Digital drop patterning device and method

A liquid dispensing system comprising:

• a liquid dispenser array structure comprising:
• a liquid dispensing channel;
• a liquid return channel located downstream relative to the liquid dispensing channel;
• a functional liquid transfer region located between the liquid dispensing channel and the liquid return channel;
• a first liquid supply that provides a carrier liquid that flows continuously through the liquid dispensing channel, through the functional liquid transfer region, and through the liquid return channel during operation;
• a plurality of liquid dispensers located on a substrate that is common to the plurality of liquid dispensers, the plurality of liquid dispensers including:
• a liquid supply channel;
• a second liquid supply that provides a functional liquid to the liquid dispensing channel through the liquid supply channel;
• and
• a drop formation device positioned at an interface of the liquid supply channel and the liquid dispensing channel, the drop formation device including a fluidic transducer that is selectively actuated to form on-demand discrete drops of the functional liquid in the carrier liquid flowing through the liquid dispensing channel, the functional liquid being immiscible in the carrier liquid;
• and
• a receiver conveyance mechanism, the receiver conveyance mechanism and the functional liquid transfer region being positioned relative to each other such that the discrete drops of the functional liquid are applied to a receiver provided by the receiver conveyance mechanism while the carrier liquid continues to flow through the functional liquid transfer region, and through the liquid return channel.