Fluid jetting head based on piezoelectric bridge type beam
Technical field
The invention belongs to the microelectron-mechanical field, a kind of fluid jetting head that particularly adopts micro-processing method to realize based on piezoelectric bridge type beam.
Background technology
The most common, the most extensive, the most typical ink jet type that is applied as of fluid jetting head and liquid injection apparatus is printed figure, image record and fields such as printing, printing and dyeing.Also be widely used at other little manufacture views such as multiple display such as liquid crystal display, organic light emitting display and biochips.Fluid jetting head based on piezo-electric effect has the drop controlled amount, and jet velocity is controlled, realizes that easily high-precision drop sprays, and characteristics such as shower nozzle long service life are the important directions of liquid injection apparatus development.
The fluid jetting head cost that adopts piezoelectric principle to make is higher.For reducing use cost, generally fluid jetting head and liquid storage box are designed to detachable structure, needn't change shower nozzle when changing liquid or liquid storage box.A complete liquid injection apparatus should comprise parts such as fluid jetting head, liquid storage box, control circuit, bracing frame, shell.But fluid jetting head is wherein most crucial part, and its design and fabrication technology is determining the performance of whole liquid injection apparatus.
Along with the development of technology, the jet velocity of fluid jetting head and nozzle array density improve constantly.High performance fluid jetting head depends mainly on the global design and the manufacturing technology of liquid driver, liquid micro-channel and micro-spraying hole.
Seiko Epson Corp discloses a kind of piezoelectric type shower nozzle; Upper wall in micro-channel is made piezoelectricity/elastic composite oscillating plate; When the piezoelectric element on piezoelectric vibrating plate applies voltage; That oscillating plate takes place is protruding, spill becomes, thereby changes the volume in the micro-channel, make liquid from micro-spraying hole that micro-channel communicates eject.Adopt the piezoelectric vibrating plate hardness of this mode bigger, make the required driving force of its deformation very big; And, link to each other with microchannel walls around the oscillating plate, and suffer restraints.These two kinds of reasons have seriously limited liquid driven in the micro-channel.And, because the effect of contraction of plate surrounding, when the area of oscillating plate more hour, the deformation of plate is just more little, the Volume Changes in the micro-channel is just more little, the liquid outlet quantity of injection is just more little.To eject liquid measure in order increasing, to need to increase the yardstick of micro-channel.And when forming more highdensity fluid jetting head array, but the width of micro-channel is restricted.Therefore, the type of drive of this shower nozzle has influenced the liquid spray volume, has hindered the size and the integrated level that improves shower nozzle of further minimizing micro-channel.
A kind of piezoelectric cantilever beam type fluid jetting head has overcome the problem that above-mentioned piezo jets exists.It adopts piezoelectric cantilever to spray from micro-spraying hole at the top or the middle liquid that directly drives in the micro-channel of micro-channel.Because piezoelectric cantilever is only at a side fixed support of beam; Other part is a suspending movable, does not receive the restriction of substrate, therefore; The deflection of piezoelectric cantilever is far longer than aforesaid fixing piezoelectric vibrating plate all around, and it can spray from micro-spraying hole by the more liquid of more effective driving.Because piezoelectric cantilever can be realized big distortion under low-voltage, therefore, this shower nozzle can be worked under lower voltage.Perhaps, because piezoelectric cantilever can be realized bigger distortion, so just can keep reducing the lateral dimension of the total area or the micro-channel of driver under the constant situation of liquid jet amount, thereby realize having the more fluid jetting head of high density nozzle array.
But based on the fluid jetting head of piezoelectric cantilever, because piezoelectric cantilever has only an end to fix, the other end suspends movable, and like this, when cantilever beam was longer, cantilever beam structures was relatively more fragile, though the drive displacement of movable end can be very big, driving force reduces.On the other hand, the cantilever beam structures that an end floats has also been brought difficulty for the reliability of shower nozzle and manufacturing, has reduced service life and fabrication yield.
Summary of the invention
The purpose of this invention is to provide a kind of fluid jetting head that drives based on piezoelectric bridge type beam, its primary structure comprises, micro-spraying hole, micro-channel, piezoelectric bridge type beam; It is characterized in that: at the micro-spraying hole that the setting of fluid jetting head outer surface communicates with micro-channel, the piezoelectric bridge type beam that contains piezoelectric thin film layer and upper and lower electrode layer thereof is arranged in the top or the conduit of micro-channel, as the driver of liquid injection in the micro-channel; Piezoelectric bridge type beam in corresponding each other micro-spraying hole, micro-channel, micro-channel top or the conduit of above-mentioned and the micro-channel formation liquid injection structure that combines; Under the driving of voltage, piezoelectric bridge type beam produces deformation, drive in the micro-channel liquid from micro-spraying hole that micro-channel communicates spray.
The two ends of said piezoelectric bridge type beam link to each other with substrate, and as the fixed support end of bridge type beam, the both sides of piezoelectric bridge type beam mid portion do not link to each other with substrate, form bridge architecture.
Said piezoelectric bridge type beam is the multi-layer compound structure that comprises piezoelectric thin film layer and non-piezoelectric layer, wherein comprises one deck piezoelectric thin film layer and upper and lower electrode layer thereof at least.
Piezoelectric thin film layer in the said piezoelectric bridge type beam and upper and lower electrode layer thereof cover whole bridge type beam, or partly are distributed on the bridge type beam.
The surface of said piezoelectric bridge type beam is an electric insulation layer.
Said piezoelectric bridge type beam is placed one at least in the top of each micro-channel or conduit, the liquid that drives in the same micro-channel sprays from the micro-spraying hole that communicates with it.
In the said fluid jetting head, comprise at least one group of corresponding each other micro-spraying hole, micro-channel, piezoelectric bridge type beam and constitute array liquid injection structure based on piezoelectric bridge type beam based on piezoelectric bridge type beam.
The invention has the beneficial effects as follows because piezoelectric bridge type beam fixed support only at the two ends of beam; The bridge mid portion is not for receiving the restriction of substrate; Therefore, fixing piezoelectric vibrating plate around the deflection of bridge type beam is far longer than, it can spray from micro-spraying hole by the more liquid of more effective driving.On the other hand; Because piezoelectric bridge type beam is fixed support at the two ends of beam, therefore, has avoided in the Piezoelectric Cantilever Beams; An end fixed support only, and the other end suspend movable caused fragile structure, driving force is less relatively, reliability is low, make problems such as difficulty.Therefore, based on the fluid jetting head of piezoelectric bridge type beam overcome simultaneously based on around the fixing board-like fluid jetting head of piezoelectric vibration and based on the shortcoming of piezoelectric cantilever beam type fluid jetting head.It had both guaranteed the shower nozzle reliable operation, had taken into account the operating efficiency of shower nozzle again, had also reduced manufacture difficulty.
Description of drawings
Fig. 1 is first kind of structural representation of fluid jetting head, and in this structure, piezoelectric bridge type beam is at the micro-channel middle part.
Fig. 2 is the assembling sketch map of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is the split sketch map of Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is second kind of structural representation of fluid jetting head, and in this structure, piezoelectric bridge type beam is on micro-channel top.
Fig. 5 is the third structural representation of fluid jetting head, and in this structure, piezoelectric bridge type beam is on micro-channel top.
Fig. 6 is the piezoelectric bridge type beam cross-sectional view.
The specific embodiment
The fluid jetting head that drives based on piezoelectric bridge type beam that the present invention proposes has multiple implementation.Fig. 1, Fig. 4, Fig. 5 respectively example three kinds of possible implementation structures wherein.Their common trait all is the micro-spraying hole that communicates with micro-channel in the setting of fluid jetting head outer surface, and the piezoelectric bridge type beam that contains piezoelectric thin film layer and upper and lower electrode layer thereof is arranged in the top or the conduit of micro-channel, as the driver of liquid injection in the micro-channel; Piezoelectric bridge type beam in the micro-spraying hole of above-mentioned mutual correspondence, micro-channel, micro-channel top or the conduit combines and constitutes the liquid injection structure; Under the driving of voltage, piezoelectric bridge type beam produces deformation, drive in the micro-channel liquid from micro-spraying hole that micro-channel communicates spray.Fig. 1, Fig. 4, the structural representation that can be regarded as realizing having array liquid injection structure fluid jetting head shown in Figure 5.
In first kind of structural representation shown in Figure 1, form by jet orifice plate 100, substrate 200 and last substrate 300.The corresponding micro-spraying hole 110 of micro-channel 220 on one row and the substrate 200 is being set on the jet orifice plate 100; Piezoelectric bridge type beam 210 is positioned at the top of the micro-channel 220 on the substrate 200; Micro-channel 220 on the substrate 200 combines with the last micro-channel 320 on the last substrate 300; Constitute a complete liquid micro-channel; After micro-channel 220 and last micro-channel 320 were merged into complete liquid micro-channel, piezoelectric bridge type beam 210 was positioned at the middle part of the liquid micro-channel that is merged into; The next door of the micro-channel 220 on substrate 200 is provided with fluid reservoir 230; Be connected through microflute 240 between micro-channel 220 and the fluid reservoir 230; On the last substrate 300 with substrate 200 on fluid reservoir 230 corresponding sections fluid reservoir 330 is set, fluid reservoir 230 combines with last fluid reservoir 330, becomes a big fluid reservoir, and on the top of last fluid reservoir 330 inlet 350 is set; On last substrate 300, be connected through last microflute 340 between last micro-channel 320 and the last fluid reservoir 330.Jet orifice plate 100, substrate 200 and last substrate 300 bond together successively forms the fluid jetting head (like Fig. 2, shown in 3) that piezoelectric bridge type beam drives.
Said piezoelectric bridge type beam 210 two ends are fixed on micro-channel 220 walls of substrate 200, and the intermediate portion is divided into bridge-like structure (like Fig. 2, shown in 3).
Said piezoelectric bridge type beam 210 comprises piezoelectric thin film layer 212 and upper electrode layer 213 thereof, lower electrode layer 211, can cover insulating medium layer 214 on the surface of bridge type beam, makes the liquid in upper and lower electrode layer and the micro-channel keep electric insulation.This piezoelectric bridge type beam 210 can also be for containing the MULTILAYER COMPOSITE piezoelectric bridge type beam of multi-layer piezoelectric thin layer and the non-piezoelectric layer of multilayer; Or to comprise the form formation piezoelectric bridge type beam of the identical or opposite piezoelectric thin film layer of two-layer or two-layer above polarised direction.
In the top of each micro-channel or conduit, can place a plurality of piezoelectric bridge type beams by different way, the liquid that drives in the same micro-channel sprays from the micro-spraying hole that communicates with it.
Jet orifice plate 100 can adopt material such as metal material, organic material, monocrystalline silicon, pottery, adopts methods such as laser drill, ultrasonic drilling, corrosion can form micro-spraying hole 110 and array thereof.
Substrate 200 can adopt single crystal silicon material.Make the microflute 240 that links to each other between the latter half 230 and micro-channel 220 and the fluid reservoir 230 of the latter half 220, piezoelectric bridge type beam 210, fluid reservoir of micro-channel array above that.Adopt the twin polishing silicon chip, deposit silicon nitride layer after the two-sided thermal oxide, the back side makes topology window by lithography, etches away silicon nitride in the window, floats the thermal oxide layer that exposes.Etching is removed positive whole silicon nitride layers, with the thermal oxide silicon layer of the original silicon oxide layer or the suitable thickness that regrows primer and the cushion 215 (as shown in Figure 6) as piezoelectric bridge type beam.Then, carry out the manufacture craft of PZT (lead zirconate titanate) composite multi-layer film in the front.Deposit lower electrode layer successively; Piezoelectric membrane, upper electrode layer, and adopt physics or chemical etching technology; Etch upper electrode layer 213, piezoelectric membrane 212, lower electrode layer 211 successively; Last deposit dielectric insulating film 214 (as shown in Figure 6) adopts physics or chemical etching technology etching to expose upper and lower electrode layer lead-in wire, as the lead-out wire link of electrode layer again.Then, carry out photoetching and etch the bridge type beam shape in the front.Subsequently; Protection is positive, utilizes anisotropic corrosion techniques such as KOH, TMAH to carry out bulk silicon etching, or adopts ICP (inductively coupled plasma) to carry out dry etching; Form micro-channel 220 and fluid reservoir 230; And the microflute 240 that links to each other between them, and discharge bridge type beam structure, form piezoelectric bridge type beam 210.In this embodiment, lower electrode layer 211 can be made up of titanium/platinum composite bed or platinum or iridium, piezoelectric membrane 212 by the PZT layer or the PZT layer after mixing constitute, or be PbTiO
3Deng the composite bed of piezoelectricity Seed Layer and above-mentioned PZT layer, upper electrode layer 213 can be made up of titanium/platinum composite bed or platinum or iridium.In addition, backing material also can adopt materials such as metal, silica, pottery.
Last substrate 300 can adopt single crystal silicon material to make, and makes the last microflute 340 of going up micro-channel 320, going up fluid reservoir 330 and link to each other between them above that.Adopt the twin polishing silicon chip, deposit silicon nitride layer after the two-sided thermal oxide, the back side makes micro-channel and fluid reservoir topology window by lithography, etches away silicon nitride in the window, floats the thermal oxide layer that exposes.Utilize anisotropic corrosion techniques such as KOH, TMAH to carry out bulk silicon etching, or adopt ICP (inductively coupled plasma) to carry out dry etching, micro-channel 320 and last fluid reservoir 330 and continuous last microflute 340 between them in formations.Again carry out deposit silicon nitride after the two-sided thermal oxide, carry out photoetching again in the front, etching forms the inlet mask window.Utilize anisotropic etchants such as KOH, TMAH to carry out bulk silicon etching, or adopt ICP (inductively coupled plasma) to carry out dry etching, etching forms inlet 350.
At last, jet orifice plate 100, substrate 200 and 300 3 substrates of last substrate are grouped together through bonding or bonding mode, form fluid jetting head.
In the said fluid jetting head based on piezoelectric bridge type beam; Be arranged in respectively separately on the substrate with at least one micro-spraying hole, micro-channel, piezoelectric bridge type beam; And corresponding each other, each substrate combination back together just constitutes the array liquid injection structure that drives with piezoelectric bridge type beam.Like Fig. 1, Fig. 4, the sketch map that can be regarded as array liquid injection structure shown in Figure 5.
In second kind of structure split sketch map of fluid jetting head shown in Figure 4, piezoelectric bridge type beam is on micro-channel top.The major part of fluid jetting head and Fig. 1, Fig. 2, shown in Figure 3 the same; Different with first kind of structure is; Dividing wall between micro-channel is removed in second kind of structure on each in last substrate 300; Form a big fluid reservoir 321, link to each other through last microflute 340 with the original fluid reservoir 330 of going up in next door.With above-mentioned three substrate combination together after, be equivalent to the top (as shown in Figure 4) that piezoelectric bridge type beam 210 is positioned at the liquid micro-channel.
In the third structure split sketch map of fluid jetting head shown in Figure 5, piezoelectric bridge type beam is also at the micro-channel top.But different with second kind of structure is that two fluid reservoirs on the last substrate 300 are merged into a big fluid reservoir 322 on the basis of second kind of structure.At this moment, inlet 350 can move to the substrate middle part in second kind of implementation, becomes inlet 351.With above-mentioned three substrate combination together after, also be equivalent to the top (as shown in Figure 5) that piezoelectric bridge type beam 210 is positioned at the liquid micro-channel.
The cross-section structure of the piezoelectric bridge type beam 210 in the foregoing description is as shown in Figure 6, and it is composited by silicon dioxide layer 215, lower electrode layer 211, piezoelectric thin film layer 212, upper electrode layer 213, surface insulation dielectric layer 214.Except that this implementation, the following of silicon dioxide layer also can keep certain thickness monocrystalline silicon layer in the piezoelectric bridge type beam, constitutes bridge type beam with other layer.
In other implementation of the present invention; Also can be with being designed to different forms with the corresponding piezoelectric bridge type beam of each micro-channel; Perhaps; In the top of each micro-channel or conduit, place a plurality of piezoelectric bridge type beams by different way, the liquid that drives in the same micro-channel sprays from the micro-spraying hole that communicates with it.For example, a plurality of piezoelectric bridge type beams in same micro-channel or top arranged side by side, its fixed support end also can be positioned at different positions.
Parts such as fluid jetting head and drive circuit, liquid storage box, bracing frame, shell based on piezoelectric bridge type beam according to the invention etc., connecting line are combined, can further constitute complete liquid injection apparatus or integrated fluid jetting head.
Fluid jetting head based on piezoelectric bridge type beam according to the invention can be widely used in inkjet printing, fields such as graphic record and Micropicture realization, and have the industry manufacture field that Micropicture is realized requirement.