Abstract: An ink jet printhead fabrication process wherein a plurality of printheads are produced from two mated substrates by two dicing operations. One dicing operation produces the nozzle face for each of a plurality of printheads and optionally produces the nozzles. This dicing blade, together with specific operating parameters, prevent the nozzles from chipping and the nozzle faces from scratches and abrasions. A second dicing operation with a standard dicing blade severs the mated substrates into separate printheads. The dicing operation which produces the nozzle face is preferably conducted in a two-step operation. A first cut makes the nozzle face, but does not sever the two mated substrates. A second dicing cut severs the two substrates, but does so in a manner that prevents contact by the dicing blade with the nozzle face.

Abstract: A method for separating chips formed on a silicon substrate is provided which uses a combination of reactive ion etching techniques combined with orientation etching to yield integrated chips having edges which can be more precisely butted together to form large area arrays.

Abstract: A thermal ink jet printhead of the type which expels droplets on demand towards a recording medium from nozzles located above and generally parallel with the bubble generating heating elements contained therein is disclosed, together with fabrication processes therefor. The droplets are propelled along trajectories that are perpendicular to the heating element surfaces and from nozzles located in the printhead roof; such configuration is generally referred to as "roofshooter". Each printhead comprises a silicon heater plate and a fluid directing structural member. The heater plate has a linear array of heating elements associated addressing electrodes, and an elongated ink fill hole parallel with the heating element array. The structural member contains at least one recessed cavity, a plurality of nozzles, and a plurality of parallel walls within the recessed cavity which define individual ink channels for directing ink to the nozzles.

Abstract: A plurality of thermal ink jet printheads are fabricated from two substrates, at least one of which is a (100) silcon wafer. A plurality of sets of heating element arrays are formed on one substrate, together with addressing electrodes for each heating element. A thick film insulative layer is placed over the heating elements and addressing electrodes which is patterned to remove the thick film from over the individual heating elements, placing them each in a recess, and the thermal end portions of the electrodes including the contact pads therefor. A plurality of ink supplying manifold recesses are anisotropically etched in the silicon wafer and a plurality of sets of channel grooves are formed, each set of which communicate with an associated manifold. The silicon wafer and heating element substrates are aligned and bonded together, so that each channel groove contains a heating element.

Abstract: A method of bonding ink jet printhead components together by coating a flexible substrate with a relatively thin, uniform layer of an adhesive having an intermediate non-tacky curing stage with a shelf life with around one month for ease of alignment of the parts and ease of storage of the components having the adhesive thereon. Transferring about half of the adhesive layer on the flexible substrate to the high points or lands of one of the printhead components within a predetermined time of the coating of the flexible substrate by placing it in contact therewith and applying a predetermined temperature and pressure to the flexible substrate prior to peeling it from the printhead component. This causes the adhesive to fail cohesively in the liquid state, assuring that about half of the thickness of the adhesive layer stays with the flexible substrate and is discarded therewith, leaving a very thin uniform layer of adhesive on the printhead component lands.

Abstract: An ink jet printhead having an internal, integrated filtering system and fabricating process therefor is disclosed. Each printhead is composed of two parts aligned and bonded together. One part is a substantially flat substrate which contains on a surface thereof a linear array of heating elements and addressing electrodes. The other part is a flat substrate having a set of concurrently etched recesses in one surface. The set of recesses include a parallel array of elongated recesses for use as capillary filled, ink channels having ink droplet emitting nozzles at one end and having interconnection with a common ink supplying manifold recess at the other ends. The manifold recess contains an internal, closed wall defining a chamber with an ink fill hole. Small passageways are formed in the internal chamber walls to permit passage of ink therefrom into the manifold.

Abstract: Several fabricating processes for ink jet printheads are disclosed, each printhead being composed of two parts aligned and bonded together. One part is a substantially flat substrate which contains on the surface thereof a lineal array of heating elements and addressing electrodes, and the second part is a substrate having at least one recess anisotropically etched therein to serve as an ink supply manifold when the two parts are bonded together. A lineal array of parallel grooves are formed in the second part, so that one end of the grooves communicate with the manifold recess an the other ends are open for use as an ink droplet expelling nozzles. Many printheads can be made simultaneously by producing a plurality of sets of heating elements array with their addressing electrodes on a silicon wafer and by placing alignment marks thereon at predetermined locations.

Abstract: Several fabricating processes for ink jet printheads are disclosed, each printhead being composed of two parts aligned and bonded together. One part is a substantially flat substrate which contains on the surface thereof a lineal array of heating elements and addressing electrodes, and the second part is a substrate having at least one recess anisotropically etched therein to serve as an ink supply manifold when the two parts are bonded together. A lineal array of parallel grooves are formed in the second part, so that one end of the grooves communicate with the manifold recess an the other ends are open for use as an ink droplet expelling nozzles. Many printheads can be made simultaneously by producing a plurality of sets of heating elements array with their addressing electrodes on a silicon wafer and by placing alignment marks thereon at predetermined locations.