Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method of cleaning a semiconductor substrate after a DRIE etch process, wherein residue from the DRIE process is removed without damaging the substrate. The process may include contacting the micro-fluid ejection head with an aqueous solution of TMAH, stripping a photoresist etch mask from the micro-fluid ejection head, and dissolving a passivating coating from the substrate. Then the substrate may be contacted with an acidic solution. The method may further include rinsing and drying the substrate.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an inkjet print cartridge and an inkjet cartridge produced thereby are disclosed. An inkjet print cartridge in accordance with one aspect includes a component of the inkjet print cartridge and an applied adhesive on at least a portion of the component, wherein the applied adhesive is formed from an adhesive having a rheology viscosity ratio ?i/?min of from 1.0 to less than 2.1. The method in accordance with one aspect includes applying an adhesive onto at least a portion of a component of an inkjet print cartridge at an application temperature, T?, and heating the adhesive from an initial temperature, Ti, to a cure temperature for the adhesive, Tc. The adhesive has a rheology cure profile characterized by at least one of the following parameters: a) a rheology viscosity ratio ?i/?min of from 1.0 to less than 2.

Abstract: A micro-fluid ejection assembly including a silicon substrate having accurately formed fluid paths therein. The fluid paths are formed by a deep reactive ion etching process conducted on a substrate having a surface characteristic before etching selected from the group consisting of a dielectric layer thickness of no more than about 5000 Angstroms, and a substantially dielectric material free pitted surface wherein a root mean square depth of surface pitting is less than about 500 Angstroms and a maximum surface pitting depth is no more than about 2500 Angstroms. Fluid paths in such substrates having improved flow characteristics for more reliable fluid ejection operations.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for making ink feed vias in semiconductor silicon substrate chips for an ink jet printhead and ink jet printheads containing silicon chips made by the method. The method includes applying a first photoresist material to a first surface side of the chip. The first photoresist material is patterned and developed to define at least one ink via location therein. An etch stop material is applied to a second surface side of the chip. At least one ink via is anisotropically etched with a dry etch process through the thickness of the silicon chip up to the etch stop layer from the first surface side of the chip. As opposed to conventional ink via formation techniques, the method significantly improves the throughput of silicon chip and reduces losses due to chip breakage and cracking. The resulting chips are more reliable for long term printhead use.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for making ink feed vias in semiconductor silicon substrate chips for an ink jet printhead and ink jet printheads containing silicon chips made by the method. The method includes applying a first photoresist material to a first surface side of the chip. The first photoresist material is patterned and developed to define at least one ink via location therein. An etch stop material is applied to a second surface side of the chip. At least one ink via is anisotropically etched with a dry etch process through the thickness of the silicon chip up to the etch stop layer from the first surface side of the chip. As opposed to conventional ink via formation techniques, the method significantly improves the throughput of silicon chip and reduces losses due to chip breakage and cracking. The resulting chips are more reliable for long term printhead use.

Abstract: A method of tape automated bonding a heater chip of an ink jet printer to a flexible circuit includes the step of attaching an electrically conductive bonding pad to a first portion of a surface of the heater chip. A mask is applied to a second portion of the surface of the heater chip. An exposed surface of the bonding pad is chemical dry etched for a predetermined time period to thereby remove contaminants from the etched exposed surface. The chemical dry etching is terminated at an end of the predetermined time period such that substantially none of the bonding pad is removed. Lastly, the flexible circuit is electrically connected to the etched exposed surface.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for forming ink jet nozzle structures in an ablatable material. More particularly, the invention provides uniform nozzle structure by ablating an ablatable material with a laser beam while setting a field lens unit to various locations relative to a projection lens. The resulting ink jet nozzle structures have substantially orthogonal ink delivery trajectory paths relative to a plane defined by the length and width of the ablatable material regardless of the nozzles hole position relative to the edges of the ablatable material.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for making thin film metal oxide actuator device. According to the method a first conductive layer is deposited on a silicon substrate. Next a thin film metal oxide layer is deposited on the first conductive layer. A negative photoresist material is applied to the metal oxide layer to provide a photoresist layer. The photoresist layer is patterned using light radiation energy and developed to provide one or more exposed portions of the metal oxide layer. The photoresist layer is etched with a reactive ion plasma sufficient to remove the photoresist layer and the metal oxide layer under the photoresist layer from the first conductive layer leaving the one or more exposed portions of metal oxide layer on the first conductive layer. A second conductive layer is attached to the metal oxide layer to provide a thin film metal oxide actuator device.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for improving adhesion between a polymeric planarizing film and a semiconductor chip surface. The method includes deposition resistive, conductive and/or insulative materials to a seimconductor chip surface to provide a semiconductor chip for an ink jet printer. The chip surface is treated with a dry etch process under an oxygen atmosphere for a period of time and under conditions sufficient to activate the surface of the chip. A polymeric planarizing film is applied to the activated surface of the semiconductor chip. As a result of the dry etch process, adhesion of the planarizing film is increased over adhesion between the planarizing film and a semiconductor surface in the absence of the dry etch treatment of the chip surface.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for forming ink jet nozzle structures in an ablatable material. More particularly, the invention provides uniform nozzle structure by ablating an ablatable material with a laser beam while setting a field lens unit to various locations relative to a projection lens. The resulting ink jet nozzle structures have substantially orthogonal ink delivery trajectory paths relative to a plane defined by the length and width of the ablatable material regardless of the nozzles hole position relative to the edges of the ablatable material.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for making thin film metal oxide actuator device. According to the method a first conductive layer is deposited on a silicon substrate. Next a thin film metal oxide layer is deposited on the first conductive layer. A negative photoresist material is applied to the metal oxide layer to provide a photoresist layer. The photoresist layer is patterned using light radiation energy and developed to provide one or more exposed portions of the metal oxide layer. The photoresist layer is etched with a reactive ion plasma sufficient to remove the photoresist layer and the metal oxide layer under the photoresist layer from the first conductive layer leaving the one or more exposed portions of metal oxide layer on the first conductive layer. A second conductive layer is attached to the metal oxide layer to provide a thin film metal oxide actuator device.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for improving adhesion between a polymeric planarizing film and a semiconductor chip surface. The method includes deposition resistive, conductive and/or insulative materials to a seimconductor chip surface to provide a semiconductor chip for an ink jet printer. The chip surface is treated with a dry etch process under an oxygen atmosphere for a period of time and under conditions sufficient to activate the surface of the chip. A polymeric planarizing film is applied to the activated surface of the semiconductor chip. As a result of the dry etch process, adhesion of the planarizing film is increased over adhesion between the planarizing film and a semiconductor surface in the absence of the dry etch treatment of the chip surface.

Abstract: The invention provides a printhead for an ink jet printer and a method for making a printhead for an ink jet printer. The printhead includes a semiconductor substrate containing ink ejection devices and a dry-etched ink via therein. A first photo-imaged polymer layer is applied to the semiconductor substrate, the first photo-imaged polymer layer being patterned and developed to contain ink flow chambers and ink flow channels corresponding to the ink ejection devices on the semiconductor substrate. A second photo-imaged polymer layer is applied to the first photo-imaged polymer layer. The second photo-imaged polymer layer is patterned and developed to contain nozzle holes corresponding to the ink chambers in the first photo-imaged polymer layer and corresponding to the ink ejection devices on the semiconductor substrate. The invention provides increased printhead manufacturing accuracy and elimination of alignment and adhesive attachment of a separate nozzle plate to an ink jet heater chip.

Abstract: An ink jet cartridge assembly for use in an ink jet printer has a body with at least one inner ink chamber. A printhead is carried by the body and has a plurality of ink jetting orifices in fluid communication with the ink chamber. A tape automated bonding circuit carried by the body includes a flexible tape and a plurality of electrical traces. The flexible tape includes a chip window with a peripheral edge. The printhead is disposed within the chip window at a distance from the peripheral edge. Each electrical trace has a bottom side adjacent the body, a substrate held portion carried by the flexible tape, a free trace portion extending between the peripheral edge of the chip window and the printhead, and a printhead held portion connected with the printhead. The tape automated bonding circuit further includes a photoimagable coating which covers the bottom side of each electrical trace on all of the substrate held portion and the free trace portion, but does not cover the printhead held portion.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for improving adhesion between a polymeric planarizing film and a semiconductor chip surface. The method includes deposition resistive, conductive and/or insulative materials to a seimconductor chip surface to provide a semiconductor chip for an ink jet printer. The chip surface is treated with a dry etch process under an oxygen atmosphere for a period of time and under conditions sufficient to activate the surface of the chip. A polymeric planarizing film is applied to the activated surface of the semiconductor chip. As a result of the dry etch process, adhesion of the planarizing film is increased over adhesion between the planarizing film and a semiconductor surface in the absence of the dry etch treatment of the chip surface.

Abstract: A heater chip module is provided comprising a carrier adapted to be secured to an ink-filled container, at least one heater chip having a base coupled to the carrier, and at least one nozzle plate coupled to the heater chip. The carrier includes a support section provided with at least one passage which defines a path for ink to travel from the container to the heater chip. The heater chip is secured at its base to the support section.

Abstract: An integrated nozzle plate having a heater chip and nozzles, firing chambers and channels formed from several layers of resist material affixed to the heater chip. The nozzles, firing chambers and channels are formed in the resist material using a photolithographic method. The photolithographic method involves placing a negative resist layer directly on a silicon wafer heater chip. A protective layer is then placed on top of the negative resist layer to act as a mask. A positive resist layer is then placed on top of the protective layer. A first mask is placed on the positive resist layer. The integrated nozzle plate is then exposed to ultraviolet light and the positive resist layer is developed. The protective layer not covered by the positive resist layer is removed and a second negative resist layer is deposited thereon. A second mask is placed on the second negative resist layer. The first and second negative resist layers are exposed to ultraviolet light and the negative resist layers are developed.

Abstract: High performance ink compositions are described and the ink compositions comprise oxycarbons like glycols as well as bishydroxy terminated thioethers like 2,2'-thiodiethanol.