Fabrication method of electromechanical transducer film, fabrication method of electromechanical transducer element, electromechanical transducer element, liquid ejection head, and image forming apparatus

摘要

A method of fabricating an electromechanical transducer film includes applying a precursor solution on a support substrate, heating the substrate at a first temperature to form a ceramic thin-film in amorphous state, applying a sol-gel solution onto the ceramic thin-film, and heating the ceramic thin-film at a second temperature to form an electromechanical transducer thin-film in amorphous state. The method further includes heating the ceramic and transducer thin-films at a third temperature to thermally decompose an organic substance in the sol-gel solution and form a unitary thin-film, processing the unitary thin-film to form a patterned unitary thin-film, modifying an area on which the patterned film is not formed, discharging the sol-gel solution onto a surface of the patterned film by a liquid discharge head to apply the sol-gel solution to the surface of the patterned film, and heating the patterned film at a fourth temperature to crystallize the patterned film.

主权项

1. A method of fabricating an electromechanical transducer film, the method comprising:
applying a precursor solution of a ceramic thin film on a surface of a support substrate; heating and drying the support substrate at a first heating temperature lower than a decomposition temperature of the precursor solution in a range of 350° to 500°, to form the ceramic thin film in an amorphous state; applying a sol-gel solution of a precursor of the electromechanical transducer film onto the ceramic thin film; heating and drying the ceramic thin film and the sol-gel solution at a second heating temperature lower than the decomposition temperature of each of the ceramic thin film and the precursor solution in the range of 350° to 500°, to form an electromechanical transducer thin film in an amorphous state; heating the ceramic thin film and the electromechanical transducer thin film at a third heating temperature higher than each of the first heating temperature and the second heating temperature to thermally decompose an organic substance in the sol-gel solution, at the decomposition temperature in the range of 350° to 500°, and form a unitary thin film, wherein in a state before the heating at the third heating temperature, the ceramic thin film and the electromechanical transducer thin film are kept in an amorphous state; processing the unitary thin film in a desired pattern to form a patterned unitary thin film; modifying an area of the surface of the support substrate on which the patterned unitary thin film is not formed; discharging the sol-gel solution onto a surface of the patterned unitary thin film by a liquid discharge head to apply the sol-gel solution to the surface of the patterned unitary thin film; and heating the patterned unitary thin film, on which the sol-gel solution is applied, at a fourth heating temperature higher than the third heating temperature to crystallize the patterned unitary thin film.