Method of fabricating an ink-jet print head using a liquid-jet guided laser

Abstract

A method of fabricating an ink-jet print head includes at least one process of forming an ink feeding port. The ink feeding port forming process comprises fixing a wafer to a stage in a chamber, and processing the ink feeding port to a desired depth in the wafer using a liquid-jet guided laser. In addition, the method of fabricating the ink-jet print head includes a process of dicing a wafer in order to cut the wafer in the form of chips. The wafer dicing process comprises fixing the wafer to a stage in a chamber, and dicing the wafer using a liquid-jet guided laser. According to the present invention, the liquid-jet guided laser that combines laser and a micro liquid-jet is used when forming an ink-feeding port of a print head and/or when dicing the wafer formed with a plurality of print heads, whereby it is possible to achieve effects that a thermal damage of the print heads can be prevented, process costs can be saved, and a process time can be reduced.

1 . A method of fabricating an ink-jet print head using a liquid-jet guided laser, the method comprising: 
 at least one process of forming an ink feeding port through a wafer which constitutes an ink-jet print head,    wherein the ink feeding port forming process comprises: 
 fixing the wafer to a stage in a chamber to perform the at least one process, and  
 processing the ink feeding port in the wafer to a desired depth using the liquid-jet guided laser.  
   
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the operation of fixing the wafer comprises: 
 loading the wafer in a loader;    moving the wafer loaded in the loader to the stage in the chamber; and    arranging and fixing the wafer at a position of the stage.    
   
   
       3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the operation of processing the ink feeding port comprises: 
 illuminating a laser beam guided by a liquid-jet having a diameter in the range of 10 to 500 μm through the liquid-jet guided laser; and    moving the stage, on which the wafer is fixed, along an ink feeding port pattern.    
   
   
       4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the liquid-jet comprises a material of a liquid state having a pressure in the range of 1 to 7,000 bars.  
   
   
       5 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the laser beam comprises one of a diode-pumped solid laser beam and a gas laser beam.  
   
   
       6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the operation of processing the ink feeding port comprises: 
 illuminating a laser beam guided by a liquid-jet having a diameter in the range of 30 to 50 μm through the liquid-jet guided laser; and    moving the stage, on which the wafer is fixed, along an ink feeding port pattern.    
   
   
       7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the process of forming the ink feeding port further comprises: 
 cleaning an organic material having flown in the wafer during forming the ink feeding ports; and    drying the cleaned wafer.    
   
   
       8 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising a process of dicing the wafer formed with the ink-jet print head, wherein the dicing process comprises: 
 fixing the wafer to the stage in the chamber; and    dicing the wafer using the liquid-jet guided laser.    
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the wafer comprises a silicon wafer having a thickness in the range of 100 to 600 μm, and at least one ink feeding port is formed in one of a central feed type, an edge feed type, and an individual feed type.  
   
   
       10 . A method of fabricating an ink-jet print head, the method comprising: 
 a dicing process of dicing a wafer formed with a plurality of print heads using a liquid-jet guided laser,    wherein the dicing process comprises: 
 fixing the wafer to a stage of a chamber; and  
 dicing the wafer using the liquid-jet guided laser.  
   
   
   
       11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the operation of fixing the wafer comprises: 
 loading the wafer in a loader;    moving the wafer loaded in the loader to the stage in the chamber; and    arranging and fixing the wafer at a position of the stage.    
   
   
       12 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the operation of dicing the wafer comprises: 
 illuminating a laser beam guided by a liquid-jet having a diameter in the range of 30 to 100 μm through the liquid-jet guided laser; and    moving the stage, on which the wafer is fixed, along a dicing pattern.    
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the liquid-jet comprises a material of a liquid state having a pressure in the range of 1 to 7,000 bars.  
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the laser beam comprises one of a diode-pumped solid laser beam and a gas laser beam.  
   
   
       15 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the dicing process further comprises: 
 cleaning an organic material having flown in the print heads cut in the form of chips during the dicing of the wafer; and    drying the cleaned print heads in the form of chips.    
   
   
       16 . A method of fabricating an ink-jet print head, the method comprising: 
 forming the ink-jet print head on a wafer using a liquid-jet guided laser.    
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the forming operation comprises: 
 forming an ink-feeding port on the wafer to a predetermined depth using the liquid-jet guided laser.    
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the operation of forming the ink-feeding port does not perform a wet etching operation using a mask.  
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the forming operation comprises: 
 moving the wafer with respect to a liquid-jet guided laser unit, which generates the liquid-jet guided laser, in a direction having an angle with an injecting direction of the liquid-jet guided laser.    
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the forming operation comprises: 
 simultaneously illuminating a laser beam and a liquid-jet in a direction having an angle with the moving direction of one of the wafer and the liquid-jet guided laser unit.    
   
   
       21 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising: 
 dicing the wafer into a plurality of chips each having at least one print head, using the liquid-jet guided laser.    
   
   
       22 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the dicing operation does not perform a wet etching operation using a mask.