Coating processes for an ink jet printhead

Claim 2

A process for minimizing or avoiding drop deflection in ink jet devices which comprises the steps of: coating ink jet head components of said ink jet devices with hydrogenated amorphous carbon and subsequently subjecting said hydrogenated amorphous carbon to fluorination whereby there results a fluorine surface layer present on said hydrogenated amorphous carbon coating thereby preventing drop deflection.

Claim 3

A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein the hydrogenated amorphous carbon contains from about 1 to about 40 weight percent of hydrogen.

Claim 4

A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein the flourine surface layer is of a thickness of about 1,000 Angstroms.

Claim 5

A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein the hydrogenated amorphous carbon coating is of a thickness of from about 100 Angstroms to about 10 microns.

Claim 6

A process in accordance with claim 3 wherein the coating is of a thickness of from about 100 Angstroms to about 10 microns.

Claim 7

A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein the hydrogenated amorphous carbon coating is applied by sputtering.

Claim 8

A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein the hydrogenated amorphous carbon coating is applied by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition techniques.

Claim 9

A process for avoiding or minimizing a deflection of ink droplets in an ink jet printing apparatus which comprises the steps of: coating ink jet head components of said ink jet printing apparatus with a amorphous carbon coating which comprises incorporating the components on a substrate into a deposition system; applying a vacuum of from about 1 mTorr to about 1 Torr; heating the substrate to a temperature of from about room temperature to about 300° C.; introducing into the deposition system a mixture of gases or vapors comprised of at least one carbon containing gas; adjusting a total pressure of the deposition system to from about 1 mTorr to about 1 Torr; activating the gas mixture in a plasma; and subsequently subjecting the formed amorphous carbon coating to fluorination whereby there results fluorine present on a surface of said amorphous carbon coating thereby preventing drop deflection.

Claim 10

A process for avoiding or minimizing a deflection of ink droplets in an ink jet printing apparatus which comprises the steps of: coating ink jet head components of said ink jet printing apparatus with a amorphous carbon coating which comprises incorporating the components on a substrate into a deposition system; applying a vacuum of from about 1 mTorr to about 1 Torr; heating the substrate to a temperature of from about room temperature to about 300° C.; introducing into the deposition system a mixture of gases or vapors comprised of at least one carbon containing gas; adjusting a total pressure of the deposition system to from about 1 mTorr to about 1 Torr; activating the gas mixture in a plasma; and subsequently subjecting the formed amorphous carbon coating to fluorination whereby there results fluorine present on a surface of said amorphous carbon coating thereby preventing drop deflection.

Claim 11

A process in accordance with claim 8 wherein the ink jet head component is an ink jet print head assembly.

Claim 12

A process for minimizing drop deflection in ink jet devices which comprises the steps of: coating ink jet head components of said ink jet devices with a material selected from the group consisting of amorphous carbon, and hydrogenated amorphous carbon; and subsequently fluorinating said amorphous carbon or said hydrogenated amorphous carbon wherein there is formed on a surfaces thereof a layer of fluorine atoms thereby preventing drop deflection.

Claim 13

A process for minimizing drop deflection in ink jet devices which comprises the steps of: coating ink jet head components of said ink jet devices with a material selected from the group consisting of amorphous carbon, and hydrogenated amorphous carbon; and subsequently fluorinating said amorphous carbon or said hydrogenated amorphous carbon wherein there is formed on a surfaces thereof a layer of fluorine atoms thereby preventing drop deflection.

Claim 14

A process in accordance with claim 10 wherein the hydrogenated amorphous carbon contains from 1 to about 60 weight percent of hydrogen.

Claim 15

A process in accordance with claim 10 wherein said fluorinating is accomplished with CF 4 .

Claim 16

A process for avoiding drop deflection in ink jet devices which comprises the steps of: coating ink jet head components of said ink jet devices with a material selected from the group consisting of amorphous carbon, and hydrogenated amorphous carbon, subsequently subjecting said amorphous carbon or said hydrogenated amorphous carbon to fluorination thereby preventing drop deflection.

Claim 17

A process for avoiding drop deflection in ink jet devices which comprises the steps of: coating ink jet head components of said ink jet devices with a material selected from the group consisting of amorphous carbon, and hydrogenated amorphous carbon, subsequently subjecting said amorphous carbon or said hydrogenated amorphous carbon to fluorination thereby preventing drop deflection.

Claim 18

A process in accordance with claim 13 wherein said fluorination is accomplished with CF 4 .

Claim 19

A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said fluorinating is accomplished with CF 4 .

Claim 20

A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein prior to coating the ink jet head components with said hydrogenated amorphous carbon the ink jet heads are subjected to cleaning.

Claim 21

A process in accordance with claim 16 wherein cleaning is effected with argon and nitrous oxide.

Claim 22

A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein fluorine is bonded to the hydrogenated amorphous carbon coating.