| 摘要 |
A mandrel (155) for forming an inkjet printer nozzle plate (60) having a non-wetting surface (95) of uniform thickness and an orifice wall (75) of tapered contour, and method of making the mandrel. A metal masking layer (110) is deposited on a glass substrate (100), the masking layer having an opening (115) therethrough for passage of light only through the opening. Next, a negative photoresist layer (120) is deposited on the masking layer, the negative photoresist layer being capable of photochemically reacting with the light. A light source (130) passes light through the substrate, so that the light also passes only through the opening in the form of a tapered light cone (140). This tapered light cone will define the tapered contour of a nozzle plate orifice wall to be formed. The negative photoresist layer photochemically reacts with the light only in the light cone to define a light-exposed region of hardened negative photoresist. The negative photoresist layer is thereafter developed to remove negative photoresist surrounding the light-exposed region, so as to define a column of negative photoresist extending into the opening. A layer (90) of non-wetting material (160) is then electroless deposited on the masking layer. A nozzle plate material is now electrodeposited on the non-wetting layer. Next, the column is removed by a solvent and the nozzle plate material having the non-wetting layer adhering thereto is released from the masking layer. In this manner, the nozzle plate having the non-wetting layer of uniform thickness and the orifice wall of tapered contour is made. <IMAGE> |
