Assembly to selectively etch at inkjet printhead

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9259932-B2
Application number	US-201113117745-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 27, 2011
Priority date	May 27, 2011
Publication date	Feb 16, 2016
Grant date	Feb 16, 2016

Abstract

An assembly for selectively etching an inkjet printhead includes a substrate and printhead layers formed on the substrate. A bonding region can provide a location on the printhead layers for an electrical bond. An ink channeling region can be defined at least in part by the printhead layers. A mask layer can partially cover the printhead layers and include a first opening positioned over the bonding region and a second opening positioned over the ink channeling region. The assembly can also include a via at the first opening and a trench at the second opening having greater depth than the via.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing an inkjet printhead, comprising:
forming a plurality of printhead layers on a substrate to provide a bonding region and an ink channeling region;
applying a mask layer over the plurality of printhead layers, the mask layer including a first opening over the bonding region and a second opening over the ink channeling region; and

etching the bonding region and the ink channeling region through the openings so that a via is formed at the bonding region and multiple layers of the plurality of printhead layers are etched through the second opening to form a trench at the ink channeling region and so that the trench has a depth that is greater than the via, wherein etching the bonding region and the ink channeling region further comprises:
etching a passivation layer through the openings in the bonding region and the ink channeling region using a first combination of etchant materials at a first pressure and a first power level;
etching an etching retardant layer in the bonding region and a dielectric layer in the plurality of layers in the ink channeling region using a second combination of etchant materials at a second pressure and a second power level; and
continuing etching the dielectric layer using a third combination of etchant materials at the second pressure and the second power level.

Assignees

• White Lawrence H
• Vina Robel
• Homeijer Sara Jensen
• Mcmahon Terry
• Hewlett Packard Development Co

Inventors

• White Lawrence H
• Vina Robel
• Homeijer Sara Jensen
• Mcmahon Terry

Classifications

• Y10T428/24612

  Composite web or sheet · CPC title

• B41J2/1646

  thin film formation by sputtering · CPC title

• B41J2/1642

  thin film formation by CVD [chemical vapor deposition] · CPC title

• B41J2/1629

  wet etching · CPC title

• B41J2/1628

  dry etching · CPC title