Abstract: A printer head is provided that enhances energy efficiency of a heater layer and substantially prevents heat from being excessively transmitted to ink in an ink chamber, thereby improving ink-ejecting performance and/or printing performance. A method of fabricating such a printer head is also provided. The print head includes a substrate having an ink chamber and a nozzle disposed in the top thereof, an insulating layer layered on the substrate, and a heater layer layered on the insulating layer. A heat transmitting part transmits heat to the ink chamber. The insulating layer is formed so that a portion thereof that faces the heat transmitting part of the heater layer has a thickness larger than that of the rest of the insulating layer.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead includes an ink flow channel including a pressure chamber, a nozzle to communicate with the pressure chamber, an actuator to provide a driving force to eject ink from the pressure chamber, and a plurality of electrodes, a lower voltage is applied to an electrode closer to the nozzle as compared to an electrode farther from the nozzle to form a non-uniform electric field in the ink flow channel, and a method of removing bubbles in the inkjet printhead.

Abstract: A method of ejecting ink from a ink-jet printhead includes filling a rear end of a nozzle with ink using a capillary force, the rear end of the nozzle being surrounded by a hydrophilic layer, forming an electric field directed toward an outlet of the nozzle on a front end of the nozzle, the front end of the nozzle being surrounded by a hydrophobic layer, varying a surface tension of ink to separate ink droplets having a predetermined volume from ink and to move the separated ink droplets within the front end of the nozzle toward the outlet of the nozzle, and ejecting the separated ink droplets through the outlet of the nozzle.

Abstract: A synthetic jet actuator includes a housing, a first chamber formed in the housing and filled with a gas, a second chamber formed in the housing to connect to the first chamber and filled with a liquid, an orifice formed to penetrate the housing and which connects the first chamber to the outside, and a heater which generates a bubble by heating the liquid filling the second chamber. As the bubble is generated and terminated inside the liquid in the second chamber by the heater, a volume of the first chamber is periodically changed so that a jet is generated at an outlet of the orifice.

Abstract: An ink path structure, an inkjet printhead having the same and a method of manufacturing the inkjet printhead includes an ink chamber in which ink to be ejected is filled, nozzles through which ink is ejected from the ink chamber, an ink feed hole through which ink is supplied to the ink chamber, a first stopper protruding from an inner wall of a path between the ink chamber and the ink feed hole, a second stopper separated from the first stopper in a direction of the ink chamber, and a moving element installed movably between the first and second stoppers to open and close the path between the ink chamber and the ink feed hole.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead is provided. The inkjet printhead includes an ink chamber filled with ink to be ejected, a nozzle through which the ink is ejected from the ink chamber, a manifold to supply the ink to the ink chamber, and a restrictor that connects the ink chamber and the manifold and includes a protrusion formed on an inner wall of the restrictor. A main heater is formed on an inner wall of the ink chamber and generates a main bubble in the ink chamber to eject ink and an auxiliary heater is formed on an inner wall of the restrictor and generates an auxiliary bubble to suppress the main bubble in the restrictor from expanding toward the restrictor. Thus, a refill speed of the ink to the ink chamber is increased and a driving frequency of the inkjet printhead is also increased.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for driving an ink-jet printhead in which current is applied to a heater to heat ink to be supplied in an ink chamber to generate a bubble to eject ink from the ink chamber, the apparatus including a circuit that alternately applies current to the heater to alternate a direction of current flowing through the heater.

Abstract: A method of expelling a fluid includes filling a nozzle with a fluid using a capillary force, generating an ion wind by ionizing air near an outlet of the nozzle, and expelling the fluid from the nozzle as the ion wind decreases a pressure around the outlet of the nozzle. An ink-jet printhead utilizing the method includes a manifold formed in a passageway plate to supply ink, a nozzle to be supplied with ink formed in a nozzle plate provided on the passageway plate, and a ground electrode and a source electrode arranged near an outlet of the nozzle, the ground electrode and the source electrode forming an electric field due to an application of a voltage thereto and ionizing air near the outlet of the nozzle to produce an ion wind to decrease a pressure near the outlet of the nozzle to expel the ink contained in the nozzle.

Abstract: An ink-jet printhead includes a substrate having an ink chamber and a manifold, a nozzle plate formed on the substrate, first and second heaters and conductors, a material layer, and a plurality of ink channels. The nozzle plate includes a plurality of passivation layers formed of an insulating material, a heat dissipation layer formed on the plurality of passivation layers and made of a thermally conductive material, and a nozzle passing through the nozzle plate and in flow communication with the ink chamber. The first and second heaters and conductors are interposed between adjacent passivation layers of the nozzle plate. The material layer is interposed between the ink chamber and the manifold to form a bottom wall of the ink chamber and a top wall of the manifold. The plurality of ink channels is formed in the material layer to provide flow communication between the ink chamber and the manifold.

Abstract: A monolithic ink-jet printhead includes a substrate having an ink chamber to be supplied with ink to be ejected on a front surface thereof, a manifold for supplying ink to the ink chamber on a rear surface thereof, and an ink channel in communication with the ink chamber and the manifold, a nozzle plate including a plurality of passivation layers stacked on the substrate and a heat dissipating layer overlying the passivation layers, the nozzle plate having a nozzle penetrating the nozzle plate, a heater formed between adjacent passivation layers and located above the ink chamber for heating the ink to be supplied within the ink chamber, and a conductor provided between adjacent passivation layers, the conductor being electrically connected to the heater for applying current across the heater, wherein the heat dissipating layer is made of a thermally conductive metal for dissipating heat from the heater.

Abstract: A polymerase chain reaction apparatus includes: a substrate; a high-temperature sidewall erected on the substrate; a low-temperature sidewall erected on the substrate and facing the high-temperature sidewall; and a reaction chamber consisting of the substrate, the high-temperature sidewall, and the low-temperature sidewall, wherein a sample contained in the reaction chamber is repetitively thermal-circulated between the high-temperature sidewall and the low-temperature sidewall using Marangoni convection generated by a surface tension gradient resulting from a temperature difference in an interface between the sample and air. The PCR amplification can be automatically accomplished by surface tension flow generated by Marangoni convection resulting from a temperature difference in an interface between the sample and air when a temperature difference between the sidewalls of the chamber is maintained constant.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead assembly including an inkjet printhead chip having an ink inflow hole, a frame having an ink supply hole, and an ink supply apparatus having a preheater and an ink supply outlet, wherein the frame is disposed between the inkjet printhead chip and the ink supply apparatus, the inkjet printhead chip is attached to the frame, and the ink supply hole is disposed between the ink supply outlet and the ink inflow hole, so as to channel ink between the ink supply apparatus and the inkjet printhead chip.

Abstract: A monolithic ink-jet printhead includes a substrate having an ink chamber to be supplied with ink to be ejected on a front surface thereof, a manifold for supplying ink to the ink chamber on a rear surface thereof, and an ink channel in communication with the ink chamber and the manifold, a nozzle plate including a plurality of passivation layers stacked on the substrate and a heat dissipating layer overlying the passivation layers, the nozzle plate having a nozzle penetrating the nozzle plate, a heater formed between adjacent passivation layers and located above the ink chamber for heating the ink to be supplied within the ink chamber, and a conductor provided between adjacent passivation layers, the conductor being electrically connected to the heater for applying current across the heater, wherein the heat dissipating layer is made of a thermally conductive metal for dissipating heat from the heater.

Abstract: A piezoelectric inkjet printhead capable of reducing a crosstalk and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The inkjet printhead includes an upper substrate, an intermediate substrate, and a lower substrate that are sequentially stacked, wherein the upper substrate includes piezoelectric actuators on an upper surface of the upper substrate and pressure chambers and first restrictors on a lower surface of the upper substrate, the first restrictors extending from the pressure chambers and having a width smaller than a width of the pressure chambers, the intermediate substrate includes dampers passing therethrough, the dampers corresponding to the pressure chambers and second restrictors extending between the first restrictors and a manifold formed from a lower surface of the intermediate substrate and the lower substrate includes nozzles passing therethrough, the nozzles corresponding to the dampers.

Abstract: An ink-jet printhead includes an ink flow path having a nozzle for ejecting ink, at least one pair of electrodes provided in the ink flow path, each of the at least one pair of electrodes being separated from each other, and a voltage application unit for applying a voltage between the at least one pair of electrodes to generate a plasma discharge caused by liquid ionization between the pair of electrodes to generate a bubble for ejecting the ink.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for amplifying a polynucleotide, comprising a substrate, a microflow channel system disposed in the substrate and comprising a sample inlet port, a sample flow channel extending from the sample inlet port, and a polynucleotide polymerization reaction chamber in fluid communication with the sample flow channel, a first insulation groove formed around the reaction chamber, and a means for regulating a temperature of the reaction chamber. Accordingly, a multiple chamber device for amplifying a polynucleotide, comprising multiple polymerization reaction chambers formed in a substrate can be manufactured.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for driving an ink-jet printhead in which current is applied to a heater to heat ink to be supplied in an ink chamber to generate a bubble to eject ink from the ink chamber, the apparatus including a circuit that alternately applies current to the heater to alternate a direction of current flowing through the heater.

Abstract: An ink-jet printhead includes a substrate having an ink chamber and a manifold, a nozzle plate formed on the substrate, first and second heaters and conductors, a material layer, and a plurality of ink channels. The nozzle plate includes a plurality of passivation layers formed of an insulating material, a heat dissipation layer formed on the plurality of passivation layers and made of a thermally conductive material, and a nozzle passing through the nozzle plate and in flow communication with the ink chamber. The first and second heaters and conductors are interposed between adjacent passivation layers of the nozzle plate. The material layer is interposed between the ink chamber and the manifold to form a bottom wall of the ink chamber and a top wall of the manifold. The plurality of ink channels is formed in the material layer to provide flow communication between the ink chamber and the manifold.

Abstract: A method of ejecting ink from a ink-jet printhead includes filling a rear end of a nozzle with ink using a capillary force, the rear end of the nozzle being surrounded by a hydrophilic layer, forming an electric field directed toward an outlet of the nozzle on a front end of the nozzle, the front end of the nozzle being surrounded by a hydrophobic layer, varying a surface tension of ink to separate ink droplets having a predetermined volume from ink and to move the separated ink droplets within the front end of the nozzle toward the outlet of the nozzle, and ejecting the separated ink droplets through the outlet of the nozzle.

Abstract: A micro-pump includes a pumping chamber having a predetermined inner space to be filled with a fluid, at least one fluid entrance and at least one fluid exit, which are connected to the pumping chamber, a heating element provided at one side of the pumping chamber to generate bubbles in the pumping chamber by heating the fluid, and electrodes for applying current to the heating element, wherein the fluid is made to flow into or out of the pumping chamber by expansion and contraction of the bubbles, and wherein a cross-sectional area of at least one of the fluid entrance and the fluid exit varies along a direction in which the fluid flows. The micro-pump has a relatively simple structure, enhanced pumping efficiency and enhanced durability.