MODIFIED FLUID JET PLUME CHARACTERISTICS
A fluid jet ejection device, a method of making a fluid jet ejection head for a fluid ejection device, and a method of improving the plume characteristics of fluid ejected from the fluid jet ejection head. The fluid jet ejection device includes a cartridge body; and a fluid jet ejection cartridge disposed in the cartridge body. The fluid jet ejection cartridge contains a fluid and an ejection head attached to the fluid jet ejection cartridge. The ejection head contains a plurality of fluid ejectors thereon and a nozzle plate having a plurality of fluid ejection nozzles therein associated with the plurality of fluid ejectors, wherein a first portion of the plurality of fluid ejection nozzles have a first axial flow path length and a second portion of the plurality of fluid ejection nozzles have a second axial flow path length greater than the first axial flow path length.
1 . A fluid jet ejection device comprising:
a cartridge body;
a fluid outlet nozzle attached to the cartridge body;
a fluid jet ejection cartridge disposed in the cartridge body, the fluid jet ejection cartridge containing a fluid and an ejection head attached to the fluid jet ejection cartridge; wherein the ejection head contains a plurality of fluid ejectors thereon and a nozzle plate having a plurality of fluid ejection nozzles therein associated with the plurality of fluid ejectors, wherein a first portion of the plurality of fluid ejection nozzles have a first axial flow path length and a second portion of the plurality of fluid ejection nozzles have a second axial flow path length greater than the first axial flow path length.
2 . The fluid jet ejection device of claim 1 , wherein the second axial flow path length is provided by a second nozzle plate layer attached to a first nozzle plate layer.
3 . The fluid jet ejection device of claim 2 , wherein the first nozzle plate layer has a thickness ranging from about 5 to about 30 microns.
4 . The fluid jet ejection device of claim 2 , wherein the second nozzle plate layer has a thickness ranging from about 5 to about 30 microns.
5 . The fluid jet ejection device of claim 2 wherein the first nozzle plate layer is laminated to a flow feature layer for the ejection head.
6 . The fluid jet ejection device of claim 2 , wherein the first nozzle plate layer and second nozzle plate layer comprise laminated photoresist material layers.
7 . The fluid jet ejection device of claim 6 , wherein the first nozzle plate layer is imaged and developed to form the first portion and the second nozzle plate layer is imaged and developed to form the second portion.
8 . A method of making an ejection head, the method comprising:
providing a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of fluid ejectors thereon;
applying a fluid flow layer to the semiconductor substrate;
imaging and developing fluid channels and fluid chambers in the fluid flow layer;
etching a fluid supply via through the semiconductor substrate;
applying a first nozzle plate layer to the fluid flow layer;
imaging and developing the first nozzle plate layer to provide a plurality of fluid ejection nozzles therein having a first axial flow path length;
applying a second nozzle plate layer to the first nozzle plate layer;
imaging and developing the second nozzle plate layer to provide a plurality of fluid ejection nozzles therein having a second axial flow path length through the first nozzle plate layer and the second nozzle plate layer and to removing a portion of the second nozzle plate layer from the first nozzle plate layer adjacent to the fluid ejection nozzles having the first axial flow path length.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the first nozzle plate layer has a thickness ranging from about 5 to about 30 microns.
10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the second nozzle plate layer has a thickness ranging from about 5 to about 30 microns.
11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the first nozzle plate layer is laminated to the fluid flow layer.
12 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the second nozzle plate layer is laminated to the first nozzle plate layer.
13 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the fluid ejection nozzles having the first axial flow path length are adjacent to fluid ejection nozzles having the second axial flow path length.
14 . A method for improving plume characteristics of fluid ejected from a fluid jet ejection head, comprising:
applying a first nozzle plate layer to a fluid flow layer on an ejection head substrate;
imaging and developing the first nozzle plate layer to provide a plurality of nozzle holes therein having a first axial flow path length;
applying a second nozzle plate layer to the first nozzle plate layer;
imaging and developing the second nozzle plate layer to provide a plurality of nozzle holes therein having a second axial flow path length through the first nozzle plate layer and the second nozzle plate layer and removing a portion of the second nozzle plate layer adjacent to the plurality of nozzle holes having the first axial flow path length; and
ejecting fluid from the ejection head through nozzle holes having the first and second axial flow path lengths.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the first nozzle plate layer has a thickness ranging from about 5 to about 30 microns.
16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the second nozzle plate layer has a thickness ranging from about 5 to about 30 microns.
17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the first nozzle plate layer is laminated to the fluid flow layer.
18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the second nozzle plate layer is laminated to the first nozzle plate layer.
19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein fluid is ejected from the fluid ejection head by alternately or simultaneously ejection fluid through nozzle holes having the first and second axial flow path lengths.