Abstract: An ink jet printhead includes: a nozzle plate having an underside and including one or more nozzles in the underside configured to dispense drops of fluid in a dispensing direction; and a multi-level maintenance structure coupled to the nozzle plate such that a gap exists between a portion of the maintenance structure and the underside of the nozzle plate. The maintenance structure includes: a first portion having a first upper surface suspended at a first distance from the underside of the nozzle plate; and a second portion that is coupled to the first portion, the second portion having a second upper surface suspended at a second distance from the underside of the nozzle plate, which is greater than the first distance, the second upper surface laterally displaced relative to the first upper surface.

Abstract: A system for ejecting droplets of a fluid is described. The system includes a substrate having a flow path body that includes a fluid pumping chamber, a descender fluidically connected to the fluid pumping chamber, and a nozzle fluidically connected to the descender. The nozzle is arranged to eject droplets of fluid through an outlet formed in an outer substrate surface. The flow path body also includes a recirculation passage fluidically connected to the descender. The system for ejecting droplets of a fluid also includes a fluid supply tank fluidically connected to the fluid pumping chamber, a fluid return tank fluidically connected to the recirculation passage, and a pump fluidically connecting the fluid return tank and the fluid supply tank. In some implementations, a flow of fluid through the flow path body is at a flow rate sufficient to force air bubbles or contaminants through the flow path body.

Abstract: A fluid ejection apparatus includes a fluid distribution layer between a fluid manifold and a substrate. The fluid distribution layer includes fluid supply channels and fluid return channels. Each fluid supply channel receives fluid from the fluid supply chamber and circulates a fraction of the received fluid back to the fluid return chamber through a return-side bypass. The substrate include a plurality of flow paths, each flow path includes a nozzle for ejecting fluid droplets. Each flow path receives fluid from a respective fluid supply channel, and channel un-ejected fluid into a respective fluid return channel. Each fluid return channel can collect the un-ejected fluid from one or more flow paths and a supply-side bypass, and return the collected fluid back to the fluid supply chamber.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for drive a pumping chamber of a fluid ejection system are disclosed. In one implementation, the actuator for drive the pumping chamber includes a continuous piezoelectric layer between a pair of drive electrodes and a continuous reference electrode. The pair of drive electrodes includes an inner electrode and an outer electrode surrounding the inner electrode. The actuator is further coupled to a controller which, during a fluid ejection cycle, applies a negative voltage pulse differential to the outer electrode to expand the pumping chamber for a first time period, then applies another negative voltage pulse differential to the inner electrode during a second time period after the first time period to contract the pumping chamber to eject a fluid drop.

Abstract: An ink jet printhead includes: a nozzle plate having an underside and including one or more nozzles in the underside configured to dispense drops of fluid in a dispensing direction; and a multi-level maintenance structure coupled to the nozzle plate such that a gap exists between a portion of the maintenance structure and the underside of the nozzle plate. The maintenance structure includes: a first portion having a first upper surface suspended at a first distance from the underside of the nozzle plate; and a second portion that is coupled to the first portion, the second portion having a second upper surface suspended at a second distance from the underside of the nozzle plate, which is greater than the first distance, the second upper surface laterally displaced relative to the first upper surface.

Abstract: A fluid ejection apparatus includes a fluid distribution layer between a fluid manifold and a substrate. The fluid distribution layer includes fluid supply channels and fluid return channels. Each fluid supply channel receives fluid from the fluid supply chamber and circulates a fraction of the received fluid back to the fluid return chamber through a return-side bypass. The substrate include a plurality of flow paths, each flow path includes a nozzle for ejecting fluid droplets. Each flow path receives fluid from a respective fluid supply channel, and channel un-ejected fluid into a respective fluid return channel. Each fluid return channel can collect the un-ejected fluid from one or more flow paths and a supply-side bypass, and return the collected fluid back to the fluid supply chamber.

Abstract: A fluid ejection apparatus includes a fluid distribution layer between a fluid manifold and a substrate. The fluid distribution layer includes fluid supply channels and fluid return channels. Each fluid supply channel receives fluid from the fluid supply chamber and circulates a fraction of the received fluid back to the fluid return chamber through a return-side bypass. The substrate include a plurality of flow paths, each flow path includes a nozzle for ejecting fluid droplets. Each flow path receives fluid from a respective fluid supply channel, and channel un-ejected fluid into a respective fluid return channel. Each fluid return channel can collect the un-ejected fluid from one or more flow paths and a supply-side bypass, and return the collected fluid back to the fluid supply chamber.

Abstract: A system for ejecting droplets of a fluid is described. The system includes a substrate having a flow path body that includes a fluid pumping chamber, a descender fluidically connected to the fluid pumping chamber, and a nozzle fluidically connected to the descender. The nozzle is arranged to eject droplets of fluid through an outlet formed in an outer substrate surface. The flow path body also includes a recirculation passage fluidically connected to the descender. The system for ejecting droplets of a fluid also includes a fluid supply tank fluidically connected to the fluid pumping chamber, a fluid return tank fluidically connected to the recirculation passage, and a pump fluidically connecting the fluid return tank and the fluid supply tank. In some implementations, a flow of fluid through the flow path body is at a flow rate sufficient to force air bubbles or contaminants through the flow path body.

Abstract: Systems and apparatus for ejecting fluid. A fluid injection apparatus includes a fluid ejector unit for ejecting a droplet of fluid, an integrated circuit, and a conductive trace electrically coupling the fluid ejector unit and the integrated circuit. A portion of the conductive trace includes a fuse.

Abstract: A method of determining whether a flow path is ready for ejection includes supplying liquid to the flow path, which includes a pumping chamber and a nozzle, after supplying fluid to the flow path, applying energy to an actuator adjacent to the pumping chamber, measuring an electrical characteristic of the actuator to obtain a measured value, and comparing the measured value to a threshold value to determine if the flow path is ready for ejection.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for drive a pumping chamber of a fluid ejection system are disclosed. In one implementation, the actuator for drive the pumping chamber includes a continuous piezoelectric layer between a pair of drive electrodes and a continuous reference electrode. The pair of drive electrodes includes an inner electrode and an outer electrode surrounding the inner electrode. The actuator is further coupled to a controller which, during a fluid ejection cycle, applies a negative voltage pulse differential to the outer electrode to expand the pumping chamber for a first time period, then applies another negative voltage pulse differential to the inner electrode during a second time period after the first time period to contract the pumping chamber to eject a fluid drop.

Abstract: A system for ejecting droplets of a fluid is described. The system includes a substrate having a flow path body that includes a fluid pumping chamber, a descender fluidically connected to the fluid pumping chamber, and a nozzle fluidically connected to the descender. The nozzle is arranged to eject droplets of fluid through an outlet formed in an outer substrate surface. The flow path body also includes a recirculation passage fluidically connected to the descender. The system for ejecting droplets of a fluid also includes a fluid supply tank fluidically connected to the fluid pumping chamber, a fluid return tank fluidically connected to the recirculation passage, and a pump fluidically connecting the fluid return tank and the fluid supply tank. In some implementations, a flow of fluid through the flow path body is at a flow rate sufficient to force air bubbles or contaminants through the flow path body.

Abstract: Processes for forming an actuator having a curved piezoelectric membrane are disclosed. The processes utilize a profile-transferring substrate having a curved surface surrounded by a planar surface to form the curved piezoelectric membrane. The piezoelectric material used for the piezoelectric actuator is deposited on at least the curved surface of the profile-transferring substrate before the profile-transferring substrate is removed from the underside of the curved piezoelectric membrane. The resulting curved piezoelectric membrane includes grain structures that are columnar and aligned, and all or substantially all of the columnar grains are locally perpendicular to the curved surface of the piezoelectric membrane.

Abstract: A fluid droplet ejection apparatus includes a substrate having a fluid inlet passage, a plurality of nozzles, and a plurality of flow paths each fluidically connecting the fluid inlet passage to an associated nozzle of the plurality of nozzles. Each flow path includes a pumping chamber connected to the associated nozzle and an ascender fluidically connected between the fluid inlet passage and the pumping chamber. The ascender is located proximate to an outside edge of the fluid inlet passage.

Abstract: An ultrasonic piezoelectric transducer device includes a transducer array consisting of an array of vibrating elements, and a base to which the array of vibrating elements in the transducer array are attached. The base include integrated electrical interconnects for carrying driving signals and sensed signals between the vibrating elements and an external control circuit. The base can be an ASIC wafer that includes integrated circuitry for controlling the driving and processing the sensed signals. The interconnects and control circuits in the base fit substantially within an area below the array of multiple vibrating elements.

Abstract: An ultrasonic piezoelectric transducer device includes a transducer array consisting of an array of vibrating elements, and a base to which the array of vibrating elements in the transducer array are attached. The base include integrated electrical interconnects for carrying driving signals and sensed signals between the vibrating elements and an external control circuit. The base can be an ASIC wafer that includes integrated circuitry for controlling the driving and processing the sensed signals. The interconnects and control circuits in the base fit substantially within an area below the array of multiple vibrating elements.

Abstract: A fluid ejector includes a fluid ejection assembly, a housing, and an insert. The fluid ejection assembly includes one or more silicon bodies and a plurality of actuators. The one or more silicon bodies includes a silicon body having a plurality of fluid passages for fluid flow and a plurality of nozzles fluidically connected to the plurality of fluid passages. The plurality of actuators cause fluid in the plurality of fluid passages to be ejected from the plurality of nozzles. The housing assembly includes one or more plastic bodies, at least one plastic body attached to at least one silicon body to form a sealed volume on a side of the fluid ejection assembly opposite the nozzles. The insert is embedded in the at least one plastic body in proximity to the at least one silicon body, the insert having a coefficient of thermal expansion of less than 9 ppm/° C.

Abstract: A fluid ejection apparatus includes a fluid distribution layer between a fluid manifold and a substrate. The fluid distribution layer includes fluid supply channels and fluid return channels. Each fluid supply channel receives fluid from the fluid supply chamber and circulates a fraction of the received fluid back to the fluid return chamber through a return-side bypass. The substrate include a plurality of flow paths, each flow path includes a nozzle for ejecting fluid droplets. Each flow path receives fluid from a respective fluid supply channel, and channel un-ejected fluid into a respective fluid return channel. Each fluid return channel can collect the un-ejected fluid from one or more flow paths and a supply-side bypass, and return the collected fluid back to the fluid supply chamber.

Abstract: A physical vapor deposition apparatus includes a vacuum chamber having side walls, a cathode inside the vacuum chamber, wherein the cathode is configured to include a sputtering target, a radio frequency power supply configured to apply power to the cathode, an anode inside and electrically connected to the side walls of the vacuum chamber, a chuck inside and electrically isolated from the side walls of the vacuum chamber, the chuck configured to support a substrate, a clamp configured to hold the substrate to the chuck, wherein the clamp is electrically conductive, and a plurality of conductive electrodes attached to the clamp, each electrode configured to compress when contacted by the substrate.

Abstract: A method of determining whether a flow path is ready for ejection includes supplying liquid to the flow path, which includes a pumping chamber and a nozzle, after supplying fluid to the flow path, applying energy to an actuator adjacent to the pumping chamber, measuring an electrical characteristic of the actuator to obtain a measured value, and comparing the measured value to a threshold value to determine if the flow path is ready for ejection.