Abstract: Droplet deposition apparatus comprises a plurality of fluid chambers (2), each fluid ejection chamber being defined in part by at least one wall (11) actuable by an electrical signal to effect droplet ejection from that chamber. The apparatus provides means (16) for cyclically supplying electrical signals to the walls (11) for actuation thereof, means (60) for measuring, within a period between the application of successive electrical signals to the walls, a temperature dependent electrical property of a wall of a fluid chamber to provide a signal having a magnitude dependant on the temperature of fluid in the fluid chambers, and means for adjusting the magnitude of the actuating electrical signals depending on the magnitude of the temperature dependant signal.

Abstract: An inkjet printer has ink channels extending through a body, each channel being offset relative to a central plane with respect to the adjacent channel. A manifold extends through the body, intersecting each channel to define a channel end profile. The channel end profile of one channel is substantially a mirror image of the channel end profile of the adjacent channel, so that the acoustic was refection coefficient of the boundary between each channel and the manifold is substantially equal for all channels. An inclined region of the channel end profile facilitates the formation of connecting tracks for the channel electrodes.

Abstract: Ink jet apparatus with two piezoelectric actuators arranged back-to-back on parallel thermal management surfaces of a water-cooled chassis. The chassis is formed by the bringing together of two concave plastic molded parts, having high thermal conductivity. A common nozzle plate attached to the two actuators helps to ensure accurate nozzle alignment.

Abstract: Droplet deposition apparatus includes a base and a printhead adjustably mounted on the base and positionable relative to a datum on the base such that a swath or print produced by the printhead is in a predetermined position relative to the datum, the base being locatable on a printer using the datum. This can enable the printer to be easily replaced without any loss of alignment of the produced print swath relative to the carriage or body of the printer.

Abstract: A nozzle plate includes a body and an insert formed of polymeric material. Each nozzle has an inlet, an outlet, and a bore extending between the inlet and the outlet and formed through the polymeric material of the insert located within an aperture formed in a body of the nozzle plate.

Abstract: Droplet deposition apparatus comprises a base and a printhead adjustably mounted on the base and positionable relative to a datum on the base such that a swath of print produced by the printhead is in a predetermined position relative to the datum, the base being locatable on a printer using the datum. This can enable the printer to be easily replaced without any loss of alignment of the produced print swath relative to the carriage or body of the printer.

Abstract: Droplet deposition apparatus, in which the capacitance of walls of dummy chambers in the printhead is used to provide an indication of the temperature of the droplet fluid to enable the magnitude of the actuating electrical signals applied to the actuable walls of the fluid ejection chambers to be adjusted.

Abstract: A mask for use with high energy radiation sources in precision projection processing by excimer lasers, for example, is described. The mask comprises a suitable substrate, such as silicon, upon which a multilayer dielectric stack is formed which acts as a reflective coating for the impinging excimer laser radiation, minimizing energy absorption by the mask substrate. The mask transparent areas are defined by the through-holes in the mask. The through-holes are formed with a conically undercut edge profile to define a thin object plane for the mask and minimize scattering of the radiation from the through-hole sidewalls. A method for fabricating the mask is also described.

Abstract: In the course of the process for making masks with structures in the submicrometer range, initially structures of photoresist or polymer material with horizontal and substantially vertical sidewalls are produced on a silicon substrate covered with an oxide layer. This is followed by a layer of silicon nitride which is deposited by LPCVD. The resultant structure is planarized with a photoresist which is etched back until the start of the vertical edges of the sidewall coating formed by the nitride layer is bared on the photoresist structures. In a photolithographic step, a trimming mask is produced on the surface of the nitride layer and the planarizing resist. The bared regions of the nitride layer are then removed by isotropic etching. The dimensions A-B of the openings defined after removal of the nitride layer from the vertical surfaces of the photoresist structures are transferred to the oxide layer by anisotropic etching.

Abstract: To remove small particles from surfaces of solid bodies at least one laser pulse of high power density (excimer laser) is directed onto the surface. The method is particularly suited to clean Si-masks used in electron-beam lithographic devices. An arrangement for in-situ-cleaning of masks in accordance to this method is integrated in such an electron-beam lithographic device.

Abstract: A mask for radiation beam lithography is formed from a semiconductor wafer by thinning a region into a membrane with a hole pattern defining the pattern of the mask. The membrane is doped with a tensile stress-generating material so that minimum doping exists at the periphery of the membrane with the maximum at its center. The difference in doping between the periphery and the center is chosen so that when the mask is irradiated with a given beam current intensity, the membrane is tension-free. To make a mask in the wafer, a hole pattern is formed by etching holes in the membrane or by depositing a layer on the membrane. The wafer is thinned from the opposite surface until the holes in the hole pattern are throughholes or until the desired thickness is reached. The membrane is doped with tensile-stress-generating material using ion implantation or diffusion proportionally to the temperature distribution existing in the membrane during irradiation with exposure beams.

Abstract: Method for measuring the properties of a slider/disk interface in a magnetic disk storage apparatus by measuring a triboelectric current flowing between disk and slider. Rotational speed is adjusted between 100 and 500 rpm so as to obtain a frictional contact between disk and slider. The shape of the tribo current curve obtained during the measuring time interval is analyzed. An early maximum of the tribo current amplitude and a subsequent continual decay indicates a good slider/disk interface and a long lifetime.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for testing transmission masks for corpuscular lithography, in which an image of a portion of mask is guided across a pinhole diaphragm, comprising at least one aperture with submicron dimensions, by inclining the corpuscular beam. The relative spacing of two measuring points is derived from the interferometrically measured table displacement and the beam inclination. This test for geometrical errors is effected by placing below the single hold in the diaphragm a scintillator followed by a photomultiplier coupled to an output circuit.For testing the entire mask area for errors and impurity particles, a multihole diaphragm, having submicron apertures arranged in matrix fashion, can be used above an integrated circuit of the charge transfer type which provides a MOS capacitor as a particle detector underneath each diaphragm opening. The exposure mask is scanned in steps, effecting several single exposures at each position by inclining the beam.