Masked quartz crystal microbalance for calibrating and monitoring inkjet dispensers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10562295-B2
Application number	US-201816024383-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 29, 2018
Priority date	Jun 29, 2018
Publication date	Feb 18, 2020
Grant date	Feb 18, 2020

Abstract

A fluid dispenser calibration system includes a fluid dispenser having a plurality of nozzles, a balance having a balance surface, and a mask positioned between the fluid dispenser and the balance surface. A nozzle pitch is a distance between two adjacent nozzles. The balance measures mass of fluid dispensed from a single nozzle and measures a change in mass on the balance surface. The balance surface has a linear dimension that is greater than the nozzle pitch. The mask includes an aperture and a catch region. The aperture allows fluid dispensed from the single nozzle to impact the balance surface. The catch region catches fluid dispensed from remaining nozzles in the plurality of nozzles.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fluid dispenser calibration system comprising:
a fluid dispenser having a plurality of nozzles, wherein a nozzle pitch is a distance between two adjacent nozzles;
a balance having a balance surface and configured to measure mass of fluid dispensed from a single nozzle among the plurality of nozzles, wherein the balance is configured to measure a change in mass on the balance surface, and wherein the balance surface has a linear dimension that is greater than the nozzle pitch; and
a mask positioned between the fluid dispenser and the balance surface, wherein the mask includes an aperture and a catch region,
wherein the aperture is configured to allow fluid dispensed from the single nozzle to impact the balance surface, and the catch region is configured to catch fluid dispensed from remaining nozzles in the plurality of nozzles.

2. The fluid dispenser calibration system according to claim 1 , where the fluid dispenser is a print head.

3. The fluid dispenser calibration system according to claim 1 , wherein the balance is a quartz crystal microbalance.

4. The fluid dispenser calibration system according to claim 1 , wherein the mask further includes a screen having a screen surface and a lip that surrounds the aperture and extends up and away from the screen surface.

5. The fluid dispenser calibration system according to claim 1 , wherein the catch region is slanted down and away from the aperture.

6. The fluid dispenser calibration system according to claim 1 , wherein the catch region includes an anti-wetting coating.

7. The fluid dispenser calibration system according to claim 1 , further comprising a processor configured to:
send instructions to the fluid dispenser to dispense fluid in a dispense pattern that includes fluid from the single nozzle and at least one other nozzle among the plurality of nozzles,
receive information that is representative of the mass of fluid dispensed onto the balance surface, and
calculate the crosstalk effect of the dispense pattern on the ejection of fluid from each nozzle based on the information received.

8. The fluid dispenser calibration system according to claim 7 , wherein the processor further is configured to send, based on the calculated crosstalk effect, instructions to the fluid dispenser to adjust fluid volume dispensed from the single nozzle.

9. A method for a fluid dispenser calibration system, wherein the fluid dispenser calibration system includes a fluid dispenser having a plurality of nozzles, wherein a nozzle pitch is a distance between two adjacent nozzles, a balance having a balance surface and configured to measure mass of fluid dispensed from a single nozzle among the plurality of nozzles, wherein the balance is configured to measure a change in mass on the balance surface, and wherein the balance surface has a linear dimension that is greater than the nozzle pitch, and a mask positioned between the fluid dispenser and the balance surface, wherein the mask includes an aperture and a catch region, wherein the aperture is configured to allow fluid dispensed from the single nozzle to impact the balance surface, and the catch region is configured to catch fluid dispensed from remaining nozzles in the plurality of nozzles, the method comprising:
sending instructions to the fluid dispenser to dispense fluid in a dispense pattern that includes fluid from the single nozzle and at least one other nozzle among the plurality of nozzles;
receiving information that is representative of the mass of fluid dispensed onto the balance surface; and
calculating the crosstalk effect of the dispense pattern on the ejection of fluid from each nozzle based on the information received.

10. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising sending, based on the calculated crosstalk effect, instructions to the fluid dispenser to adjust fluid volume dispensed from the single nozzle.

11. An imprint apparatus to form a pattern of an imprint material on a substrate by using a mold, the imprint apparatus comprising:
a fluid dispenser having a plurality of nozzles configured to apply the imprint material onto the substrate; and
a processor configured to send the nozzle instructions to a nozzle of the plurality of nozzles to dispense the imprint material on the substrate,
wherein the nozzle instructions sent by the processor are based on a calibration process performed by a fluid dispenser calibration system, wherein the fluid dispenser calibration system includes the fluid dispenser, wherein a nozzle pitch is a distance between two adjacent nozzles, and includes the processor, a balance having a balance surface and configured to measure mass of fluid dispensed from a single nozzle among the plurality of nozzles, wherein the balance is configured to measure a change in mass on the balance surface, and wherein the balance surface has a linear dimension that is greater than the nozzle pitch, and a mask positioned between the fluid dispenser and the balance surface, wherein the mask includes an aperture and a catch region, wherein the aperture is configured to allow fluid dispensed from the single nozzle to impact the balance surface, and the catch region is configured to catch fluid dispensed from remaining nozzles in the plurality of nozzles, wherein the calibration process includes:
sending instructions to the fluid dispenser to dispense fluid in a dispense pattern that includes fluid from a single nozzle and at least one other nozzle among the plurality of nozzles,
receiving information that is representative of the mass of fluid dispensed onto the balance surface, and
calculating the crosstalk effect of the dispense pattern on the ejection of fluid from each nozzle based on the information received.

12. The imprint apparatus according to claim 11 , where the fluid dispenser is a print head.

13. The imprint apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the balance is a quartz crystal microbalance.

14. The imprint apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the mask further includes a screen having a screen surface and a lip that surrounds the aperture and extends up and away from the screen surface.

15. The imprint apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the catch region is slanted down and away from the aperture.

16. The imprint apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the catch region includes an anti-wetting coating.

17. The imprint apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein, as part of the calibration process, the processor is configured to:
send instructions to the fluid dispenser to dispense fluid in a dispense pattern that includes fluid from the single nozzle and at least one other nozzle among the plurality of nozzles,
receive information that is representative of the mass of fluid dispensed onto the balance surface, and
calculate the crosstalk effect of the dispense pattern on the ejection of fluid from each nozzle based on the information received.

18. The imprint apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the processor further is configured to send, based on the calculated crosstalk effect, instructions to the fluid dispenser to adjust the volume dispensed from the single nozzle.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Traub Matthew C
• Longsine Whitney
• Dellinger Antoine
• Shackleton Steven C
• Wenzel Roger R

Classifications

• B41J2/0456

  detecting drop size, volume or weight · CPC title

• B41J2/04586

  controlling heads of a type not covered by groups B41J2/04575 - B41J2/04585, or of an undefined type · CPC title

• G03F7/0002

  Lithographic processes using patterning methods other than those involving the exposure to radiation, e.g. by stamping · CPC title

• B41J29/393

  Devices for controlling or analysing the entire machine {; Controlling or analysing mechanical parameters involving printing of test patterns} · CPC title

• B41J2/04581 Primary

  controlling heads based on piezoelectric elements · CPC title