JPH02251457A - Liquid jet head and manufacturing method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a liquid jet head capable of easily densifying nozzles and of easily making multi-nozzles by a method wherein the title liquid jet head is composed of a piezoelectric film provided on an optional substrate and a hole provided in the piezoelectric film. CONSTITUTION:A hole forming pattern 102 is formed on a substrate 101, and a first piezoelectric film 103 is formed over the substrate. A hole 104 is formed by removing the hole forming pattern 102. Materials such as PZT or the like are used for the piezoelectric film, and the hole forming pattern is formed by organic resin, which is removed by heat treatment. A hole 104 serving as a conduit path of liquid of a liquid jet head when the hole is formed, and a hole 108 serving as a pressure chamber are formed in a line state. Thereafter, an electrode 105, a second piezoelectric film 106, and an electrode 107 are formed, and a piezoelectric element is formed. Materials of Pt or the like are used for the electrodes 105 and 107, which are formed on the pressure chamber 108. Since the liquid conduit path, the piezoelectric element, etc., are continuously formed for a liquid jet head to be thus formed, densification of nozzles and nozzle multiplication become easy to perform.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a liquid ejecting head used in an inkjet printer or the like, and particularly to a liquid ejecting head using a piezoelectric element and a method for manufacturing the same.

[Prior Art] A liquid ejecting head in a conventional inkjet printer has been described by Masato Kobayashi et al.
7-284, 1983), a pressure chamber, an ink conduction path, etc. were formed by a substrate and a movable plate provided opposite to the substrate. In addition, as a liquid ejecting head using hole formation technology, K. Utsumi et al.
al, (Inte rnati
on a l m i cr o e 1 ec
tronics Conference 1986
Proceedings, Kobe, May 28
~30. 9.36-42.1988), there are those formed using laminated ceramics.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In a conventional liquid ejecting head consisting of a substrate and a movable plate, the movable plate and the piezoelectric element were attached to each other, so it was difficult to miniaturize the piezoelectric element. Therefore, it has been difficult to increase the density of nozzles that eject liquid or to form multi-nozzles in which nozzles are formed into long lines. In addition, in a liquid ejecting head formed using a hole forming technique in a laminated ceramic (t), positional deviation between the hole forming pattern and the piezoelectric element electrode easily occurs, resulting in a low yield.

The present invention is intended to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to realize a liquid ejecting head that can easily be formed with high nozzle density and multiple nozzles, and can be formed with a high yield.

[Means for Solving Problem 01] In order to solve the problems described above, the liquid ejecting head of the present invention provides at least a piezoelectric film provided on an arbitrary substrate and a hole provided in the piezoelectric film. It is characterized by becoming.

Further, the method for manufacturing a liquid jet head of the present invention is characterized by comprising at least a step of forming a hole forming pattern, a step of forming a piezoelectric film, and a step of forming holes by removing the hole forming pattern. .

[Example] FIGS. 1A to 1C are cross-sectional views showing the steps of manufacturing a liquid jet head in an example of the present invention.

The same figure (a) shows the end of the hole formation pattern formation process, and (b)
(C) is a cross-sectional view when the hole forming process is completed, and (C) is a cross-sectional view when the liquid jet head is completed. Further, FIG. 4(d) is an example of a plan view of the liquid ejecting head at the end of the hole forming step in FIG. 4(b). First, a hole formation pattern 1 is formed on an arbitrary substrate 101.
02, resulting in a cross-sectional view as shown in FIG. 1(a). 102 shows a cross-sectional view of a pattern of nozzles that eject liquid. Then, a first piezoelectric film 103 is formed on the entire surface, and holes 104 are formed by removing the hole forming pattern 102, resulting in a cross-sectional view as shown in FIG. 1(b). A material such as PZT may be used for the piezoelectric film. For the hole formation pattern, K. Utsumi et al.
al, (International Mi
croelectronics conference
e 1986 Pr.

ceedings, Kobe, May 28-30,
pp, 36-42. 1986), it can be formed from an organic resin and removed by heat treatment. Alternatively, a hole formation pattern can be formed by patterning a metal film such as on A, and holes can be formed by etching. Alternatively, a hole formation pattern may be formed using a substance that sublimates at several hundred degrees, such as Au C1s or TeO2, and then heat treatment may be performed to form holes. A plan view of the liquid ejecting head when the holes are formed is as shown in FIG. 1(d), and the holes 104 that serve as liquid conduction paths and the holes 108 that serve as pressure chambers are formed in a line shape.

Thereafter, an electrode 105, a second piezoelectric lI 1.06, and an electrode 107 are formed, resulting in a cross-sectional view as shown in FIG. 1(C).

A piezoelectric element is formed by 1o5 to 107. Electrode 1
05 and 107 may be made of a material such as PT, and are formed on the pressure chamber 108 shown in FIG. 1(d). The liquid ejecting head formed in this way uses photolithography technology to continuously form liquid conduction paths, piezoelectric elements, etc., so it is easy to increase the density of nozzles and create multiple nozzles, and piezoelectric Since the positional deviation between the element and the pressure chamber can be made extremely small, the yield is improved. Further, in this embodiment, the first piezoelectric [1103 and the second piezoelectric 1i1
06 are formed continuously in the lateral direction, but in order to make the operation of the piezoelectric element more efficient and to suppress the propagation of pressure waves in the lateral direction, 103 and 106 are patterned and separated in the lateral direction. Also, although the planar pattern of the holes in this embodiment is indistinguishable from the liquid conduction path and the nozzle portion, the nozzle portion may of course be formed into a thin pattern.

FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view along a liquid conduction path of a liquid ejecting head in which a piezoelectric element electrode is formed in a single layer according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this figure, the same symbols as in FIG. 1 represent the same things as in FIG. 1. 201 is a piezoelectric film, 202 is a liquid injection hole, and 203 is a liquid supply hole. Holes 104 are formed on the substrate 101 in the same manner as in the embodiment shown in FIG.

204 is an electrode, and the electrode and the piezoelectric film 203 form a piezoelectric element. The piezoelectric element is distorted by the electric field applied between the electrodes 204, applying pressure to the liquid, and the liquid is ejected from the injection hole 202. By adopting the structure of the liquid jet head as in this embodiment, the number of manufacturing steps is reduced compared to that of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, and a liquid jet head with a higher yield and lower cost can be realized.

FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of a liquid ejecting head in which a hole is surrounded by a four-way piezoelectric film in an embodiment of the present invention.

In this figure, the same symbols as in FIG. 1 represent the same things as in FIG. 1. First, a first piezoelectric IIE 301 is formed using PZT or the like on an arbitrary substrate 101, and thermal annealing or the like is performed.
The piezoelectric film is crystal-grown. After that, similarly to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a second piezoelectric film 302, a hole 104, an electrode 303, a third piezoelectric llA 304, and an electrode 305 are formed, resulting in a cross-sectional view as shown in FIG. . By forming the liquid ejecting head in this way, the piezoelectric film 302, electrode 303, piezoelectric film 304, and electrode 305 can be epitaxially grown, and the piezoelectric constant of the piezoelectric film 304 becomes large, allowing more efficient liquid ejection. A liquid ejecting head capable of ejecting liquid is realized.

FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view along a liquid conduction path of a liquid ejecting head in which piezoelectric elements are provided above and below a pressure chamber in an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the same symbols as in Figure 1 are
First, an electrode 401 is formed on an arbitrary substrate 101, which is the same as that shown in the figure, and then a first piezoelectric film 402 is formed.

Thereafter, a second pressure iE film 403, holes 104, and electrodes 404 are formed in the same manner as in the embodiment shown in FIG. As a result, the apparent displacement of the piezoelectric element is almost doubled, and a liquid ejecting head that can eject liquid more efficiently is realized.

Note that the present invention can be applied not only to the embodiments described above, but also to a wide range of applications without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the liquid jet head of the present invention can be applied not only to inkjet printers but also to other printing devices (typewriters,
It is widely applied to copy machine output, etc.), coating equipment, textile printing equipment, etc.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, by using the present invention, liquid conduction paths, piezoelectric elements, etc. are continuously formed using photolithography technology, so a liquid ejecting head that can easily increase the density of nozzles and have multiple nozzles can be obtained. is realized, and the positional deviation between the piezoelectric element and the pressure chamber can be made extremely small, so a high-yield liquid ejecting head can be realized.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIGS. 1(a) to 1(d) are cross-sectional views showing the steps of manufacturing a liquid jet head according to an embodiment of the present invention. (a) is a sectional view at the end of the hole formation pattern formation process, (b) is at the end of the hole formation process, and (C) is a cross-sectional view when the liquid ejecting head is completed. An example of a plan view of the liquid ejecting head at the end of the hole forming step b). Fig. 2 is a cross section along the liquid conduction path of the liquid ejecting head in which the piezoelectric element electrode is formed in a single layer in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 is a sectional view of a liquid ejecting head in which a hole is surrounded by a four-way piezoelectric film in an embodiment of the present invention. A cross-sectional view along a liquid conduction path of a liquid ejecting head provided with a piezoelectric element. 101... Any substrate 102... Hole formation pattern 103... First piezoelectric film 104... Holes 105. ...Electrode 106...Second piezoelectric film 107...Electrode 108...Pressure chamber and above Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation Representative Patent attorney: Kizobe Suzuki (and 1 other person) Figure (b) Figure 0) Figure (d) Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) At least a piezoelectric film provided on an arbitrary substrate and a hole provided in the piezoelectric film,
liquid jet head. (2) A method for manufacturing a liquid jet head, comprising at least a step of forming a hole forming pattern, a step of forming a piezoelectric film, and a step of forming holes by removing the hole forming pattern.