Abstract: A pattern formation method includes discharging a functional liquid substance having a functional material to an object, and irradiating the functional liquid substance with light emitted from a light source thereby to form a pattern of a functional film on the object. In this method, when the thickness of the functional liquid substance on an optical axis of the light is L and the absorption coefficient of the functional liquid substance for the light is ?, the thickness and the absorption coefficient are set so as to satisfy an equation (1): 0.1??·L?0.7 ??(1).

Abstract: A controller includes an information transferring unit in a main control unit. A mechanical controller transmits device state information at predetermined time intervals. The information transferring unit performs some processing on the device state information received from the mechanical controller as necessary and stores the information in a second storage unit. Upon receiving a device state acquisition command from a host control unit, the information transferring unit transmits device state information read out from the second storage unit to the host control unit as a response to the device state acquisition command.

Abstract: Controllers on the master and slave sides each perform an ink cartridge checking process and transmit a detection result, for example “NG”, obtained though the ink cartridge checking process to the other controller. Furthermore, the same ink cartridge checking process is performed in the other controller and the detection result thereof, for example “OK” is transmitted to the first controller. A mechanical control unit merges (combines) the respective detection results and if at least one of the results is NG, a merged result of NG is obtained. In the case of NG, this fact is transmitted to a host control unit and if YES is selected in a Y/N display, the error is cleared. On the other hand, in the case of a merged result of OK, an ink cartridge OK state notification is issued to a mechanical controller.

Abstract: Commands, which are stored in a queue within controllers in order of acquisition, are transmitted to mechanical I/F units (steps (1) and (2) in FIG. 7). A determination portion in each mechanical I/F unit determines whether or not the command is an internal command (for example, an error command) which is generated in the controllers. If the command is the internal command, the command is directly output to the mechanical controller. In contrast, if the command is not the internal command, a virtual mechanical controller outputs the command through synchronization processing for confirming whether the commands issued from the controllers are synchronized (steps (3) to (7) in FIG. 7).

Abstract: Each of controllers includes an error management section that generates an error command including an error code indicating the content of an error when the controller detects the error. A host apparatus includes a host controller. If the error command from the master controller and the error command from the slave controller are identical to each other, the host controller displays a single piece of error information on a monitor. Specifically, the single piece of error information includes the error code included in the error command and an error message corresponding to the error code.

Abstract: A method is for heating a functional liquid of a droplet discharging device that has a storage which houses a container storing a functional liquid containing a functional material; a droplet discharge head discharging the functional liquid in a droplet; a cooling means included to the storage and cooling the functional liquid; and a supply tube supplying the functional liquid that is cooled in the storage to the droplet discharge head. The method includes: heating the functional liquid in the supply tube with waste heat that is generated correspondingly to cooling of the cooling means.

Abstract: A method is for heating a functional liquid of a droplet discharging device that has a storage which houses a container storing a functional liquid containing a functional material; a droplet discharge head discharging the functional liquid in a droplet; a cooling means included to the storage and cooling the functional liquid; and a supply tube supplying the functional liquid that is cooled in the storage to the droplet discharge head. The method includes: heating the functional liquid in the supply tube with waste heat that is generated correspondingly to cooling of the cooling means.

Abstract: A printer includes an intermediate buffer that holds plain data produced by subjecting print data to extraction processing and microweave processing, and a control buffer that holds head control data produced by subjecting plain data to vertical-horizontal conversion processing. The control buffer is allocated storage capacity that allows it to hold data equivalent to one impression and data equivalent to one-fourth an impression (one pass in printing at four passes per impression).

Abstract: A control device for a printer includes a master controller and a slave controller, and the constituent elements of the master controller and the slave controllers are configured symmetrically. The master controller includes a virtual mechanical controller.

Abstract: A method of forming a pattern including: discharging a droplet of a pattern forming material onto a substrate; drying the droplet that has landed on the substrate; and forming a pattern on the substrate, the drying comprising: irradiating a region of the droplet with a laser beam launched by a laser source; and reflectively irradiating the region of the droplet again with the portions of the laser beam that have been either reflected or scattered from the region of the droplet.

Abstract: A droplet discharge head includes: a head body having a surface opposed to an object; a plurality of nozzles aligned on the surface and discharging a droplet to each of positions of the object; and an irradiation part disposed on the surface and irradiating the object with light. In the droplet discharge head, the irradiation part includes i×j pieces of irradiation parts arranged such that i (an integer number of 1 or more) pieces of irradiation parts are aligned in an alignment direction of the nozzles and j (an integer number of 2 or more) pieces of irradiation parts are disposed in a predetermined direction that is orthogonal to the alignment direction of the nozzles and aligned along the predetermined direction.

Abstract: A liquid droplet ejection apparatus includes: a liquid droplet ejection portion that ejects a liquid droplet containing a structure forming material onto a substrate; and drying means that dries the droplet on the substrate, thereby forming a structure made of the structure forming material. The drying means includes an energy outputting section that outputs energy onto the droplet on the substrate, thereby causing the structure forming material in the droplet to flow; and an energy profile controlling section controlling an energy profile of the energy output by the energy outputting section to be an energy profile that permits the structure forming material to flow such that the structure forming material is distributed in accordance with a structure profile of the structure to be formed. According to the liquid droplet ejection apparatus, a structure having a desired structure profile is obtained.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a photomask includes: ejecting droplets of a liquid containing a light-shielding material at predetermined positions on a substrate using a droplet ejection method, and drying the liquid to form a light-shielding pattern on the substrate, the light-shielding pattern containing the light-shielding material.

Abstract: To provide an ink jet head having a good stability of ejection and a method of manufacturing the ink jet head, a method of manufacturing an ink jet head that includes a cavity and a nozzle connected to the cavity and ejects fluid contained in the cavity from an ejection opening that is an opening provided on a side of the nozzle opposite to the cavity An inside-nozzle lyophobic film is formed in the vicinity of the ejection opening and on the inside wall of the nozzle, the inside-nozzle lyophobic film providing a large difference between an advancing contact angle and a receding contact angle for the liquid to be ejected.

Abstract: A liquid droplet ejection apparatus has a droplet ejecting portion and an energy beam radiating portion. The liquid droplet ejecting portion ejects droplets containing pattern forming material onto an ejection target surface. The energy beam radiating portion radiates an energy beam onto a boundary between the droplets that have been received by the ejection target surface at different timings so as to move boundary areas of the droplets. Accordingly, using the liquid droplet ejection apparatus, a pattern having an accurately defined shape can be formed.

Abstract: A droplet ejection apparatus has an ejection unit that ejects a droplet of liquid onto a target. The ejection unit is arranged in a multi-joint robot. The robot moves the ejection unit in a two-dimensional direction above the target. The ejection unit includes a droplet ejection head, a liquid tank, and an auto-seal valve. The auto-seal valve adjusts the pressure of the liquid supplied from the liquid tank to the droplet ejection head to a predetermined pressure. The auto-seal valve has a valve body that is movable between a closing position and an opening position in correspondence with the difference between the pressure of the liquid in the droplet ejection head and the pressure of the liquid in the liquid tank. The valve body is arranged such that the direction of acceleration that produces force capable of moving the valve body from the closing position to the opening position differs from the direction of acceleration of the ejection unit moving in the two-dimensional direction.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention, a liquid ejection apparatus including a head unit is provided. The head unit is movable on an object at least in two-dimensional directions. The head unit includes an ejecting portion and a radiating portion. The ejecting portion ejects droplets onto the object. The radiating portion radiates a laser beam onto the droplet received by the object. A controller adjusts the position of the ejecting portion and the position of the radiating portion in correspondence with a movement direction of the head unit. Thus, productivity is improved by efficiently drying and baking ejected liquid droplets.

Abstract: A method is for heating a functional liquid of a droplet discharging device that has a storage which houses a container storing a functional liquid containing a functional material; a droplet discharge head discharging the functional liquid in a droplet; a cooling means included to the storage and cooling the functional liquid; and a supply tube supplying the functional liquid that is cooled in the storage to the droplet discharge head. The method includes: heating the functional liquid in the supply tube with waste heat that is generated correspondingly to cooling of the cooling means.

Abstract: A liquid droplet drying method of a liquid droplet discharging apparatus includes discharging liquid droplets from respective nozzles of a discharging head onto a substrate, the droplets being discharged from the nozzles at timings different from each other; and drying the liquid droplets by irradiating a laser beam to the liquid droplets vertically to a discharging direction of the liquid droplets while the droplets are flying toward the substrate, the laser beam being irradiated in a layout direction of the nozzles of the discharging head.

Abstract: An ink composition includes a conductive fine particle, a dispersion medium in which the conductive fine particle is dispersed, and a combustion substance that starts a combustion reaction by receiving light.