Abstract: A printer includes a printhead and a source of fluid. The printhead includes a nozzle. The fluid is under pressure sufficient to eject a column of the fluid through the nozzle. The fluid has a temperature. An asymmetric thermal modulator is associated with the nozzle and includes a structure that transiently lowers the temperature of a first portion of the fluid as the fluid is ejected through the nozzle and a structure that transiently raises the temperature of a second portion of the fluid as the fluid is ejected through the nozzle.

Abstract: A printer includes a printhead and a source of liquid. The printhead includes a nozzle bore. The liquid is under pressure sufficient to eject a column of the liquid through the nozzle bore. The liquid has a temperature. A thermal modulator is associated with the nozzle bore. The thermal modulator is operable to transiently lower the temperature of the liquid as the liquid is ejected through the nozzle bore.

Abstract: A device and a method of controlling fluid flow are provided. The method includes providing a moving fluid including a fluid flow characteristic; providing a fluid control device including a fluid control surface; providing a mechanism applies a force to the fluid to cause the fluid to temporarily contact the fluid control surface of the fluid control device; and causing the fluid to interact with the fluid control surface of the fluid control device using the mechanism such that the fluid flow characteristic of the fluid after interacting with the fluid control surface of the fluid control device is different from the fluid flow characteristic of the fluid before interaction with the fluid control surface of the fluid control device.

Abstract: A device and method of controlling fluid flow are provided. The method includes providing a moving fluid including a fluid flow characteristic; providing a fluid control device including a fluid control surface, the fluid control surface including a pattern; causing the fluid to contact the fluid control surface of the fluid control device; and causing the fluid to interact with the fluid control surface of the fluid control device using the pattern of the fluid control surface that, when activated, causes adjacent fluid drops to merge or coalesce while the fluid is in contact with the pattern of the fluid control device such that the fluid flow characteristic of the fluid after interacting with the fluid control surface of the fluid control device is different from the fluid flow characteristic of the fluid before interaction with the fluid control surface of the fluid control device.

Abstract: A device and a method of controlling fluid flow are provided. The method includes providing a moving fluid including a fluid flow velocity characteristic; providing a fluid control device including a fluid control surface, the fluid control surface including a pattern that changes the velocity of the fluid; and causing the fluid to interact with the fluid control surface of the fluid control device using the pattern of the fluid control surface while the fluid is in contact with the pattern of the fluid control device such that the fluid flow velocity characteristic of the fluid after interacting with the fluid control surface of the fluid control device is different from the fluid flow velocity characteristic of the fluid before interaction with the fluid control surface of the fluid control device.

Abstract: A device and a method of controlling fluid flow are provided. The method includes providing a moving fluid including a fluid flow characteristic; providing a fluid control device including a fluid control surface, the fluid control surface including a pattern that guides the fluid; causing the fluid to contact the fluid control surface of the fluid control device; and causing the fluid to interact with the fluid control surface of the fluid control device by guiding the fluid using the pattern of the fluid control surface while the fluid is in contact with the pattern of the fluid control device such that the fluid flow characteristic of the fluid after interacting with the fluid control surface of the fluid control device is different from the fluid flow characteristic of the fluid before interaction with the fluid control surface of the fluid control device.

Abstract: A device and a method of controlling fluid flow are provided. The method includes providing a moving fluid including a fluid flow characteristic; providing a fluid control device including a fluid control surface, a portion of the fluid control surface being moveable; causing the fluid to contact the fluid control surface of the fluid control device; and causing the fluid to interact with the fluid control surface of the fluid control device by moving the moveable portion of the fluid control surface while the fluid is in contact with the fluid control surface such that the fluid flow characteristic of the fluid after interacting with the fluid control surface of the fluid control device is different from the fluid flow characteristic of the fluid before interaction with the fluid control surface of the fluid control device depending on the position of the moveable portion of the fluid control surface.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for delivering a mixture of compressed fluid and marking material and depositing the marking material in a pattern onto a substrate, includes a high pressure source of a mixture of compressed fluid and marking material. A micro-machined manifold includes a plurality of micro-nozzles, a fluid chamber, and an entrance port with portions of a first surface of the micro-machined manifold defining the entrance port with the entrance port being connected in fluid communication with the fluid chamber. Each of the micro-nozzles having an inlet and an outlet with the inlet being connected in fluid communication with the fluid chamber and the outlet being located on the second surface of the micro-machined manifold. Each micro-nozzle is shaped to produce a directed beam of the mixture of compressed fluid and marking material beyond the outlet of the micro-nozzle.

Abstract: A method of printing includes associating a pixel area of a recording medium with a nozzle and a time interval during which a fluid drop ejected from the nozzle can impinge the pixel area of the recording medium. The time interval is divided into a plurality of subintervals. Some of the plurality of subintervals are grouped into blocks. One of two labels is associated with each block. The first label defines a printing drop and the second label defines non-printing drops. No drop forming pulse is associated between subintervals of each block having the first label. A drop forming pulse is associated between each subinterval of each block having the second label. A drop forming pulse is associated between other subintervals between each pair of consecutive blocks. Drops are caused to be ejected from the nozzle based on the associated drop forming pulses.

Abstract: A method of providing connectivity to a microsized device, the method includes the steps of providing an ablative base material having at least a top surface; providing a die having a first and second surface and having bonding pads at least upon the first surface; placing the die with the at least first surface of the die contacting the at least first surface of the ablative base material; and ablating a channel in the ablative material proximate to the die.

Abstract: A method of providing connectivity to a microsized device, the method includes the steps of providing an ablative base material having at least a top surface; providing a die having a first and second surface and having bonding pads at least upon the first surface; placing the die with the at least first surface of the die contacting the at least first surface of the ablative base material; and ablating a channel in the ablative material proximate to the die.

Abstract: A method of providing connectivity to a microsized device, the method includes the steps of providing an ablative base material having at least a top surface; providing a die having a first and second surface and having bonding pads at least upon the first surface; placing the die with the at least first surface of the die contacting the at least first surface of the ablative base material; and ablating a channel in the ablative material proximate to the die.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided for depositing a material on a surface. In accordance with the method a stream of a component material is formed having formed printing and non-printing droplets and satellite droplets of the material. The stream is directed at the surface. A deflecting energy is applied to separate printing droplets from non-printing droplets in the stream, so that only printing droplets travel to the surface. The deflecting energy is adapted to direct non-printing droplets for non-printing drop collection, and to direct at least a portion of the satellite droplets to be controlled in a manner adapted to prevent the material in the satellite droplets from reaching the surface, so that less than all of the material in the satellite droplets reaches the surface. Articles are also provided having limited satellite material.

Abstract: A method of forming a liquid pattern according to liquid pattern data on a receiving medium using a liquid drop emitter that emits a continuous stream of liquid from a nozzle that is broken into drops of predetermined volumes by the application of drop forming energy pulse is disclosed comprising associating a pixel area of the receiving medium with a nozzle and a time interval during which a plurality of fluid drops ejected from the nozzle can impinge the pixel area of the receiving medium. The time interval is divided into a plurality of subintervals that are, in turn, grouped into a plurality of blocks. Each block is defined as a printing block or a non-printing block. A drop forming energy pulse is provided between each pair of consecutive blocks and between the subintervals of each printing block. No drop forming energy pulses are provided between the subintervals of the non-printing blocks.

Abstract: An ablative film comprising a substrate; at least one ablative layer that is removable by exposure to radiation; one or more deposited conductors; and an active layer including a semiconductor material surrounded at least partially by a dielectric.

Abstract: An ablative film arranged in a stack having a flexible substrate disposed in the stack; an active layer, disposed in the stack, including at least a semiconductor material; and at least one ablative layer, disposed in the stack over the active layer, that is removable by image wise exposure to radiation from the top side of the stack.

Abstract: A method of treating a printer component, a printhead, and a printer are provided. The method includes providing an electrode proximate to the printer component to be treated; introducing a plasma treatment gas in an area proximate to the printer component to be treated; and treating the printer component by applying power to the electrode thereby producing a micro-scale plasma at near atmospheric pressure, the micro-scale plasma acting on the printer component.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for delivering a mixture of compressed fluid and marking material and depositing the marking material in a pattern onto a substrate, includes a high pressure source of a mixture of compressed fluid and marking material. A micro-machined manifold includes a plurality of micro-nozzles, a fluid chamber, and an entrance port with portions of a first surface of the micro-machined manifold defining the entrance port with the entrance port being connected in fluid communication with the fluid chamber. Each of the micro-nozzles having an inlet and an outlet with the inlet being connected in fluid communication with the fluid chamber and the outlet being located on the second surface of the micro-machined manifold. Each micro-nozzle is shaped to produce a directed beam of the mixture of compressed fluid and marking material beyond the outlet of the micro-nozzle.

Abstract: A printer includes a printhead and a source of fluid. The printhead includes a nozzle. The fluid is under pressure sufficient to eject a column of the fluid through the nozzle. The fluid has a temperature. An asymmetric thermal modulator is associated with the nozzle and includes a structure that transiently lowers the temperature of a first portion of the fluid as the fluid is ejected through the nozzle and a structure that transiently raises the temperature of a second portion of the fluid as the fluid is ejected through the nozzle.

Abstract: A jet break-off length measurement apparatus for a continuous liquid drop emission system is provided. The jet break-off length measurement apparatus comprises a liquid drop emitter containing a positively pressurized liquid in flow communication with at least one nozzle for emitting a continuous stream of liquid. Heater resistor apparatus is adapted to transfer pulses of thermal energy to the liquid in flow communication with the at least one nozzle sufficient to cause the break-off of the at least one continuous stream of liquid into a stream of drops of predetermined volumes. A sensing apparatus adapted to detect the stream of drops of predetermined volumes is provided. A control apparatus is adapted to determine a characteristic of the stream of drops of predetermined volumes that is related to the break-off length. Further apparatus is adapted to inductively charge at least one drop and to cause electric field deflection of charged drops.