Patent ID: 6406134
Filing Date: 2002-06-18
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
A method for fabricating a monolithic ink-jet print head, comprising the steps of:preparing a print-control chip; forming an array of transducers over the print-control chip; forming a first polymer layer over the print-control chip, covering all the exposed surfaces of the print-control chip and the transducers; defining a selected part of the first polymer layer as ink barrier layers, with all the other part of the first polymer layer to be subsequently removed to serve as ink chambers and channels; after defining the first polymer layer, forming a second polymer layer over the first polymer layer, with the second polymer layer being substantially equal in thermal expansion coefficient to the first polymer layer; performing a selective removal process to remove those portions of the second polymer layer that are directly aligned to the transducers to thereby form an array of nozzles in the second polymer layer, with the remaining part of the second polymer layer serving as a nozzle device; and removing those portions of the first polymer layer that are laid directly beneath the nozzles in the nozzle device, with the left-behind void portions serving as the ink channels and chambers and the remaining solid portions of the first polymer layer serving as the ink barrier layers between the transducers.