JP4908816B2 - Inkjet head manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing an inkjet head that can be mounted on a recording apparatus for recording on various recording media.

  Inkjet heads applied to printers, copiers, facsimiles, word processors and printers that have printer units eject ink droplets onto recording media such as paper and resin sheets to create characters, symbols, and graphics. Etc. are displayed. The following are known as inkjet heads. An individual ink chamber provided on the substrate for discharging the ink contained therein from the discharge port by the action of an energy generating element such as a piezoelectric element, an ink supply path provided on the back surface of the substrate, and a hole formed in the substrate. It has a through hole. In such an ink jet head, an ink tank and an individual ink chamber are connected through an ink supply path by a through hole, and ink in the ink tank is discharged from an ejection port of the individual ink chamber by the action of an energy generating element that receives an electric signal. The ink is discharged and recording is performed.

  For manufacturing such an ink jet head, a semiconductor film forming technique by photolithography is used. For example, a method of removing a dissolvable resin layer by providing a dissolvable resin layer in a portion serving as an internal space of an individual ink chamber, covering the dissolvable resin layer, providing an individual ink chamber wall member (Patent Document) 1) etc. have been reported. In these methods, a positive resist is used as the soluble resin from the viewpoint of easy removal. The positive resist is exposed through a mask to cause a difference in dissolution rate with respect to the developer between the exposed part and the unexposed part, which is developed and formed into a resin layer having a desired pattern shape. After the ink flow path, that is, the wall member of the individual ink chamber is laminated on the resin layer to form the individual ink chamber, the resin layer is dissolved and removed to form the internal space of the individual ink chamber.

  By the way, in these methods, a so-called solvent coating method is used for forming individual ink chamber members. The solvent coating method is a method in which a resin to be coated is dissolved and applied in a solvent, and a typical example is a spin coating method. This spin coating method has an advantage that it is easy to control the film thickness uniformly. In a side shooter type inkjet head having an ink discharge port above the energy generating element, an ink discharge port is formed in the individual ink chamber wall member. For this reason, the film thickness of the individual ink chamber wall member that determines the distance between the energy generating element and the ejection outlet is a direct factor that affects ejection characteristics. For this reason, the individual ink chamber wall member in the side shooter type inkjet head manufacturing method is often formed by spin coating.

  As described above, when the individual ink chamber wall member is formed by the solvent coating method, a positive resist is provided as a resin layer that can be dissolved in the solution in a portion that becomes the internal space of the individual ink chamber. Careful selection of the solvent used is necessary. Depending on the solvent used in the solvent coating method, the dissolving power is strong, and a resin layer formed in a portion that becomes an internal space of the individual ink chamber and a coating film applied to form a wall member on the resin layer In some cases, the interfacial region is miscible. When the coating film is cured, particularly when ionizing radiation is used, if the resin layer and the coating film are in a compatible state, a scum of about several hundred nm may be generated. In recent years, there has been a demand for smaller droplets of ejected ink droplets in order to meet the demands for higher image quality and higher definition in recording apparatuses, and such scum is connected to individual ink chamber wall members. Remaining inside the individual ink chamber may cause a decrease in ink ejection characteristics.

As a method for solving such a problem, a method of suppressing the occurrence of scum by containing a basic substance on the individual ink chamber wall member or coating the basic substance (Patent Document 2) has been reported. When the scum is irradiated with ionizing radiation for curing the individual ink chamber wall member on the compatible material in the interface region between the individual ink chamber wall member and the resin layer, the individual ink chamber wall member This is due to the acid generated from the photopolymerization initiator contained in the material. In this method, a basic substance is added to the individual ink chamber wall member material to inhibit the action of acid in the compatible material and suppress the occurrence of scum. However, when a basic substance is added in advance to the individual ink chamber wall member material, depending on the basic substance to be added, a desired shape may not be patterned when the individual ink chamber wall member is patterned, and a residue may be generated. . In general, when a resin such as an acrylic resin that has high solvent resistance and can be used as a positive resist is used for the individual ink chamber wall member material, if a basic substance is added in advance during storage, the individual ink chamber wall member material May react with basic substances. It is difficult to form an individual ink chamber with a high yield and high accuracy by using such an individual ink chamber wall member material containing a reaction product with a basic substance.
JP-A-6-286149 JP 2001-179990 A

  The problem of the present invention is that when the solvent coating method is used for forming the individual ink chamber wall member, the selection range of the solvent to be used is not limited, and the scum connected to the individual ink chamber wall member is selected even if a solvent having a strong dissolving power is selected. It is in providing the manufacturing method of the inkjet head which can suppress generation | occurrence | production of this. Another object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet head that can efficiently produce an ink jet head that does not impair the storage stability of the individual ink chamber wall member material, has excellent patterning properties, and excellent ink ejection stability. It is to provide a method for manufacturing a head.

  The inventors of the present invention have intensively studied to solve the above problems. When a resin layer that can be dissolved by a solution is provided in a portion that forms an internal space of an individual ink chamber provided corresponding to an energy generating element provided on a silicon substrate, a photobase generator is added to the resin that can be dissolved by the solution. A resin to which is added is used. Then, the individual ink chamber wall member material is solvent-coated on the resin layer using a solvent having high solubility, and the individual ink chamber wall member material having a compatible state in the interface region is cured by irradiation with light. The present inventors have found that the occurrence of scum connected to the ink chamber wall member can be suppressed. Based on this finding, the present invention has been completed.

That is, the present invention provides a plurality of ink discharge energy generating elements provided on the substrate surface, a wall member provided on the substrate, and a wall member for discharging ink stored therein by the operation of the ink discharge energy generating elements. An ink jet head manufacturing method comprising: an individual ink chamber having an ink discharge port provided on the substrate; and an ink supply hole provided through the substrate and connecting the ink storage portion and each individual ink chamber. , A step of preparing a substrate on which a plurality of ink discharge energy generating elements are formed, and a resin layer containing a positive resist that can be dissolved by a solution and a photobase generator in a portion that forms an internal space of an individual ink chamber A step of forming a film of an individual ink chamber wall member material containing a photoacid generator on the resin layer and the substrate using a solvent coating method. By irradiation with active energy rays to another ink chamber wall member material at the interface region between the individual ink chamber wall member material and the resin layer to generate a base from said photobase generator, from the photoacid generator An acid is generated, the acid is neutralized by the base, the individual ink chamber wall member material is cured, and an ink discharge port is formed in the individual ink chamber wall member material to form an individual ink chamber wall member. The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing an ink-jet head, comprising sequentially performing a step and a step of dissolving a resin layer with a solution to form an internal space of an individual ink chamber.

  In the ink jet head manufacturing method of the present invention, when the solvent coating method is used to form the individual ink chamber wall member, the individual ink chamber is not limited by the selection range of the solvent used and even if a solvent having a strong dissolving power is selected. Generation of scum connected to the wall member can be suppressed. The method for producing an inkjet head of the present invention efficiently produces an inkjet head that has excellent patternability and excellent ink ejection stability without impairing the storage stability of the individual ink chamber wall member material. be able to.

The inkjet head manufacturing method of the present invention discharges a plurality of ink discharge energy generating elements provided on the substrate surface, wall members provided on the substrate, and ink stored therein by the operation of the ink discharge energy generating elements. Manufacturing an ink jet head including an individual ink chamber having an ink discharge port provided in a wall member and an ink supply hole provided through the substrate and connecting the ink storage portion and each individual ink chamber Is the method. The method for producing an ink jet head of the present invention includes a step of preparing a substrate on which a plurality of ink discharge energy generating elements are formed (hereinafter also referred to as step 1), and a solution formed in a portion that forms an internal space of an individual ink chamber. A step of molding a resin layer containing a possible positive resist and a photobase generator (hereinafter also referred to as step 2), an individual ink chamber wall member material containing a photoacid generator on the resin layer and the substrate solvent coating is deposited using a process (hereinafter, also referred to as step 3.), by irradiating the formed individual ink chamber wall member material with the active energy ray in the step 3, the individual ink chamber wall member material A base is generated from the photobase generator, an acid is generated from the photoacid generator, the acid is neutralized by the base, and the individual Shaping the individual ink chamber wall member to form ink discharge ports to the individual ink chamber wall member material with curing the ink chamber wall member material (hereinafter, also referred to as step 4.), The resin layer was formed in step 2 There is no particular limitation as long as it is a method of sequentially performing a step of dissolving an aqueous solution in a solution to form an internal space of an individual ink chamber (hereinafter also referred to as step 5).

  As an inkjet head manufactured by the inkjet head manufacturing method of the present invention, the one shown in FIG. 1 can be cited as an example. The ink jet head shown in FIG. 1 has a plurality of ink discharge energy generating elements 2 provided on the surface of a substrate 1 and individual ink chambers 8. The individual ink chamber 8 is provided on the substrate with a wall member 4 that forms the internal space 4a, and an ink discharge provided on the wall member 4 for discharging the ink stored in the internal space by the operation of the ink discharge energy generating element. An outlet 6 is provided. Furthermore, the ink jet head has an ink supply hole 7 provided through the substrate and connecting an ink storage portion (not shown) and each individual ink chamber.

  The substrate 1 has an ink supply path for connecting an individual ink chamber on the front surface and an ink storage portion for storing ink on the back surface and the individual ink chamber, and functions as a support for supporting these. Further, the substrate has a function of connecting the ink supply paths provided on the front and back sides and the individual ink chambers by the ink supply holes 7 provided therethrough. Any shape and material may be used for the substrate as long as they exhibit the above functions. Examples of the material include glass, ceramics, plastic, and metal. When the through hole of the substrate is formed by anisotropic etching, a silicon single crystal body having a crystal orientation of 100 is preferable. A plurality of ink ejection energy generating elements 2 provided on the substrate 1 may be provided in a plurality of, for example, two rows at a predetermined pitch. Examples of the ink discharge energy generating element include an electrothermal transducer element that generates ink discharge energy by bubbles generated by heating ink, and a piezoelectric element that generates mechanical discharge and generates ink discharge energy. . The ink discharge energy generating element may be provided on the substrate via an insulating film made of a silicon oxide film or the like. In addition, a protective film made of a silicon nitride film or the like may be provided on the ink ejection energy generating element 2 in order to suppress corrosion due to ink and to provide electrical insulation. These ink discharge energy generating elements are connected to driving electrodes (not shown), and can generate ink discharge energy when an ink discharge energy generation signal is input.

  The individual ink chamber 8 that stores ink discharged by the operation of the ink discharge energy generating element has an internal space 4 a that stores ink, an individual ink chamber wall member 4, and an ink discharge port 6. The internal space 4a for storing ink is preferably provided so that ink discharge energy such as displacement generated by the ink discharge energy generating element 2 and bubble pressure generated by heat or the like is transmitted through the protective film or the like. Further, the ink discharge port 6 is preferably provided to face the ink discharge energy generating element in order to improve the ink discharge characteristics by the operation of the ink discharge energy generating element.

  The individual ink chamber wall member 4 may be provided on the substrate, the protective film of the ink discharge energy generating element, or the like, or through an adhesion layer therewith. As a material of the wall member of the individual ink chamber, it is preferable to contain a photosensitive resin in order to enable formation by photolithography capable of forming the ink discharge port accurately and easily. The individual ink chamber wall member material can be cured by irradiation with active energy rays, and preferably contains a photocationic polymerization initiator as a photoacid generator. As a photosensitive resin contained in such an individual ink chamber wall member material, a cationic polymerization type epoxy resin can be mentioned as a preferable one. The cationic polymerization type epoxy resin has high mechanical strength as a wall member of the individual ink chamber, adhesion to the ground, and ink resistance, and at the same time, resolution for patterning the fine pattern of the ink discharge port Satisfied.

  Specific examples of such an epoxy resin include, for example, a reaction product of bisphenol A and epichlorohydrin having a molecular weight of approximately 900 or more, a reaction product of bromosphenol A and epichlorohydrin, phenol novolac, Reaction product of o-cresol novolak and epichlorohydrin, JP-A-60-161973, JP-A63-221121, JP-A-64-9216, JP-A-2-140219 The polyfunctional epoxy resin etc. which have the oxycyclohexane skeleton of description can be mentioned.

  In the epoxy resin, the epoxy equivalent is preferably 2000 or less, and more preferably 1000 or less. If the epoxy equivalent is 2000 or less, the crosslinking density is increased during the curing reaction, and the individual ink chamber wall member can be excellent in adhesion to the substrate and the protective layer, and excellent in ink resistance.

  Examples of the photoacid generator are those that generate an acid upon irradiation with active energy rays, and include a photocationic polymerization initiator for curing the photosensitive resin. Specifically, aromatic iodonium salts, aromatic sulfonium salts [J. SPLYMER SCI: See Symposium No. 56 383-395 (1976)] and Asahi Denka Kogyo Co., Ltd., SP-150, SP-170, SP-172 and the like can be mentioned.

  Moreover, the said photocationic polymerization initiator may use a reducing agent together. By heating the photocationic polymerization initiator together with the reducing agent, the cationic polymerization of the photosensitive resin can be promoted and the crosslinking density can be improved. The reducing agent used in combination is preferably a so-called redox initiator system that does not react at room temperature and reacts at a certain temperature or higher, preferably 60 ° C. or higher. As such a reducing agent, a copper compound is preferable, and copper triflate (copper (II) trifluoromethanesulfonate) is particularly suitable from the viewpoint of reactivity and solubility in an epoxy resin.

  Furthermore, additives and the like can be appropriately added to the individual ink chamber wall member material as necessary. Examples of such additives include a flexibility imparting agent that lowers the elastic modulus of the resin, and a silane coupling agent that improves adhesion with the lower layer.

An ink repellent layer 5 may be provided on the individual ink chamber wall member 4. The material of the ink repellent layer may be any material as long as it has ink repellency, but is preferably a material having photosensitivity, and is generated when the lower individual ink chamber wall member is cured. What hardens | cures with a photo-acid generator is preferable.
An ink supply hole 11 provided through the substrate 1 communicates an ink supply path (not shown) provided on the back side of the substrate connected to an ink storage portion (not shown) and an individual ink chamber. And may be provided with an opening between the rows of the ink ejection energy generating elements provided in two rows. The ink supply hole 11 may have a tapered portion, or may not have a tapered portion and the openings on the front and back of the substrate may have the same shape. The ink supply holes may be provided in the substrate in advance, or may be provided by etching from the back surface of the substrate after forming individual ink chambers on the top surface of the substrate.

  In such an ink jet head, the surface on which the ink discharge port is formed is arranged to face the recording medium, and the energy generated from the ink discharge energy generating element is applied to the ink stored in the internal space of the individual ink chamber. When transmitted, ink is ejected from the ink ejection port, and recording is performed by the ejected ink adhering to the recording medium. Ink is supplied from the ink storage section to the individual ink chamber from which the ink has been discharged through the ink supply path and the ink supply hole, and the operation of the next ink discharge energy generating element is awaited.

An inkjet head manufacturing method according to the present invention is a method for manufacturing the inkjet head described above, wherein a step 1 for preparing a substrate on which a plurality of ink ejection energy generating elements are formed, a portion for forming an internal space of an individual ink chamber, Step 2 of molding a resin layer containing a positive resist that can be dissolved by a solution and a photobase generator, Solvent coating method for individual ink chamber wall member material containing a photoacid generator on the resin layer and the substrate By irradiating the individual ink chamber wall member material formed in Step 3 and Step 3 with active energy rays , the photobase is formed in the interface region between the individual ink chamber wall member material and the resin layer. A base is generated from the generator, an acid is generated from the photoacid generator, the acid is neutralized by the base, and the individual ink chamber wall member material is hardened. Forming an inner space of the individual ink chambers was dissolved by the solution the individual ink chamber wall member material to form an ink discharge port forming the individual ink chamber wall member in Step 4, the resin layer was formed in step 2 causes the 5 is a method of sequentially performing 5.

Hereinafter, the manufacturing method of the inkjet head of this invention is demonstrated with reference to schematic cross section according to a sequential process.
(1) Step 1
As shown in FIG. 2, in order to prepare a substrate 1 on which a plurality of ink discharge energy generating elements 2 are formed, the ink discharge energy generating element 2 of the above material is provided on the above-described material, for example, a substrate 1 such as silicon. Mold. The ink discharge energy generating element 2 can be formed into a desired shape by, for example, forming a thin film of the above material material on a substrate and photolithography and dry etching. In photolithography, a positive or negative resist is applied to a thin film on a substrate, exposed through the mask of the ink discharge energy generating element pattern to be produced, and developed with a negative or positive developer to form the resist in a pattern shape. To do. Thereafter, the resist remaining on the thin film is used as an anti-etching layer, and the thin film in the portion where the resist is removed is removed by dry etching, and the thin film is formed into a pattern shape. Thereafter, the resist remaining on the thin film used as the etching resistant layer is dissolved and removed with a solvent or the like to form the thin film into a desired pattern.

A protective layer such as a silicon nitride film may be provided on the ink discharge energy generating element 2 by photolithography or dry etching.
(2) Step 2
As shown in FIG. 3, a resin layer containing a positive resist that can be dissolved by a solution and a photobase generator is formed in a portion that forms the internal space of the individual ink chamber. The resin layer is capable of coating and curing an individual ink chamber wall member material that is solvent-coated thereon, and is formed of a positive resist that can be dissolved by a solution. The resin layer can be formed by a method in which a coating solution of a resin material is prepared, formed into a thin film by spin coating or the like, and developed by photolithography, or a patterning method by dry etching.

In addition, the photobase generator is not added to the positive resist coating solution that can be dissolved in a solvent, but a photobase generator coating solution is prepared separately on the positive resist coating film that can be dissolved in a solvent. By applying a coating solution of a photobase generator, it can be contained in the resin layer.

The solution capable of dissolving the positive type resist used in the molding of the resin layer may be any one as long as it can be coated and curing the individual ink chamber wall member material which is solvent coated onto the photo patterning by lithography is possible. Further comprising the possible photosensitivity degraded by irradiation with light from the outside of the later-described manner individual ink chamber wall member covering-cured to molded thereon, is easy to dissolve due to solution. In a positive resist for forming such a resin layer, a base caused by the photobase generator is generated by a photoreaction in an exposed portion by photolithography at the time of patterning, but the portion where the base is generated is dissolved and removed in a development process. . For this reason, the photobase generator remains in the resin layer, and the basic substance of the reaction product by light irradiation does not remain. Specifically, the positive resist for forming the resin layer is decomposable by light irradiation such as polymethylisopropyl ketone, vinyl ketone resins typified by polyvinyl ketone, and copolymers of acrylic acid and acrylic acid esters. A photosensitive resin or the like can be preferably used, and acrylic acid is particularly preferable as a positive resist capable of photolysis.

  The photobase generator contained in the resin layer is not particularly limited as long as it generates a base such as an amine compound, a hydroxyl compound, an imidazole compound, and a phosphine compound by irradiation with active energy rays. The basicity may be increased by light irradiation. The photobase generator is a cation from the photoacid generator that is generated by irradiating active energy rays to the interface region in which the solvent of the individual ink chamber wall member material that is solvent-coated thereon is compatible with the resin layer. Used to generate a base that binds to or inhibits its action. The base generated from the photobase generator inhibits the protonation of the monomer by the cation from the photoacid generator generated by light irradiation in the interface region where the compatibility has occurred, and also binds to the cation to reduce its amount. Reduce. For this reason, polymerization of the individual ink chamber wall member material is suppressed in the interface region where the compatibility has occurred, and the occurrence of scum can be suppressed.

  Although the reason is unknown, by generating a base simultaneously with the generation of acid from the photoacid generator of the individual ink chamber wall member material in the interface region between the resin layer and the individual ink chamber wall member material, the individual ink chamber The pattern shape of the chamber wall member can be uniformly formed with good reproducibility, and the internal space of the individual ink chamber having excellent ejection stability can be formed.

  Specific examples of such a photobase generator include N- (2-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyl) imidazole, N- (3-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyl) imidazole, and N- (4-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyl) imidazole. Preferable examples include diethyldithiocarbamate derivatives and the like. The methods for producing these compounds are TPS-OH, NBC-101, ANC-101 (manufactured by Midori Chemical Co., Ltd.), H. Tachi, M. Tunooka, J. Photopolymer Science and Technology, 12 (2), 313. (1999) and T. Nishikubo, A. Kameyama, Y. Toya, Polymer J. 29 (5), 450 (1997).

The content of the photobase generator in the resin layer can neutralize the acid generated by irradiation with active energy rays from the photoacid generator contained in the individual ink chamber wall member material provided on the resin layer. The concentration is preferred. Specifically, the amount is 0.1 to 10 times, preferably 0.2 to 4 times the amount of the photoacid generator in the individual ink chamber wall member material.
(3) Process 3
In step 2, after the resin layer is patterned and molded, an individual ink chamber wall member material is formed on the resin layer 3 and the substrate 1 using a solvent coating method, as shown in FIG. Examples of the material for the individual ink chamber wall member include the above-described cationic polymerization type photosensitive resin, a photocation polymerization initiator for curing the resin, and a composition in which the above-described additives are dissolved in a solvent as necessary. it can. As the solvent used in such a composition, since the generation of scum at the time of curing is suppressed, a solvent having high solubility in the resin layer can also be used. The composition of the individual ink chamber wall member material is used as a coating solution, and solvent coating is performed on the resin layer. The solvent coating method is a method in which a resin to be coated is applied by dissolving in a solvent. Examples of the solvent coating method include spin coating, roll coating, slit coating, bar coating, dip coating, spray coating, gravure coating, flexo coating, screen coating, and flow coating. it can. An individual ink chamber wall member material is formed into a coating film having a thickness of 10 to 100 μm by solvent coating.
Thereafter, when the ink repellent layer 5 is provided on the individual ink chamber wall member as shown in FIG. 5, a coating solution in which the ink repellent layer material is dissolved in a solvent is prepared. The prepared coating solution can be applied onto the individual ink chamber wall member material by spin coating, roll coating, slit coating, or the like. When a cationically polymerizable composition is used as the ink-repellent layer material, it preferably has a functional group capable of cationic polymerization, but the photoacid generator contained in the individual ink chamber wall member material is used for the curing. can do. Further, since the ink repellent layer material is applied onto the uncured film of the individual ink chamber wall member, it is preferable to select an appropriate solvent.
(4) Step 4
The individual ink chamber wall member material formed in step 3 is cured by irradiation with active energy rays and an ink discharge port is formed to form the individual ink chamber wall member. The individual ink chamber wall member material is irradiated with active energy rays through a mask to cure the individual ink chamber wall member and remove the wall member at the portion where the ink discharge port is formed by developing to remove ink discharge. Form an exit. Examples of active energy rays used include visible light, ultraviolet rays, electron beams, and X-rays.

  When such active energy rays are irradiated, cations generated from the photoacid generator are mixed with bases generated from the photobase generator in the compatible portion of the interface region between the individual ink chamber wall member material and the resin layer. It is deactivated by the sum reaction. Therefore, the curing reaction by the acid of the compatible material is suppressed, and the generation of scum can be suppressed.

In the subsequent development processing, the ink discharge port 6 can be formed as shown in FIG. 6 by developing with a solvent.
(5) Process 5
The resin layer molded in step 2 is dissolved with a solution to form an internal space of the individual ink chamber. Since the resin layer comprises a degradable positive resist by light irradiation, prior to lysis with a solution, it is irradiated with light from the outside of the individual ink chamber wall member decomposing a positive resist, a dissolution of the resin layer by the solution It can be made easier.
After the resin layer is dissolved, if necessary, for example, it can be heated to 150 to 250 ° C. to increase the crosslink density of the individual ink chamber wall member and the ink repellent layer, thereby improving their adhesion.
(6) Step 6
The ink supply hole 7 may be formed between any of the above steps, but it is preferable to perform the ink supply hole 7 before the resin layer is dissolved with the solution because the resin layer can be easily dissolved. Further, it is possible to use a substrate in which ink supply holes are formed in step 1. For forming the ink supply hole 7, a method using an excimer laser, a method using a drill or sandblast, a method using wet etching, or the like can be used as appropriate. In the case of wet etching, after the whole is covered with a protective layer, anisotropic etching may be performed using the fact that the solubility varies depending on the crystal orientation from the back surface of the substrate.

  Further, an ink supply path connected to the ink storage portion is formed on the back surface of the substrate, and the ink supply hole and the ink storage portion are connected. On the other hand, an electrical connection for driving the ink discharge energy generating element can be performed to complete the ink jet head.

  In such an ink-jet head, the surface on which the ink discharge port is formed is arranged to face the recording medium, and the energy generated from the ink discharge energy generating element is transmitted to the ink stored in the internal space of the individual ink chamber. As a result, ink is ejected from the ink ejection port and adheres to the recording medium for recording. Ink is supplied from the ink storage section to the individual ink chamber from which the ink has been discharged through the ink supply path and the ink supply hole, and the operation of the next ink discharge energy generating element is awaited.

[Example 1]
Examples of the method for producing the ink jet recording head of the present invention will be described below.
A silicon substrate provided with a protective film made of SiN and Ta and a heating resistor of HfB _{2 in} a portion in contact with the internal space of the individual ink chamber on the surface was prepared (step 1).

  To a copolymer of methacrylic acid and methyl methacrylate (methyl methacrylate: methacrylic acid = 90: 10, Mw = 80000, Mn = 2.5), a photobase generator (NBC-101: manufactured by Midori Chemical Co., Ltd.) 1.0 mass% was added with respect to the copolymer resin of methacrylic acid-methyl methacrylate, and the coating liquid was prepared using the solvent cyclohexanone. This was spin-coated on a silicon substrate, exposed and developed, and a resin layer having a thickness of 10 μm was formed (step 2).

Next, an individual ink chamber wall member material having the following composition was spin-coated on the resin layer to a thickness of 20 μm, and then heated on a hot plate at 100 ° C. for 2 minutes (step 3).
EHPE (Daicel Chemical Industries) 100% by mass
1, 4HFAB (Central Glass) 20% by mass
SP-170 (Asahi Denka Kogyo) 2% by mass
A-187 (Nihon Unicar) 5% by mass
Methyl isobutyl ketone 100% by mass
Diglime 100% by mass
Thereafter, a coating solution was prepared and spin-coated to a thickness of 1 μm to form an ink repellent layer.

  Next, exposure and development were performed through a mask formed at the ink discharge port, and an individual ink chamber wall member having an ink discharge port having a diameter of 10 μm was formed (step 4).

  Next, after masking the back surface of the silicon substrate and applying an ink repellent layer coating solution to form a protective film, anisotropic etching was performed (step 6).

Next, the protective film on the ink repellent layer was dissolved and removed with xylene, and then exposed to the entire surface with an exposure amount of 80000 mJ / cm ² from the ink repellent layer and the individual ink chamber wall member using light having a wavelength of 200 to 280 nm. The resin layer was solubilized. (Step 5).

  About the obtained inkjet head, the shape of the separate ink chamber was observed with the metal microscope and the scanning electron microscope. Since all ink flow path patterns used in this example are colorless and transparent, the shape of the individual ink chambers could be observed through a metal microscope. As a result, all the individual ink chambers had the desired shape. Further, when the cross section of the individual ink chamber was observed with a scanning electron microscope, no scum was observed.

  When this ink jet head is mounted on a recording apparatus and printing is performed using an ink composed of pure water / glycerin / direct black 154 (water-soluble black dye) = 65/30/5, stable printing with good ejection characteristics can be obtained. Obtained.

In addition, it was found that the resin layer material used in this example was not deteriorated even after storage for 3 months, and no deterioration of patterning property was observed even when used after 3 months, and the storage stability was excellent.
[Example 2]
To a copolymer of methacrylic acid and methyl methacrylate (methyl methacrylate: methacrylic acid = 85: 15, Mw = 100000, Mn = 2.0), a photobase generator (TPS-OH: manufactured by Midori Chemical Co., Ltd.) An ink jet head was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 except that a coating solution was prepared using a resin added by 2.0% by mass to the acid-methyl methacrylate copolymer resin, and the resin layer was molded. Individual ink chambers, scum observation, printing characteristics, and storage stability of the resin layer material were inspected.

  The individual ink chambers all had the desired shape and no scum was observed. Further, the printing characteristics were excellent, and the preservability of the resin layer material was also excellent.

It is a typical sectional view showing an example of an ink jet head of the present invention. It is typical sectional drawing which shows the process 1 of an example of the manufacturing method of the inkjet head of this invention. It is typical sectional drawing which shows the process 2 of an example of the manufacturing method of the inkjet head of this invention. It is typical sectional drawing which shows the process 3 of an example of the manufacturing method of the inkjet head of this invention. It is typical sectional drawing which shows the process 3 of an example of the manufacturing method of the inkjet head of this invention. It is typical sectional drawing which shows the process 4 of an example of the manufacturing method of the inkjet head of this invention. It is typical sectional drawing which shows the process of an example of the manufacturing method of the inkjet head of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1: Silicon substrate 2: Ink ejection energy generating element 3: Resin layer 4: Individual ink chamber wall member 4a: Internal space 5: Ink repellent layer 6: Ink ejection port 7: Ink supply hole 8: Individual ink chamber 8: Resin layer 9: Individual ink chamber

Claims (6)

A plurality of ink discharge energy generating elements provided on the surface of the substrate, a wall member provided on the substrate, and an ink discharge provided on the wall member for discharging ink stored therein by operation of the ink discharge energy generating elements. An ink jet head manufacturing method comprising: an individual ink chamber having an outlet; and an ink supply hole provided through the substrate and connecting the ink storage portion and each individual ink chamber,
Preparing a substrate on which a plurality of ink discharge energy generating elements are formed;
Forming a resin layer containing a positive resist that can be dissolved by a solution and a photobase generator in a portion that forms the internal space of the individual ink chamber;
A step of forming an individual ink chamber wall member material containing a photoacid generator on the resin layer and the substrate using a solvent coating method;
By irradiating the formed individual ink chamber wall member material with active energy rays , a base is generated from the photobase generator in the interface region between the individual ink chamber wall member material and the resin layer, and the photoacid is generated. An ink is generated from the generator, the acid is neutralized by the base, and the individual ink chamber wall member material is cured, and an ink discharge port is formed in the individual ink chamber wall member material, thereby forming an individual ink chamber wall member. Molding process,
A method for manufacturing an ink jet head, comprising sequentially performing a step of forming an internal space of an individual ink chamber by dissolving a resin layer with a solution. 2. The method of manufacturing an ink jet head according to claim 1, wherein the positive resist that can be dissolved by the solution contained in the resin layer contains a vinyl ketone resin and / or an acrylic resin. The method for producing an ink jet head according to claim 2, wherein the acrylic resin contains a methacrylic acid unit. The inkjet head according to claim 1, wherein the individual ink chamber wall member material contains a photosensitive resin, and the photoacid generator contained in the individual ink chamber wall member contains a photocationic polymerization initiator. Manufacturing method. The method of manufacturing an ink jet head according to claim 1, wherein the individual ink chamber wall member material includes an epoxy resin. An ink jet head manufactured by the method for manufacturing an ink jet head according to claim 1.

Images