations of the test chip with light,
• wherein the liquid drop discharge head section comprises:
• a coil for generating a magnetic field based on an electric current that Is applied;
• a moving section, removably disposed with respect to the coil so as to be movable in a central axial direction of the coil, for generating an induced current around the moving section by the magnetic field generated by the coil;
• means for vertically applying a magnetic field to a peripheral surface of a peripheral member of the moving section;
• and
• a discharge opening, which moves together with the moving section, for discharging the liquid by changing the volume of a liquid chamber containing the liquid as a result of the movement of the moving section.

A method of processing a test chip, comprising the step of:

• performing testing by discharging a liquid to be tested dropwise onto a predetermined location of the test chip and irradiating with light the predetermined location,
• wherein the dropwise discharge of the liquid comprises the steps of:
• applying a magnetic field vertically to a peripheral surface of a peripheral member of a moving section removably disposed with respect to a coil so as to be movable in a central axial direction of the coil;
• generating a magnetic field by applying a predetermined electric current to the coil;
• generating an induced current around the peripheral member by applying the magnetic field generated by the coil to the peripheral member;
• moving the moving section by an electromagnetic force based on the applied magnetic field and the generated induced current;
• and
• discharging the liquid from a discharge opening by changing the volume of a liquid chamber containing the liquid by moving the moving section.

A printer device comprising:

• an ink discharge head comprising:
• a coil for generating a magnetic field based on an electric current that is applied;
• a moving section, removably disposed with respect to the coil so as to be movable in a central axial direction of the coil, for generating an induced current around the moving section by the magnetic field generated by the coil;
• means for vertically applying a magnetic field to a peripheral surface of a peripheral member of the moving section;
• and
• a discharge opening, which moves together with the moving section, for discharging ink by changing the volume of a liquid chamber containing the ink as a result of the movement of the moving section.

A printing method comprising the steps of:

• applying a magnetic field vertically to a peripheral surface of a peripheral member of a moving section removably disposed with respect to a coil so as to be movable in a central axial direction of the coil;
• generating a magnetic field by applying a predetermined electric current to the coil;
• generating an induced current around the peripheral member by applying the magnetic field generated by the coil to the peripheral member;
• moving the moving section by an electromagnetic force based on the applied magnetic field and the generated induced current;
• and
• discharging ink from a discharge opening by changing the volume of a liquid chamber containing the ink by moving the moving section, so that a desired printing operation is performed.

A method of producing an organic electroluminescent panel comprising a light-emitting layer on a substrate, the method comprising the step of:

• forming the light-emitting layer by discharging a liquid containing a light-emitting material dropwise onto and applying the liquid to a predetermined location by a liquid discharge head,
• wherein the dropwise discharge of the liquid by the liquid discharge head comprises the steps of:
• applying a magnetic field vertically to a peripheral surface of a peripheral member of a moving section removably disposed with respect to a coil so as to be movable in a central axial direction of the coil;
• generating a magnetic field by applying a predetermined electric current to the coil;
• generating an induced current around the peripheral member by applying the magnetic field generated by the coil to the peripheral member;
• moving the moving section by an electromagnetic force based on the applied magnetic field and the generated induced current;
• and
• discharging the liquid from a discharge opening by changing the volume of a liquid chamber containing the liquid by moving the moving section.

A method of forming a conductive pattern, comprising the steps of:

• applying a magnetic field vertically to a peripheral surface of a peripheral member of a moving section removably disposed with respect to a coil so as to be movable in a central axial direction of the coil;
• generating a magnetic field by applying a predetermined electric current to the coil;
• generating an induced current around the peripheral member by applying the magnetic field generated by the coil to the peripheral member;
• moving the moving section by an electromagnetic force based on the applied magnetic field and the generated induced current;
• and
• discharging a liquid containing fine conductive particles from a discharge opening by changing the volume of a liquid chamber containing the liquid by moving the moving section, so that a desired conductive pattern is formed on a substrate.

A method of producing a field emission display, comprising the step of:

• forming a field emission cathode by successively discharging dropwise a liquid dispersedly mixed with a carbon nanotube onto and applying the liquid to a predetermined location by a liquid discharge head,
• wherein the dropwise discharge of the liquid by the liquid discharge head comprises the steps of:
• applying a magnetic field vertically to a peripheral surface of a peripheral member of a moving section removably disposed with respect to a coil so as to be movable in a central axial direction of the coil;
• generating a magnetic field by applying a predetermined electric current to the coil;
• generating an induced current around the peripheral member by applying the magnetic field generated by the coil to the peripheral member;
• moving the moving section by an electromagnetic force based on the applied magnetic field and the generated induced current;
• and
• discharging the liquid from a discharge opening by changing the volume of a liquid chamber containing the liquid by moving the moving section.