ION GENERATING DEVICE, METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SAME, AND AIR CONDITIONER

1 . An ion generating device, comprising:

a discharge electrode that generates ions; and

a power supply that supplies power to the discharge electrode, wherein the discharge electrode includes:

a support made of a conductor, and

a discharge pin that protrudes from a surface of the support and having a tip, and wherein the discharge pin is made of nickel (Ni).

2 . The ion generating device of claim 1 , wherein a voltage applied to the support from the power supply is a DC voltage.

3 . The ion generating device of claim 1 , wherein a angle of the tip of the discharge pin is 57.40.

4 . The ion generating device of claim 1 , wherein a white gold (Pt) coating is formed on the discharge pin.

5 . A method of manufacturing an ion generating device including a discharge electrode, the method comprising:

forming a pattern having an etched shape on a substrate;

depositing a seed layer on the substrate with the pattern;

forming a metal layer on the seed layer;

planarizing a top of the metal layer;

removing the substrate; and

removing the seed layer, wherein the substrate is made of silicon having crystal direction, and wherein the etched shape of the substrate is formed by wet etching using potassium hydroxide (KOH).

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the forming the pattern having the etched shape on the substrate includes:

forming a sacrifice layer on the substrate;

etching a portion of the sacrifice layer such that a portion of a top of the substrate is exposed; and

forming an etched shape by wet-etching the exposed portion of the top of the substrate.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the etching of the portion of the sacrifice layer includes:

depositing a photosensitive resin layer on the sacrifice layer and then exposing the photosensitive resin layer to ultraviolet rays through a photo mask;

exposing a portion of the sacrifice layer by forming a pattern on the photosensitive resin layer using a developing solution;

exposing a portion of the substrate by forming a pattern by etching the exposed portion of the sacrifice layer; and

removing the photosensitive resin layer.

8 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the metal layer is formed by plating nickel.

9 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising forming a white gold coating on the metal layer.

10 . An air conditioner, comprising:

a body having an intake port through which air is suctioned into the body and a discharging port through which air suctioned through the intake port is discharged;

a fan disposed in the body to blow air; and

an ion generating device disposed in an air flow path formed by the fan, wherein the ion generating device includes:

a discharge electrode that generates ions; and

a power supply that supplies power to the discharge electrode, wherein the discharge electrode includes:

a support made of a conductor; and

a discharge pin that protrudes from a surface of the support and having a tip, and wherein the discharge pin is made of nickel (Ni).

11 . The ion generating device of claim 1 , wherein a width and height of the discharge pin are the same.

12 . The ion generating device of claim 11 , wherein the width and the height of the discharge pin are each 10 μm.

13 . The ion generating device of claim 1 , wherein the discharge pin has a pyramid shape.

14 . The ion generating device of claim 1 , wherein the support is in the form of a plate.

15 . An air conditioner including the ion generating device of claim 1 .

16 . An ion generating device manufactured using the method of claim 5 .

17 . An air conditioner including the ion generating device manufactured using the method of claim 5 .

18 . The ion generating device of claim 10 , wherein a voltage applied to the support from the power supply is a DC voltage.

19 . The ion generating device of claim 10 , wherein an angle of the tip of the discharge pin is 57.4°.

20 . The ion generating device of claim 10 , wherein a white gold (Pt) coating is formed on the discharge pin.