IP Library Granted Patent US 11,712,889
Granted Patent B2
US 11,712,889 · App. 17/396,043 · Granted Aug 1, 2023

Electrohydrodynamic jet printed photonic devices

Inventors: Brian Iezzi (Ann Arbor, MI); Max Shtein (Ann Arbor, MI); Zahra Afkhami Kheirabadi (Ann Arbor, MI); Kira Barton (Ann Arbor, MI)
Assignee: The Regents of the University of Michigan
B41J2/06B41J11/00214G03F7/2018H01L33/46
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,712,889
App. No.
17/396,043
Granted
Aug 1, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of fabricating a thin film structure includes printing, using an electrohydrodynamic jet (e-jet) printing apparatus, a first layer comprising a first liquid ink, such that the first layer is supported by a substrate, curing the first layer; printing, using the e-jet printing apparatus, a second layer comprising a second liquid ink, such that the second layer is supported by the first layer, and curing the second layer.

Claims (15)

1. A method of fabricating a thin film structure, the method comprising:

printing, using an electrohydrodynamic jet (e-jet) printing apparatus, a first layer comprising a first liquid ink, such that the first layer is supported by a substrate;

curing the first layer;

printing, using the e-jet printing apparatus, a second layer comprising a second liquid ink, such that the second layer is supported by the first layer; and

curing the second layer.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising filtering the first liquid ink in preparation for printing the first layer.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the e-jet printing apparatus is operated in a drop-on-demand mode.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising printing one or more pairs of layers comprising the first and second liquid inks such that the one or more pairs of layers are supported by the second layer.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming a photodetector on the substrate such that the first layer is supported by the photodetector.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein printing the first layer comprises controlling a pulse width of the e-jet printing apparatus.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein printing the first layer comprises controlling a spacing of droplets deposited by the e-jet printing apparatus.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein curing the first layer and curing the second layer are implemented while the substrate remains on the e-jet printing apparatus.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein curing the first layer and curing the second layer comprise applying ultraviolet light.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising measuring reflectance of the first layer, using a microspectrometer integrated with the e-jet printing apparatus, before printing the second layer.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second liquid inks comprise first and second photopolymers, respectively.

Assignments (2)
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Apr 10, 2025
From: UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
To: NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Reel/Frame 070810/0161 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 21, 2021
From: IEZZI, BRIAN; SHTEIN, MAX; AFKHAMI KHEIRABADI, ZAHRA; BARTON, KIRA
To: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
Reel/Frame 058452/0354 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63062389 · Aug 6, 2020
Related Publication 20220040976A1 · Feb 10, 2022