Monolithic printhead with self-aligned groove and relative manufacturing process
AssigneeTelecom Italia S.p.A.
InventorsRenato Conta, Anna Merialdo
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Abstract
A monolithic thermal ink jet printhead (40) comprising a groove (45), a plurality of chambers (74) and nozzles (56) is manufactured by means of steps of: (203, 205) partially etching the groove (45) by means of a “dry” process and a “wet” process; (210) depositing a plurality of sacrificial layers (54); (212) obtaining a plurality of casts (156); (216) completing the etching of the groove (45) by means of an electrochemical process; and (220) removing the casts (156) and the sacrificial layers (54) in such a way as to obtain a plurality of nozzles (56) and chambers (74).
Claims23
Thermal ink jet printhead comprising nozzles, chambers in turn comprising resistors, and a groove, made in a substrate, suitable for fluidly ducting ink to said chambers, an N-well layer positioned for forming a portion of the groove, wherein said groove comprises a first portion produced by means of a dry etching, and a second portion produced by means of an electrochemical etching.
A thermal ink jet printhead, comprising:
- at least one nozzle connected to an ink chamber;
- a substrate, the substrate having a lower face, an upper face, and a groove for supplying ink, the groove extending into the substrate from the lower face and towards the upper face, the groove comprising a top portion;
- and
- an N-well layer positioned laterally for surrounding at least a portion of the groove.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.