US6013160A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of making a printhead having reduced surface roughness
Assignee: Xerox Corp
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Filing: 1997-11-21
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Granted: 2000-01-11
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Expires: 2017-11-21
Abstract
Abstract The nucleation efficiency of a thermal ink jet printhead is improved by providing a heater resistor with a thin planar oxide film formed over a conductive heater resistive layer. In a preferred embodiment, zirconium diboride is sputtered onto a silicon substrate surface to form a first, electrically conductive base portion of the resistor. At a predetermined time, during the sputtering process, oxygen is introduced to form a thin film of ZrB 2 O x . The surface of this film is very smooth having a surface roughness of <5 nm RMS.
Inventors
- 👤 Alan D. Raisanen
- 👤 Cathie J. Burke
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 10:59
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/135; B41J2/16; B41J2/1621; B41J2/1626; B41J2/14; B41J2/14016; B41J2/14088; B41J2/14112; B41J2/14129; B41J2/1601; B41J2/1603; B41J2/164; B41J2/1646; B41J2202/00; B41J2202/01; B41J2202/03
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim
145 words
A method for fabricating an improved printhead for use in an ink jet printer, the printhead including a plurality of ink filled channels in thermal communication with at least one section of a heated resistor, comprising the steps of: (a) sputtering a layer of resistive material of the formula (A)B 2 where B is boron and A is a metal from the group consisting of zirconium, molybdenum, hafnium, niobium, tantalum, titanium, vanadium, and tungsten on the surface of a substrate, (b) introducing oxygen at the end of said sputtering step to form an oxide layer of relatively high sheet resistance overlying the layer of resistive material, the oxide layer having a surface roughness of less than 0.5 nm RMS and a formula (A)B 2 O x , and (b) forming a plurality of ink channels filled with ink in thermal communication with a heated resistor.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
145 words
A method for fabricating an improved printhead for use in an ink jet printer, the printhead including a plurality of ink filled channels in thermal communication with at least one section of a heated resistor, comprising the steps of: (a) sputtering a layer of resistive material of the formula (A)B 2 where B is boron and A is a metal from the group consisting of zirconium, molybdenum, hafnium, niobium, tantalum, titanium, vanadium, and tungsten on the surface of a substrate, (b) introducing oxygen at the end of said sputtering step to form an oxide layer of relatively high sheet resistance overlying the layer of resistive material, the oxide layer having a surface roughness of less than 0.5 nm RMS and a formula (A)B 2 O x , and (b) forming a plurality of ink channels filled with ink in thermal communication with a heated resistor.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the resistive material is zirconium diboride.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 further including the step of forming a tantalum layer over the oxide layer.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-01-10 | 2003-07-12 | 2004-01-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-01-10 | 2007-07-12 | 2008-01-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-01-10 | 2011-07-12 | 2012-01-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |