Patent ID: 6723985
Filing Date: 2004-04-20
Classification: H01J

Abstract:
A method of producing an electrospray device comprising:providing a substrate having opposed first and second surfaces, the first side coated with a photoresist over an etch-resistant material; exposing the photoresist on the first surface to an image to form a pattern in the form of at least one ring on the first surface; removing the exposed photoresist on the first surface which is outside and inside the at least one ring leaving the unexposed photoresist; removing the etch-resistant material from the first surface of the substrate where the exposed photoresist was removed to form holes in the etch-resistant material; optionally, removing all photoresist remaining on the first surface; coating the first surface with a second coating of photoresist; exposing the second coating of photoresist within the at least one ring to an image; removing the exposed second coating of photoresist from within the at least one ring to form at least one hole; removing material from the substrate coincident with the at least one bole in the second layer of photoresist on the first surface to form at least one passage extending through the second layer of photoresist on the first surface and into substrate; optionally removing all photoresist from the first surface; applying an etch-resistant layer to all exposed surfaces on the first surface side of the substrate; removing the etch-resistant layer from the first surface that is around the at least one ring; removing material from the substrate exposed by the removed etch-resistant layer around the at least one ring to define at least one nozzle on the first surface; providing a photoresist over an etch-resistant material on the second surface; exposing the photoresist on the second surface to an image to form a pattern circumscribing extensions of the at least one hole formed in the etch-resistant material of the first surface; removing the exposed photoresist on the second surface; removing the etch-resistant material on the second surface coincident with where the photoresist was removed; removing material from the substrate coincident with where the etch-resistant material on the second surface was removed to form a reservoir extending into the substrate to the extent needed to join the reservoir and the at least one passage; and applying an etch-resistant material to all surfaces of the substrate to form the electrospray device.