CA2096726A1 - Laminate for use in manufacture of ink jet printheads - Google Patents

Laminate for use in manufacture of ink jet printheads

Info

Publication number
CA2096726A1
CA2096726A1 CA2096726A CA2096726A CA2096726A1 CA 2096726 A1 CA2096726 A1 CA 2096726A1 CA 2096726 A CA2096726 A CA 2096726A CA 2096726 A CA2096726 A CA 2096726A CA 2096726 A1 CA2096726 A1 CA 2096726A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
laminate
layers
layer
poling
temperature
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
CA2096726A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Anthony David Paton
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Xaar Ltd
Original Assignee
Anthony David Paton
Xaar Limited
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Anthony David Paton, Xaar Limited filed Critical Anthony David Paton
Publication of CA2096726A1 publication Critical patent/CA2096726A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41JTYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01Ink jet
    • B41J2/135Nozzles
    • B41J2/16Production of nozzles
    • B41J2/1621Manufacturing processes
    • B41J2/164Manufacturing processes thin film formation
    • B41J2/1643Manufacturing processes thin film formation thin film formation by plating
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41JTYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01Ink jet
    • B41J2/135Nozzles
    • B41J2/16Production of nozzles
    • B41J2/1607Production of print heads with piezoelectric elements
    • B41J2/1609Production of print heads with piezoelectric elements of finger type, chamber walls consisting integrally of piezoelectric material
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41JTYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01Ink jet
    • B41J2/135Nozzles
    • B41J2/16Production of nozzles
    • B41J2/1621Manufacturing processes
    • B41J2/1632Manufacturing processes machining
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H10SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10NELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10N30/00Piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices
    • H10N30/01Manufacture or treatment
    • H10N30/04Treatments to modify a piezoelectric or electrostrictive property, e.g. polarisation characteristics, vibration characteristics or mode tuning
    • H10N30/045Treatments to modify a piezoelectric or electrostrictive property, e.g. polarisation characteristics, vibration characteristics or mode tuning by polarising
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H10SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10NELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10N30/00Piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices
    • H10N30/01Manufacture or treatment
    • H10N30/05Manufacture of multilayered piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices, or parts thereof, e.g. by stacking piezoelectric bodies and electrodes
    • H10N30/053Manufacture of multilayered piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices, or parts thereof, e.g. by stacking piezoelectric bodies and electrodes by integrally sintering piezoelectric or electrostrictive bodies and electrodes
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10TTECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T29/00Metal working
    • Y10T29/42Piezoelectric device making

Abstract

2096726 9209436 PCTABS00013 A co-fired laminate (10) for use in printheads for drop-on-demand ink jet printers has two inner layers (12, 14) of piezoelectric material which are thickness poled in opposite senses, two outer layers (11, 15) of inactive material and a fifth layer (13) disposed between the inner layers which is electrically insulating under the printhead operating conditions and conductive under the poling conditions of the inner layers. The fifth layer preferably is an N.T.C. material with its critical temperature between the operating and poling temperatures. After poling of the inner layers further manufacture of the printhead from one side thereof can be effected as described.

Description

W O 92/09436 PC~/CB91/02093 20~7~

LAMINATE FOR USE IN MANUFACT~RE OF INX JET PRINTHEADS

This invention relates to ~ lsminate for use in th2 manufacture of printheads for drop--on-demand ink jet priDting.
In European Patent No. 0278590 the~e is described with reference to Figures 2(a) and 2(b) a printhead structure of the so-called "chevron" type. This is an advantageous form of structure as it requires a relatively low operating voltage.
Further, United States Patent No. 5,016,028 discloses an array printhead of the so-called "cantilever~ type which reguires a relatively high operating voltage, in which manufacture takes place from o~e side of the printhead.
One object o~ the present invention is to provide a laminate for use in manufacture o~ an arrny printhead of the chevron type so that manufacture thereof can ta`ke place from one side of the arr y.
The present invention consists in a co-fired laminate for use in the manu~acture of printheads ~or drop-on-demand ink jet printers, comprising two inner layers of pie~o-electric cersmic material which ~re thickness poled in opposite senses and two outer layers of inactive ceramic material, charscterised in that between said inner layers is provided a fifth layer of ceramic materi&l which in response to actuating pulses at the operating temperature of the printhead is substantially insulating and at the poling temperature of the inner layers is substantially conductive during the poling period.

.
.

.. - .. . .. . . ..

W O 92/09436 PC~/G~91/02093 n,, ~ ) 2 -S~itably, the resist~nce of said fifth layer lies in a range of approximately l.5 orders of ~agnitude. Preferably, the resistance of the fifth layer lies between 75 M.ohms/square and 2500 M.ohms/square at 60C.
In one form of the invention said fifth layer is a negative temPerature coefficient (~C) ceramic ~aterial having a critical temperature between the operating and poling temperatures at which the resistance of ~aid material changes rapidly.
In a further form of the lnvention said ou~er layers sre formed of an insul~ting cera~ic. Said cer~mic suitably is a glass ceramic ~nd m~y be formed with a dopant to increase the conductivity thereof at the poling temperature.
The invention further consists in the ~ethod of forming a ~rop-on demand ink jet array printhead comprising (a) forming a co-fired laminate having two inner layers of piezo-ele~tric material, two outer layers of inactive ceramic material and a ~ifth layer of ceramic ma~erial between said inner layers which is insulating in response to actuating pulses at the operating temperature and at the poling temperature is conductive during the poling period;
(b) applying electrodes to outer surfaces respectively of s~id two outer layers;
(c) applying a poling pulse between said fifth layer and said electrodes thereby to e~fect thickness poling of the inner l~yers in respectlve opposite senses;

' - , ~ , . . - . . , . . , ,.. , . -~ .

.. .

W O 92/0'9436 2 0 9 ~ 7 2 6 PCT/GB~l/02093 (d) removing one of the ~uter layers;
(e) forming an array of parallel channels of depth which extends normal to the laminate through the inner layer from which said one of the outer layers was removed, the middle layer and a substantial part at least of the other of said inner layers; and (f) applying electrode layers to facing sides Or each of said chsnnels.
The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-FIGURE 1 is a cross-~ectional vie~ of a laminste according to the invention;
FIGURE 2(a) and 2(b) are cross-sectional views of the laminate of Figure 1 in the course of conversion thereof to an ink jet array printhead component;
FIGURE 3 is a diagram of electrical resistance per square of the central layer of the laminate oP the earlier Figures against temperature. It illustrates the ~rend o~ the min1mum resistance appropriate for shear mode wall actuation of a chevron-type of channel wall actuator at room temperature and the trend of the msximum resistance ~uitable for poling the laminate at the poling tempersture;
FIGIRE 4 is a diagram similar to that of Figure 3 showing the variation of electrical res1stance per square against temperature of the central layer of the laminate when ths central layer compri~es a negative temperature coefficient material.

.

W O sZ/09436 PC~/Gn9l/02~93 ~ ~ 9 6~1,6 _ 4 Referring first to Figure 1, a laminate 10 comprises five layers 11 to 15 each o~ which is a ferro-elec~ric ceramic.
Suitably, each of the layers is -tape-cast in the form of longitudinal strips pres3ed onto one ~nother and co-Plred.
Outer layers 11 and 15 of the laminate are of lnactive materials sultable for being co-fired wlth inner layers 12 ~nd 14 of piezo-electric ceramic made o~ lead zircon~um titanate (PZT).
The preferred materials for the inner layers are a polycrystalline PZT having superior piezo-electric activity defined by the property (dl5/ rD55) such as is obtained from Motorola D3203 or Tokin N-8, N-10 or N-20. These are commercially available msterials having high shear mode activity.
The outer layers 11 and 15 may also be of piezo-electric ceramic with thermal expansion characteristics matched to those o~ the inner lAyers and haYing similar or the same basic mix as is used for the inner layers but also including a dopant to render the ceramic inactive or depoled when subject to an electric field. An example of a suitable dopant is lanthanum (La) or Strontium (Sr). The addition or substitution of Lanthanum for exa~ple is known to depress the Curie temperature o~ the material. By the addition o~ 5 - 10X o~ such dopants the material of the outer layer~ is readily depoled by raising the temperature of the laminate to their Curie temperature, while the material o~ the~inner layers re=ains polarized. With addition of sufficient dopant, the Curie .
~-' .

- , ,, . ,,, ,:

"/0 92/09436 PCI/CB')1/020~3 20~67~1~

temperature can be depressed below the poling temperature and in this case the outer layers will never become poled. The laminate is symmetrical, so that is not liable to distort under poling or depoling stresses and uch stresses rapidly decay by creep. A
satisfactory effect ~s regards rendering the outer layers inactivs or depoled when subject to ~n electric field may be obtained with concentrations of dopant in the range 2 to 25%.
The central layer 13 is a thin layer of doped ceramic, which may be applied optionally in tape cast form, or as a slurry which is coated on one of the facing surfaces of layers 12 and 1~ .
The laminate is subsequently fir0d and poled as described below. Channels sre then cut through layers 12, 13 and 14 and operatlng electrodes deposited onto channel separating side walls as are shown in FIG. 2 and described hereinbelow in the detailed discussion of manufacture of the printhead.
Lsyer 13 is effectively insulating in response to the operating waveform, typically pulses of 10~ seconcls duration, at the operating temperature (0-60C) of the ink jet printhead but is substantially conducting on application of the pollng voltage pulse, typically of 10 seconds duration, ~t the poling temperature. It is a preferred aspect of this layer that it is characteri7ecl by a temperature coefficient of resistance of negative slope, so that its conductivity incre~es as temperature increases. ~is is characteristic of ceramic materials and thermistors, but is the opposite of the characteristic of metallic concluctors whose resistance incre~ses wl~h temperature.

- - :' .
..

; , '; ~ ~ ' ' ' .
' W O 92/09436 PcT/GB9l/o2o93 ~ 96r~

The condition that the layer 13 i~ effectively insulating in response to the operating waveform at the operating temperature applied to the electrodes of ~n actuator i5 quantified by reference to Figure 2 ~nd illustrated in Figure 3.
If the period of the waveform is 10 usec and the charge le~kage through the layer 13 in the actuator i~ limited to 1%

1 ~ 3 ~l~o ~ 10 5 = 10 3 where hl is the thic~ness of each layer 12 or 14 h3 is the thickness of layer 13 ~1 and ~O are respectively the relative permittivity of each layer 12 snd 14 and of free space, and ~ 3 is the resistivity o~ layer 13.

and, if hl = 250xlO 6m ~1 = 3 ~O = 8.85xlO 12 F.m 1 the layer resistance per square ~ 3 106.10 3 = 76 M.ohm per square h3 2x250x3000x8.85xlO 12 The condition that the layer 13 is subst~ntially co~ducting on application o~ the poling voltage pul~e can also be quantified.

The poling voltage ~ illustrated in Figure 1 is applied to electrodes 18 ~nd 19 on each side of the strip at the poling temperature, typically 120C. Charge then flows inward through the layer 13, so that the d~fferential voltage between the layer 13 and the electrod-s 16 snd 17 becomes : - - ~ , : , . .

W O 92/09436 PCT/~,B')I/02093
2~72~

progressively uniform. Typically, it is required to attain 99~
uniformi~y between the voltage at the outer edges and that at the centre of the strip within a poling pulse period of 10 secs.
Analysis shows that the voltage distribution is expressed by a simple diffusion equation of the form a2v = ~o 3 . ~V
~X2 h1 ~ h2 ~t ~1 ~2 and that 99% uniformity is attained when ~ ) . t where ~ = X
h /2
3 2~o (~/2) 2 ' and i~ ht = h2 = 250 x lO 6m ~ = 8.85xlO 12 F.m 1 ~i ~2 3000 t = 10 sec ~ = 4Omm where hl = h2 is the thickness of each layer 11 and 15 V is the poling voltage is the distance between the electrodes 18 and 19 t is time for the voltage in the layer 13 to become 99 percent uniform and is s the poling time.

0 x 2 x 250 x 10-6 3 <
3000 x 2 x 8.85 x lO 12 x 400 x lO 6 : e 3 < 220 M.ohm per square .

W 0 92/09436 PCT/~B')l/02093 9 ~

The conditions that~3/h3, which i~ the resistance per square of the lsyer 13 > 76 M.ohm at the operating temperature of 60 C and that~3/h3 220 M.ohm at poling temperatures of 120 C and 180 C are~ illustrated as line~
marked C and D in Figure 3. Measured at 60C, this r~n~e is between 76 and 2500 M.ohm per square.
In Figure 3, the resistancep3/h3 per 4quare is plotted over five decades fromp3/h3 = 1-105 M.ohm, over a temperature range 0-180C.
I'he resistance of ceramics is characterized by a temperature coefficient of negative slope and of magnitude such that the resistance typically falls by an order of ~agnitude for every increase in temperature of 60C.
The line A indicates the course of the resistance per square~3/h3 of layer 13, such that at 60C its resistance per square = 76 M.ohm. In that case 1% of the charge stored a~
60C is discharged during the operating cycle. The line B
indicates a lower resistance per sguare when 10% of the charge stored at 60C is discharged during the operating cycle. For practical operation the resistance per square of layer 13 should be to the right of line A.
Similarly the line C is such that the resistance per sguare is 220 M.ohm at 120C. In that case the poling field is 99X uniform after application for 10 seconds. The line D
indicates~the resistance per square ~or a material poled with similar uni~ormity at 180C. In practice the material selected should be to the left of line C.

' .

W O 92/09436 PCT/~B91/()2093 20~'~72~
_ 9 _ ., The material of layer 13 should thus be selected to have a resistance per square in the range between lines a and C
i.e. within A resistance ra~ge of about 1.5 orders of nagnitude, this range being obtained by readi.ng the ~eparation of the line~
A and C at the ssme temperature.
The~e calculations indicate that a resistance per square ~3/h3 of layer 13 can be abtalned ~uch that it 1~
effectively insulating in response to the operating wave~orm (lO~ec) at the operating temperature (0-60C) of the ink jet printhead, but is substantially conducting on applicatlon of the poling wave~orm at the poling temperature (of 120-180C) for a duration of 10 seconds.
The material of layer 13 may however be a material comprising an NTC (negative temperature coefficientj ceramic.
NTC ceramics are materials having 8 non-llnear variation of resistivity, such that their resistance undergoes a st~p reduction with~n a narrow temperature range. Nor~ally this step change of resistivity is limited to 1-2 orders of magnitude concentrated over 5-10C ra~ge. If this critical temperature is chosen to be above the operating temperature and below the poling temperature, the margin of resistance per square is further incre~sed above that indicated in Figure 3 for a ceramic insulstor.
This is illu-~trated in Figure 4 where the chain dotted lines A' and C' show the corresponding limiting valves of reslstance per square with temperature under operating and poling canditions respect.ively ~or an NTC ceramic. The effective 1:

, WO 92/09436 pcr/G B') 1/02093 9 ~ 6 lo -temperatures are the operatin~ and poling temperatures, typically 60C and 120C, and the resistance per ~quare range is no~
around 2.5 orders of magnitude, this range belng that between the locations at which the lines A' and C' lnter3ect either of the said typical operating and poling l:emperatures. This range affords increased margin in the chc~ice o~ resistlvity per sguare of the layer 13.
The outer layer 11 ~nd 15 in an alternative form of the invention may be an insulating ceramic, such as a glass cera~ic, chosen to have a thermal exp~nsion coefficient matched to that of the layers 12, 13 and 14. Examples of such a material are Cordierite and oxides of Lithium Aluminium and Silicon which are glass cera~ics whose expansion coefficient can be selected according to ingredients and thermal history to lie in the range of 1-4 x 10 6 per C. Such a material can be co-fired with the pie~o-electric layers 12-14 and has the advantage that its i modulus of elasticity is greater than the materials described above, which were La or Si doped PZT~
The dielectric constsnt of a glass ceramic such as cordierite is usually 8-12 and is thus substantially lower than that of layers 12 and 14 where ~1 is typically 3000. As will be evident later the poling voltage to pole layers 12 and 14 through layers 11 and 15 respectively is made substanti~lly more difficult due to its lower dielectric constant. Conseguently, the resistlvity of the outer layers 11 and 15 if they consist of glass ceramic is reduced by the addition of dopants.

. .

- . , - ~

W O 9~/09436 PC~'/C~'Jl/02~3 209672~.~ ' Typically, the resistivity ~2 of layers 11 ~nd 15 i5 reduced so that p2 < hl t h2 ~l~o and if ~1 = 3 ~O = 8.85 x 10 12 F.m 1 and t = lOsecs h - h ~2 < 3.8 x 108 ohm.m then the voltage applied to the outer electrodes 16 snd 17 penetrates layers 11 and 15 respectively during the 10 second period o~ the poling pulse, and a high proportion of the voltage is effective over the piezo-electric layers 12 and 14 because charge penetrates the layers 11 and 15 by conduction 50 that the voltages at the interfaces o~ the layerQ 14 and 15 and the layers 11 and 12 tend to become egual to the voltage oP the electrodes 16 and 17 respectively.
~ Thus layers 11 and 15 ~ay option~lly be made oP an insulsting c~eramic, providing its resistivity is suitably reduced at the~poling temperature. This ~spect was disclosed in United States Patent No. 5,035,24i.

~ ,.

,, ~ ~ ' , .' . . : . ...

W O 92/09436 PCT/GB91/02n93 '~ 9 ~ 6 _ 12 ~ ~

The laminate 10 may be made as previously stated from five layers of ceramic of suitable materials that are tape csst, pressed together and co-fired, the fifth being optionally applied as a slurry to one of the Pacing s~rfaces of the liner layers 12 and 14. The laminate includes outer electrode~ 16 and 17 and central electrodes 18 and 19 formedl on either slde of layer 13.
During firing, due to the symmetry of the laminate~ the ceramic remains substantially flat.
The laminate is poled by appllcation of a poling field, as illustrated, between electrodes 16, 17 and 18, 19. This applies a poling field to polarize the piezo-electric material of layers 12 and 14 in a configuration denoted by arrows indicated in Figure 2. If layers 11 and 15 comprise a piezo-eIectric material, and they become polarized during the poling step, they are readily depoled by heating them above their Curie temperature during or after poling: if ehose layers ~re an insulatlng ceramic which is non piezo-electric, an enhanced conductivity in those layers helps to limit the magnitude of the poling ~ield.
A~ter poling, the materia]s are aged to allow residual stresses to relsx by creep. Nor~al ~ctivity tests of the piezo-electric structure can be-performed to monitor the material ch~racteristics.
The construc~ion of an ink ~et printhead component from the laminate is illustrated by reference to Figures 2(a) and (b) in which the five layers are shown diagrammatically on the left.
Initlally the layer 11 and its electrode 16 are removed by grinding or lapping and the lower electrode 17 is removed by , : , , - ., , : :. ... .. -, ~ ~. , - : -W O 92/09436 PCr/GJB9l/02093 20~672~) ' lapping or etching leaving the face so exposed of layer 12 and layer 15 parallel and the sur~ace of the layer 12 flat to 8 high tolerance.
Ink channels 20 are then cut in the laminate as illustrated in the centr~l ~ection. The method of for~ing channels has previously been disclosed in Unlted States Patent No. 5,016,028 which relates to an ink ~et array printhead which can be manufactured from one side of the channel structure.
However, because the layers 12 and 14 are oppositely poled the wall actuators will now be of the so called "chevron" type, such as are the subject of European Patents No. 0277703 and No.
0278590. These actuators are known to be advantageous because they require a lower actuating voltase to establish the same preQsure in the ink channels during operation. If the insulating glass ceramic is u~ed in the layer 15 thi~ serves to stif~en the wall actuators Qt their root interface with layer 15, which also serves to limit the co~pliance of the wall actuator.
After for~ing chnnnels as illustrated in Figure 2(b) the wall actuators Rre plated with electrodes 30 as illustrated in the right hand ~ection to which ~ psssivation coating may be applied. Subsequent operations to build an ink Jet array prlnthead are _OWD in the urt-, --: : - . :

' ' ' . ' " ' ~ ' . ~ .
.

Claims (20)

Claims
1. A co-fired laminate for use in the manufacture of printheads for drop-on-demand ink jet printers, comprising two inner layers of piezo-electric ceramic material which are thickness poled in opposite senses and two outer layers of inactive ceramic material, charactesrised in that between said inner layers is provided a fifth layer of ceramic material which in response to actuating pulses at the operating temperature of the printhead is insulating and at the poling temperature of the inner layers is conductive during the poling period.
2. A laminate as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that the resistance per square of said fifth layer lies in a range of approximately 1.5 orders of magnitude measured at the operating or poling temperature.
3. A laminate as claimed in Claim 2, characterised in that the resistance of the fifth layer lies between 75 M and 2500 M.ohms. per square at 60°C.
4. A laminate as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that said fifth layer is a negative temperature coefficient (NTC) ceramic material having a critical temperature between the operating and poling temperatures at which the resistance of said material changes rapidly.
5. A laminate as claimed in Claim 4, characterised in that said fifth layer has a resistivity and a thickness providing between the operating and poling temperatures a resistance per square range greater than 2.5 orders of magnitude.
6. A laminate as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that said outer layers are formed of an insulating ceramic.
7. A laminate as claimed in Claim 6, characterised in that said outer layers are formed of a glass ceramic.
8. A laminate as claimed in Claim 7, characterised in that said outer layers are formed of a glass ceramic of oxides of Lithium, Aluminium and silicon.
9. A laminate as claimed in Claim 7 or Claim 8, characterised in that said outer layers are formed with a dopant to render them more conductive at the poling temperature.
10. A laminate as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 5, characterised in that said outer layers are each formed of piezo-electric ceramic material including a dopant to render the layer inactive or depoled when subject to an electric field.
11. A laminate as claimed in Claim 10, characterised in that said dopant is Lanthanum.
12. A laminate as claimed in Claim 10, characterised in that said dopant is Strontium.
13. A laminate as claimed in Claim 11 or 12, characterised in that said dopant is contained in the material of said outer layers in a concentration of 2 to 25 per cent.
14. A laminate as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised by an array of parallel channels formed in the laminate after removing part at least of one outer layer, said channels extending normal to and penetrating the inner layers and the fifth layer.
15. A laminate as claimed in Claim 14, characterised in that channel facing surfaces of inter channel walls formed by three of the laminate layers are coated with conductive electrode layers.
16. A laminate as claimed in Claim 15, characterised in that said electrode layers are provided with a passivation coating.
17. The method of forming a drop-on-demand ink jet array printhead comprising (a) forming a co-fired laminate having two inner layers of piezo-electric material, two outer layers of inactive ceramic material and a fifth layer of ceramic material between said inner layers which is substantially insulating in response to actuating pulses at the operating temperature and at the poling temperature is substantially conductive during the poling period;
(b) applying electrodes to outer surfaces respectively of said two outer layers;
(c) applying a poling pulse between said fifth layer and said electrodes thereby to effect thickness poling of the inner layers in respective opposite senses;
(d) removing one of the outer layers;
(e) forming an array of parallel channels of depth which extends normal to the laminate through the inner layer from which said one of the outer layers was removed, the middle layer and a substantial part at least of the other of said inner layers; and (f) applying electrode layers to facing sides of each of said channels.
18. The method claimed in Claim 17, characterised by forming said laminate by providing at least said outer and inner layers from tape cast ceramic materials pressing the laminate layers together and effecting co-firing thereof.
19. The method claimed in Claim 18, characterised by forming said fifth layer of the laminate from tape cast doped ceramic material.
20. The method claimed in Claim 18, characterised by forming said fifth layer from a slurry of doped ceramic applied to one of the facing surfaces of said inner layers of piezo-electric material.
CA2096726A 1990-11-27 1991-11-27 Laminate for use in manufacture of ink jet printheads Abandoned CA2096726A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB909025706A GB9025706D0 (en) 1990-11-27 1990-11-27 Laminate for use in manufacture of ink drop printheads
GB9025706.4 1990-11-27
PCT/GB1991/002093 WO1992009436A1 (en) 1990-11-27 1991-11-27 Laminate for use in manufacture of ink jet printheads

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2096726A1 true CA2096726A1 (en) 1992-06-11

Family

ID=10686015

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA2096726A Abandoned CA2096726A1 (en) 1990-11-27 1991-11-27 Laminate for use in manufacture of ink jet printheads

Country Status (10)

Country Link
US (1) US5512796A (en)
EP (1) EP0559683B1 (en)
JP (1) JPH06502816A (en)
AT (1) ATE135299T1 (en)
CA (1) CA2096726A1 (en)
DE (1) DE69117971T2 (en)
GB (1) GB9025706D0 (en)
HK (1) HK1000054A1 (en)
SG (1) SG46374A1 (en)
WO (1) WO1992009436A1 (en)

Families Citing this family (25)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5543009A (en) * 1991-08-16 1996-08-06 Compaq Computer Corporation Method of manufacturing a sidewall actuator array for an ink jet printhead
JP3178945B2 (en) * 1992-08-25 2001-06-25 日本碍子株式会社 Inkjet print head
JP3024466B2 (en) * 1993-02-25 2000-03-21 ブラザー工業株式会社 Droplet ejector
JPH07276624A (en) * 1994-04-07 1995-10-24 Tec Corp Ink jet printer head
DE69634797T2 (en) * 1996-01-11 2006-04-27 Wac Data Services Co. Ltd., Fujimi Laminated piezoelectric actuator and method
EP1179861A3 (en) 1997-03-27 2003-03-19 Seiko Epson Corporation Piezoelectric element and process for producing the same
DE69927211T2 (en) * 1998-06-30 2006-06-29 Canon K.K. Line printhead for inkjet printers
AU762936B2 (en) 1998-11-14 2003-07-10 Xaar Technology Limited Droplet deposition apparatus
US6560833B2 (en) 1998-12-04 2003-05-13 Konica Corporation Method of manufacturing ink jet head
DE69937032T2 (en) * 1998-12-04 2008-05-29 Konica Corp. Ink jet printhead and method of manufacture
CA2380144C (en) 1999-08-14 2008-04-15 Xaar Technology Limited Droplet deposition apparatus
DE10028335B4 (en) * 2000-06-08 2004-04-01 Epcos Ag Method for polarizing a piezo ceramic, method for producing a piezo actuator and use of the piezo actuator
US8251471B2 (en) * 2003-08-18 2012-08-28 Fujifilm Dimatix, Inc. Individual jet voltage trimming circuitry
TWI255057B (en) * 2004-02-27 2006-05-11 Canon Kk Dielectric element, piezoelectric element, ink jet head and ink jet recording apparatus and manufacturing method of same
US7911625B2 (en) * 2004-10-15 2011-03-22 Fujifilm Dimatrix, Inc. Printing system software architecture
US7907298B2 (en) * 2004-10-15 2011-03-15 Fujifilm Dimatix, Inc. Data pump for printing
US8068245B2 (en) * 2004-10-15 2011-11-29 Fujifilm Dimatix, Inc. Printing device communication protocol
US7722147B2 (en) * 2004-10-15 2010-05-25 Fujifilm Dimatix, Inc. Printing system architecture
US8085428B2 (en) 2004-10-15 2011-12-27 Fujifilm Dimatix, Inc. Print systems and techniques
US8199342B2 (en) * 2004-10-29 2012-06-12 Fujifilm Dimatix, Inc. Tailoring image data packets to properties of print heads
US7234788B2 (en) * 2004-11-03 2007-06-26 Dimatix, Inc. Individual voltage trimming with waveforms
US7556327B2 (en) * 2004-11-05 2009-07-07 Fujifilm Dimatix, Inc. Charge leakage prevention for inkjet printing
JP5170356B2 (en) * 2005-03-22 2013-03-27 セイコーエプソン株式会社 Piezoelectric element, liquid ejecting head, and liquid ejecting apparatus
JP2006303425A (en) * 2005-03-22 2006-11-02 Seiko Epson Corp Piezoelectric element, liquid ejection head and liquid ejector
JP5734040B2 (en) * 2011-03-22 2015-06-10 京セラ株式会社 Ink jet head and recording apparatus

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4879568A (en) * 1987-01-10 1989-11-07 Am International, Inc. Droplet deposition apparatus
GB8722086D0 (en) * 1987-09-19 1987-10-28 Cambridge Consultants Poling piezo-electric ceramic
GB8802506D0 (en) * 1988-02-04 1988-03-02 Am Int Piezo-electric laminate
GB8824014D0 (en) * 1988-10-13 1988-11-23 Am Int High density multi-channel array electrically pulsed droplet deposition apparatus
JP2867437B2 (en) * 1989-07-19 1999-03-08 ブラザー工業株式会社 Piezoelectric inkjet printer head

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
SG46374A1 (en) 1998-02-20
HK1000054A1 (en) 1997-10-31
GB9025706D0 (en) 1991-01-09
EP0559683B1 (en) 1996-03-13
ATE135299T1 (en) 1996-03-15
EP0559683A1 (en) 1993-09-15
WO1992009436A1 (en) 1992-06-11
JPH06502816A (en) 1994-03-31
DE69117971D1 (en) 1996-04-18
US5512796A (en) 1996-04-30
DE69117971T2 (en) 1996-09-12

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
CA2096726A1 (en) Laminate for use in manufacture of ink jet printheads
US6182340B1 (en) Method of manufacturing a co-fired flextensional piezoelectric transformer
US6088893A (en) Method for producing a piezoelectric/electrostrictive film-type element
EP0561616B1 (en) Piezoelectric/electrostrictive element having auxiliary electrode disposed between piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer and substrate
US5504388A (en) Piezoelectric/electrostrictive element having electrode film(s) with specified surface roughness
EP0615294B1 (en) Piezoelectric device
US7786652B2 (en) Multi-layer piezoelectric element
EP0468796B1 (en) Piezoelectric/electrostrictive actuator having ceramic substrate
US7936108B2 (en) Multi-layer piezoelectric element with electrodes made of glass and conductive material
EP0667646A1 (en) Piezoelectric/electrostrictive film element and method of producing the same
US8339017B2 (en) Multi-layer piezoelectric element and injection apparatus using the same
EP0708986A1 (en) Pyrodetector element with an epitaxially grown pyroelectric layer and process for producing the same
US5036241A (en) Piezoelectric laminate and method of manufacture
CN103227278A (en) Laminated piezoelectric device
US5762816A (en) Piezoelectric ceramic composition
EP1686633A1 (en) Multilayer piezoelectric device
Park et al. Electric-field induced strains and pyroelectric coefficients in lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate solid solutions
EP1338672A1 (en) Piezoelectric thin film and method for preparation thereof, and piezoelectric element having the piezoelectric thin film, ink-jet head using the piezoelectric element, and ink-jet recording device having the ink-jet head
Uchino et al. Inverse hysteresis of field induced elastic deformation in the solid solution 90 mol% Pb (Mg 1/3 Nb 2/3) O 3-10 mol% PbTiO 3
JP3106365B2 (en) Functionally graded piezoelectric
JPH11100265A (en) Piezoelectric ceramic composition
JP2864731B2 (en) Positive characteristic thermistor and manufacturing method thereof
EP0309147A2 (en) Monolithic piezoelectric bimorph
KR0124593B1 (en) Ultraviolet sensor manufacturing method
JPH036801A (en) Voltage-dependent nonlinear resistor

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
EEER Examination request
FZDE Discontinued