Electrostatic suction type fluid discharge device, electrostatic suction type fluid discharge method, and plot pattern formation method using the same

1. An electrostatic suction type fluid discharge device, in which drive voltage supply means supplies a drive voltage between a nozzle and a discharge target and hence an electric charge is applied to a fluid supplied into the nozzle, so that the fluid is discharged as droplets from a hole of the nozzle to the discharge target,

the hole of the nozzle falling within a range between φ0.01 μm and φ25 μm in diameter, and

the drive voltage supply means outputting, as the drive voltage, a bipolar pulse voltage which has a frequency of not less than 1 Hz, and which alternates between positive and negative such that positively charged fluid droplets and negatively charged fluid droplets are alternately discharged in accordance with a polarity of the bipolar pulse voltage applied as the drive voltage and alternately landed on the discharge target.

2. An electrostatic suction type fluid discharge device, in which drive voltage supply means supplies a drive voltage between a nozzle and a discharge target and hence an electric charge is applied to a fluid supplied into the nozzle, so that the fluid is discharged as droplets from a hole of the nozzle to the discharge target,

the hole of the nozzle falling within a range between φ0.01 μm and φ25 μm in diameter, and

the drive voltage supply means outputting, as the drive voltage, a bipolar pulse voltage which alternates between positive and negative such that positively charged fluid droplets and negatively charged fluid droplets are alternately discharged in accordance with a polarity of the bipolar pulse voltage applied as the drive voltage and alternately landed on the discharge target, and which satisfies f≦1/(2τ) where τ is a time constant determined by τ=∈/σ, f is a drive voltage frequency (Hz), σ is an electric conductivity (S/m) of the discharge fluid, and ∈ is a relative permittivity of the discharge fluid.

3. An electrostatic suction type fluid discharge device, in which

drive voltage supply means supplies a drive voltage between a nozzle and a discharge target and hence an electric charge is applied to a fluid supplied into the nozzle, so that the fluid is discharged as droplets from a hole of the nozzle to the discharge target, and the nozzle and the discharge target are moved in a relative manner by shifting means, in a direction orthogonal to a direction along which the nozzle and the discharge target oppose to each other,

the hole of the nozzle falling within a range between φ0.01 μm and φ25 μm in diameter,

the drive voltage supply means outputting, as the drive voltage, a bipolar pulse voltage which has a frequency of f Hz and which alternates between positive and negative such that positively charged fluid droplets and a negatively charged fluid droplets are alternately discharged in accordance with a polarity of the bipolar pulse voltage applied as the drive voltage and alternately landed on the discharge target, and

the electrostatic suction type fluid discharge device further comprises

control means that controls at least one of the drive voltage supply means and the shifting means in such a manner as to satisfy f≦5v where f is a drive voltage frequency (Hz) of the drive voltage supply means and v indicates a relative speed (μm/sec) of the relative movement of the nozzle and the discharge target.

4. An electrostatic suction type fluid discharge device, in which

drive voltage supply means supplies a drive voltage between a nozzle and a discharge target and hence an electric charge is applied to a fluid supplied into the nozzle, so that the fluid is discharged as droplets from a hole of the nozzle to the discharge target, and the nozzle and the discharge target are moved in a relative manner by shifting means, in a direction orthogonal to a direction along which the nozzle and the discharge target oppose to each other,

the hole of the nozzle falling within a range between φ0.01 μm and φ25 μm in diameter, and

the drive voltage supply means outputting, as the drive voltage, a bipolar pulse voltage which is not more than 400V and which alternates between positive and negative such that positively charged fluid droplets and negatively charged fluid droplets are alternately discharged in accordance with a polarity of the bipolar pulse voltage applied as the drive voltage and alternately landed on the discharge target.

5. An electrostatic suction type fluid discharge method, in which

a drive voltage is supplied between a nozzle and a discharge target and hence an electric charge is applied to a fluid supplied into the nozzle, so that the fluid is discharged as droplets from a hole of the nozzle to the discharge target,

the hole of the nozzle falling within a range between φ0.01 μm and φ25 μm in diameter, and

the drive voltage being a bipolar pulse voltage which has a frequency of not less than 1 Hz and alternates between positive and negative such that positively charged fluid droplets and a negatively charged fluid droplets are alternately discharged in accordance with a polarity of the bipolar pulse voltage applied as the drive voltage and alternately landed on the discharge target.

6. An electrostatic suction type fluid discharge method, in which

a drive voltage is supplied between a nozzle and a discharge target and hence an electric charge is applied to a fluid supplied into the nozzle, so that the fluid is discharged as droplets from a hole of the nozzle to the discharge target,

the hole of the nozzle falling within a range between φ0.01 μm and φ25 μm in diameter, and

the drive voltage being a bipolar pulse voltage which alternates between positive and negative such that positively charged fluid droplets and negatively charged fluid droplets are alternately discharged in accordance with a polarity of the bipolar pulse voltage applied as the drive voltage and alternately landed on the discharge target, and which satisfies f≦1/(2τ) where τ is a time constant determined by τ=∈/σ, f is a drive voltage frequency (Hz), σ is an electric conductivity (S/m) of the discharge fluid, and ∈ is a relative permittivity of the discharge fluid.

7. An electrostatic suction type fluid discharge method, in which

a drive voltage is supplied between a nozzle and a discharge target and hence an electric charge is applied to a fluid supplied into the nozzle, so that the fluid is discharged as droplets from a hole of the nozzle to the discharge target, and the nozzle and the discharge target are moved in a relative manner, in a direction orthogonal to a direction along which the nozzle and the discharge target oppose to each other,

the hole of the nozzle falling within a range between φ0.01 μm and φ25 μm in diameter, as the drive voltage, a bipolar pulse voltage which has a frequency of f Hz being outputted and alternates between positive and negative such that positively charged fluid droplets and a negatively charged fluid droplets are alternately discharged in accordance with a polarity of the bipolar pulse voltage applied as the drive voltage and alternately landed on the discharge target, and

at least one of the drive voltage frequency fHz and a relative speed vμm/sec of the relative movement of the nozzle and the discharge target being controlled in such a manner as to satisfy f≦5v.

8. An electrostatic suction type fluid discharge method, in which

a drive voltage is supplied between a nozzle and a discharge target and hence an electric charge is applied to a fluid supplied into the nozzle, so that the fluid is discharged as droplets from a hole of the nozzle to the discharge target,

the hole of the nozzle falling within a range between φ0.01 μm and φ25 μm in diameter, and

the drive voltage being a bipolar pulse voltage which is not more than 400V and which alternates between positive and negative such that positively charged fluid droplets and negatively charged fluid droplets are alternately discharged in accordance with a polarity of the bipolar pulse voltage applied as the drive voltage and alternately landed on the discharge target.

9. An electrostatic suction type fluid discharge device that

(i) discharges, by electrostatic suction, a discharge fluid as droplets through a fluid discharge hole of a nozzle of a fluid discharge head, the discharge fluid being electrically charged by voltage application, and (ii) causes the discharge fluid to land onto a substrate, (iii) so as to form a drawing pattern by the discharge fluid on a surface of the substrate,

the fluid discharge hole of the nozzle falling in a range between 0.01 μm and 25 μm in diameter, and

the substrate being insulating,

the electrostatic suction type fluid discharge device comprising:

charge removal means for removing an electric charge on the surface of the substrate, before the discharge fluid is discharged onto the substrate; and

fluid discharge means for discharging the droplets of discharge fluid onto the substrate from which the electricity has been removed by a bipolar pulse voltage which alternates between positive and negative such that positively charged fluid droplets and negatively charged fluid droplets are alternately discharged in accordance with a polarity of the bipolar pulse voltage applied as the drive voltage and alternately landed on the substrate.

10. The electrostatic suction type fluid discharge device as defined in claim 9 , wherein, the charge removal means removes the electricity on the substrate, in line with a predetermined pattern.

11. The electrostatic suction type fluid discharge device as defined in claim 9 , wherein, the fluid discharge means discharges the discharge fluid by

applying a voltage which is arranged such that an electric field strength generated by electric charge concentration at a meniscus part, when discharging the discharge fluid, is smaller than a discharge start electric field strength figured out by an equation for calculating Paschen curve.

12. The electrostatic suction type fluid discharge device as defined in claim 11 ,

wherein, the voltage applied when the fluid discharge means discharges the discharge fluid is not less than 340V.

13. The electrostatic suction type fluid discharge device as defined in claim 11 ,

wherein, the fluid discharge hole of the nozzle is not less than 16 μm or not more than 0.25 μm in diameter, and the voltage applied when the fluid discharge means discharges the discharge fluid is not more than 500V.

14. The electrostatic suction type fluid discharge device as defined in claim 11 ,

wherein, the fluid discharge hole of the nozzle is not less than 7.4 μm or not more than 0.65 μm in diameter, and the voltage applied when the fluid discharge means discharges the discharge fluid is not more than 400V.

15. An electrostatic suction type fluid discharge method in which

(i) by electrostatic suction, a discharge fluid is discharged as droplets through a fluid discharge hole of a nozzle of a fluid discharge head, the discharge fluid being electrically charged by voltage application, and (ii) the discharge fluid droplets are caused to land onto a substrate, (iii) so that a drawing pattern is formed by the discharge fluid droplets on a surface of the substrate,

the fluid discharge hole of the nozzle falling in a range between 0.01 μm and 25 μm in diameter, and

the substrate being insulating, an electric charge on the surface of the substrate being removed, before the discharge fluid is discharged onto the substrate, and

the discharge fluid being discharged onto the substrate from which electricity has been removed by a bipolar pulse voltage such that positively charged fluid droplets and negatively charged fluid droplets are alternately discharged in accordance with a polarity of the bipolar pulse voltage applied as the drive voltage and caused to alternately land on the substrate.