JP2005178398A - Printer head and printer - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a printer head and a printer, and in particular, can be applied to a printer that ejects ink droplets by heating a heater to effectively avoid deterioration of reliability due to damage to a protective layer.
In the present invention, a cavitation-resistant layer 40 is formed after heat treatment for stabilizing the connection between the heat generating element 30 and the wiring pattern 33.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a printer head and a printer, and can be applied to a printer that ejects ink droplets by heating a heater. The present invention makes it possible to effectively avoid deterioration of reliability due to damage to the protective layer by forming a cavitation-resistant layer after the heat treatment for stabilizing the connection.

  In recent years, in the field of image processing and the like, there is an increasing need for hard copy colorization. In response to such needs, conventionally, color hard copy systems such as a sublimation thermal transfer system, a melt thermal transfer system, an ink jet system, an electrophotographic system, and a heat development silver salt system have been proposed.

  Among these methods, the inkjet method is a method in which small droplets of recording liquid (ink) are ejected from nozzles provided in a recording head and are attached to a recording target to form dots. An image can be output. This ink jet method is classified into an electrostatic attraction method, a continuous vibration generation method (piezo method), a thermal method, and the like depending on a difference in a method of flying ink.

  Among these methods, the thermal method is a method in which bubbles are generated by local heating of the ink, and the ink is pushed out from the nozzles by the bubbles to fly to a printing target, and a color image can be printed with a simple configuration. It has been made possible.

  That is, this thermal printer is configured using a so-called printer head, and a heating element for heating ink, a driving circuit using a logic integrated circuit for driving the heating element, and the like are mounted on a semiconductor substrate. . As a result, the heating elements are arranged with high density so that they can be driven reliably.

  That is, in this thermal printer, in order to obtain a high-quality printing result, it is necessary to arrange the heating elements at a high density. Specifically, in order to obtain a printing result equivalent to 600 [DPI], for example, it is necessary to arrange the heating elements at intervals of 42.333 [μm]. It is extremely difficult to arrange individual driving elements. As a result, in the printer head, a switching transistor or the like is created on a semiconductor substrate and a corresponding heating element is connected by integrated circuit technology, and furthermore, each switching transistor is driven by a drive circuit created on the semiconductor substrate. Each heating element can be driven easily and reliably.

  In a thermal printer, bubbles are generated in the ink by heating with the heat generating element, and when the ink is ejected from the nozzles by the bubbles, the bubbles disappear. As a result, foaming and defoaming are repeated, and a mechanical shock due to cavitation is received. Further, the temperature rise and temperature drop due to the heat generation of the heat generating element are repeated in a short time (several microseconds), thereby receiving a large stress due to the temperature.

  For this reason, in the printer head, a heating element is formed of tantalum, tantalum nitride, tantalum aluminum, etc., and a protective layer of silicon nitride is formed on the heating element, and this protective layer improves heat resistance and insulation, A direct contact between the heating element and the ink is prevented. In addition, a cavitation-resistant layer that relaxes mechanical shock due to cavitation is formed on the protective layer. Here, the cavitation-resistant layer is formed of tantalum or the like which is excellent in acid resistance, easily forms a passive film made of an oxide on the surface, and has excellent heat resistance.

That is, FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration in the vicinity of the heating element in this type of printer head. In the printer head 1, an insulating layer (SiO ₂ ) or the like is laminated on a semiconductor substrate 2 on which a semiconductor element is formed, and then a heating element 3 made of a tantalum film is formed. Further, a protective layer 4 made of silicon nitride (Si ₃ N ₄ ) is laminated. Further, the heating element 3 is connected to a semiconductor or the like formed on the semiconductor substrate by a wiring pattern (Al wiring) 5, and a protective layer 6 made of silicon nitride (Si ₃ N ₄ ) is further laminated. A cavity layer 7 is formed.

Further, the printer head 1 performs a heat treatment (sintering) at 400 ° C. for 60 minutes in an atmosphere of nitrogen gas (N ₂ ) to which 4% hydrogen (H ₂ ) gas is added. Then, the connection between the wiring patterns is stabilized and silicon deficiency is compensated by the added hydrogen. Instead of such heat treatment in an atmosphere, a method of heat treatment in a hydrogen atmosphere has also been proposed (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 7-76080 and 9-70973). Japanese Patent No. 2971473 proposes a method of reducing the residual stress in the protective layer by heat-treating the protective layer made of silicon oxide formed by the bias sputtering method.

  In the printer head 1, an ink liquid chamber, an ink flow path, and a nozzle are subsequently created by arranging predetermined members. In the printer head 1, the ink is guided to the ink liquid chamber by the ink flow path thus created, and the heating element 3 generates heat by driving the semiconductor element, thereby locally heating the ink in the ink liquid chamber. By this heating, the printer head 1 generates bubbles in the ink liquid chamber to increase the pressure in the ink liquid chamber, and pushes out ink from the nozzles so as to fly to the printing target.

  By the way, the protective layer 6 has a relatively low thermal conductivity, and by reducing the film thickness, the heat conduction to the ink liquid chamber can be improved, and ink droplets can be efficiently ejected by that amount. . However, if the film thickness is reduced, pinholes are generated, and further, step coverage is insufficient at the stepped portion at the boundary with the wiring pattern 5, making it difficult to completely isolate the heating element 3 from the ink. As a result, the wiring pattern 5 and the heating element 3 are corroded by ink, the reliability is deteriorated, and the life of the heating element 3 is shortened.

  Thus, if the protective layer 6 is formed with a film thickness of 300 [nm], the generation of pinholes can be surely prevented, and further, sufficient steps can be taken at the level difference at the boundary with the wiring pattern 5. It is considered that coverage can be secured and sufficient reliability can be secured.

  However, according to the experimental results, if the protective layer 6 is formed with a film thickness of 300 [nm], the generation of pinholes can be prevented and sufficient step coverage can be ensured. As shown partially enlarged, a crack B was found in the protective layer 6. In such a crack B, as in the case of the pinhole, by allowing the ink to enter the heating element 3 side, the reliability of the printer head 1 is significantly impaired.

  As a method for preventing the occurrence of such cracks, for example, in the Hewllet-packard journal May 1985, p.27-32, as shown in FIGS. At the time of forming, a method of forming a taper on the end face of the wiring pattern 5 by wet etching has been proposed. That is, if a taper is formed on the end face of the wiring pattern 5, it is possible to reduce the generation of a step in the protective layer 6 formed on the upper layer, and accordingly, the stress concentration is prevented to prevent the generation of cracks. be able to.

However, in today's wiring pattern, in order to improve the characteristics and life of the wiring pattern, the wiring pattern material is formed by adding silicon, copper or the like to aluminum, so that the wiring pattern 5 is formed by such wet etching. If a taper is formed on the end face, there is a problem that the added silicon, copper, etc. are not etched, and the residue of silicon, copper, etc. remains in the etched part as dust.
JP 7-76080 A JP-A-9-70973 Japanese Patent No. 2971473

  The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to propose a printer head and a printer that can effectively avoid deterioration of reliability due to damage of a protective layer.

  In order to solve such a problem, the invention of claim 1 is applied to a printer head, wherein the heating element and the semiconductor element are connected to each other through a via hole by a wiring pattern, and the heating element is provided above the heating element. After the protective layer that protects from ink is formed with a film thickness of 300 to 500 [nm], the heat treatment stabilizes at least the connection between the heating element and the wiring pattern, and the connection between the wiring pattern and the semiconductor element, and then Then, a cavitation-resistant layer that protects the heating element from cavitation is formed.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, when applied to a printer, the printer head has a heating element and a semiconductor element connected to each other through a via hole by a wiring pattern. After the protective layer to be protected is formed with a film thickness of 300 to 500 [nm], the heat treatment stabilizes at least the connection between the heating element and the wiring pattern, and the connection between the wiring pattern and the semiconductor element, and then generates heat. A cavitation-resistant layer that protects the device from cavitation is formed.

A material having high stress such as tantalum (Ta) is applied to the anti-cavity layer because it is required to relax the cavity and protect the heating element. Here, the compressive stress of the tantalum film is 1.0 to 2.0E10 [dyne / cm ² ]. However, tantalum has a linear expansion coefficient of 6.5 [ppm / degree], and aluminum generally applied to wiring patterns has a linear expansion coefficient of 23.6 [ppm / degree]. When the protective layer is made of Si ₃ N ₄ , the linear expansion coefficient is 2.5 [ppm / degree]. As a result, if a heat treatment is performed after creating a cavitation-resistant layer as before, a large thermal stress is generated between these layers due to the difference in the linear expansion coefficient, and cracks are generated in the protective layer due to this thermal stress. I found out that With this configuration, when applied to a printer head, the heating element and the semiconductor element are connected to each other through the via hole by the wiring pattern, and the heating element is protected from the ink on the upper layer of the heating element. After the protective layer is formed with a film thickness of 300 to 500 [nm], at least the connection between the heating element and the wiring pattern and the connection between the wiring pattern and the semiconductor element are stabilized by heat treatment, and then the heating element By forming a cavitation-resistant layer that protects against cavitation, it is possible to alleviate the concentration of thermal stress on the protective layer during heat treatment, which effectively reduces reliability due to damage to the protective layer. It can be avoided.

  According to the configuration of the second aspect, it is possible to provide a printer that can effectively avoid deterioration of reliability due to damage to the protective layer.

  According to the present invention, the deterioration of reliability due to damage to the protective layer is effectively avoided by forming the anti-cavitation layer after the heat treatment that stabilizes the connection between the heating element and the wiring pattern. be able to.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings as appropriate.

(1) Configuration of Embodiment FIGS. 1 to 5 are cross-sectional views for explaining a manufacturing process of a printer head according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this manufacturing process (FIG. 2A), after cleaning the P-type silicon substrate 22, a silicon nitride film is deposited. In this manufacturing process, the silicon substrate 22 is subsequently processed by a lithography process and a reactive ion etching process, thereby removing the silicon nitride film (Si ₃ N ₄ ) from a region other than a predetermined region where a transistor is to be formed. Thus, in this manufacturing process, a silicon nitride film is formed in a region where a transistor is formed on the silicon substrate 22.

  In this manufacturing process, a thermal silicon oxide film is subsequently formed in a region where the silicon nitride film has been removed by a thermal oxidation process, and an element isolation region (LOCOS) 23 for isolating the transistor by this thermal silicon oxide film is formed. It is formed with a predetermined film thickness. In this step, after the silicon substrate 22 is subsequently cleaned, a gate of tungsten silicide / polysilicon / thermal oxide film structure is formed in the transistor formation region. Further, the silicon substrate 22 is processed by an ion implantation process and a heat treatment process for forming source / drain regions, thereby forming MOS type switching transistors 24, 25 and the like. Here, the switching transistor 24 is a MOS driver transistor having a withstand voltage of about 25 [V], and serves to drive the heating element. On the other hand, the transistor 25 is a transistor constituting an integrated circuit that controls the driver transistor, and operates with a voltage of 5 [V]. In this embodiment, a low-concentration diffusion layer is formed between the gate and the drain, and the electric field of the accelerated electrons is relaxed by this diffusion layer, thereby ensuring a withstand voltage and forming the switching transistor 24. ing.

When the transistors 24 and 25, which are semiconductor elements, are formed on the semiconductor substrate 22 in this manner, this step is followed by forming a BPSG (BoroPhosepho Silicate Glass) film 26 by a CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) method, and C ₄ Contact holes 27 are formed on the silicon semiconductor diffusion layers (source / drain) by reactive ion etching using F ₈ / CO / O ₂ / Ar-based gas.

  Further, in this step, the semiconductor substrate 22 is washed with dilute hydrofluoric acid, and titanium with a thickness of 20 [nm], titanium nitride barrier metal with a thickness of 50 [nm], and silicon [1 at%] are added by sputtering. Aluminum or aluminum added with 0.5 [at%] of copper is sequentially deposited with a film thickness of 400 to 600 [nm]. Thus, this process forms a wiring pattern material, and then selectively removes the wiring pattern material formed by the photolithography process and the dry etching process, thereby creating the first wiring pattern 28. In this step, a MOS integrated transistor 25 constituting a drive circuit is connected by this first layer wiring pattern 28 to form a logic integrated circuit.

Subsequently, in this step, a silicon oxide film 29 as an interlayer insulating film is deposited by a CVD method using TEOS (tetraethoxysilane: Si (OC ₂ H ₅ ) ₄ ) as a source gas. Subsequently, in this step, the silicon oxide film 29 is flattened by a CMP (Chemical Mechanical Polishing) step or by SOG (Spin On Glass) coating and etch back, and the two layers following the first wiring pattern 28 thereby. An interlayer insulating film 29 with the eye wiring pattern is formed.

Subsequently, in this step, as shown in FIG. 2B, a tantalum film is deposited with a film thickness of 80 to 100 [nm] by sputtering. This step thereby deposits a resistor film on the semiconductor substrate 22. Further, the excess tantalum film and the like are removed by a subsequent photolithography process and a dry etching process using a BCl ₃ / Cl ₂ gas, and the heating element 30 having a folded shape is formed.

Subsequently, in this step, as shown in FIG. 3C, a silicon nitride film is deposited with a film thickness of 300 nm by a CVD method using silane gas, and a protective layer 31 of the heating element 30 is formed. Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 3D, the silicon nitride film at a predetermined location is removed by a photolithography process and a dry etching process using a CHF ₃ / CF ₄ / Ar-based gas, thereby wiring the heating element 30. A portion connected to the pattern is exposed, and an opening is formed in the interlayer insulating film 29 to form a via hole 33.

  Further, in this step, as shown in FIG. 4E, a film thickness of 400 to 1000 is formed by sputtering using aluminum added with 1 [at%] silicon or 0.5 [at%] copper. Deposit by [nm].

In this way, in this step, the wiring pattern material 32 is formed, and then, as shown in FIG. 4F, a photolithography step and dry etching using BCl ₃ / Cl ₂ gas, which is a chlorine-based gas, are performed. Then, the formed wiring pattern material is selectively removed, whereby a second-layer wiring pattern 35 is created. In this step, a wiring pattern for power supply and a wiring pattern for grounding are created from the wiring pattern 35 of the second layer, and a wiring pattern for connecting the drive transistor 24 to the heating element 30 is created.

In this step, as shown in FIG. 5G, a silicon nitride film 36 (Si ₃ N ₄ ) that functions as an ink protective layer is deposited by CVD to 300 to 500 [nm].

  Further, as shown in FIG. 5H, heat treatment is performed in a heat treatment furnace in a nitrogen gas atmosphere with 4% hydrogen added at 400 ° C. for 60 minutes, thereby stabilizing the operation of the transistors 24 and 25. In addition, the connection between the first-layer wiring pattern 28 and the second-layer wiring pattern 35 and the connection between the wiring patterns 28 and 35 and the transistors 24 and 25 are stabilized to reduce the contact resistance.

In this step, subsequently, as shown in FIG. 1, a tantalum film having a film thickness of 200 nm is deposited by a sputtering method, and a cavitation-resistant layer 40 is formed from this tantalum film. Subsequently, in this process, the dry film 41 and the orifice plate 42 are sequentially laminated. Here, the dry film 41 is made of, for example, an organic resin, and after being disposed by pressure bonding, the portions corresponding to the ink liquid chamber and the ink flow path are removed and then cured. On the other hand, the orifice plate 42 is a plate-like member processed into a predetermined shape so as to form a nozzle 44 that is a minute ink discharge port on the heating element 30 and is held on the dry film 41 by adhesion. Is done. As a result, the printer head 21 creates a nozzle 44, an ink liquid chamber 45, and a flow path for guiding ink to the ink liquid chamber 45.
(2) Operation of Example In the above configuration, the printer head 21 is configured such that the element isolation region 23 is formed on the P-type silicon substrate 22 which is a semiconductor substrate, the transistors 24 and 25 which are semiconductor elements are formed, and the insulating layer 26 Thus, the first wiring pattern 28 is created. Subsequently, after the insulating layer 29 and the heat generating element 30 are formed, the protective layer 31 and the second wiring pattern 35 are formed. Further, after the protective layer 36 is formed, the connection between the wiring patterns and between the wiring patterns and the heating elements is stabilized by heat treatment, and then the anti-cavitation layer 40, the ink liquid chamber 45, and the nozzle 44 are sequentially formed. To be created.

  As a result, in the printer head 21, the cavitation-resistant layer 40 is formed after the heat treatment process, which is a sintering process, contrary to the conventional process. The crack is prevented from occurring by preventing the protective layer 36 from being applied.

That is, a material having a high stress such as tantalum (Ta) is applied to the anticavitation layer 40 because it is required to relax the cavity and protect the heating element. Here, the compressive stress of the tantalum film is 1.0 to 2.0E10 [dyne / cm ² ]. This tantalum has a linear expansion coefficient of 6.5 [ppm / degree], and aluminum generally applied to a wiring pattern has a linear expansion coefficient of 23.6 [ppm / degree]. When the protective layer 36 is made of Si ₃ N ₄ , the linear expansion coefficient is 2.5 [ppm / degree].

  Thus, when the cavitation-resistant layer 40 is formed as in the prior art and then heat-treated, a large thermal stress is generated between these layers due to the difference in the linear expansion coefficient, and the protective layer 36 sandwiched therebetween. It was found that the thermal stress concentrated on the surface of the protective layer 36 caused by this thermal stress.

  On the other hand, in this embodiment, the cavitation-resistant layer 40 is formed after the heat treatment, so that the linear expansion coefficient between the cavitation-resistant layer 40 and the protective layer 36 is increased during the heat treatment. Generation of thermal stress due to the difference can be avoided, and the protective layer 36 receives only thermal stress between the lower layer and the lower layer. Thereby, in the protective layer 36, generation | occurrence | production of a crack is prevented and, thereby, the deterioration of the reliability by damage to the protective layer 36 can be avoided effectively.

  In addition, when the crack of the printer head was inspected by the conventional method by the Al solution immersion test, cracks were confirmed in 20 printer heads out of 42 samples, and the probability of occurrence of the crack was about 48%. Here, in the Al solution immersion test, the printer head is immersed in a mixed solution of phosphoric acid, acetic acid, and nitric acid, which is a solution of the aluminum wiring material, so that the solution enters the lower layer of the protective layer 36 from the crack portion. In this test, the wiring pattern 35 is dissolved to thereby make sure that there is no crack. The printer head according to this conventional method is one in which after forming a cavitation-resistant layer, heat treatment is performed at 400 degrees for 60 minutes, and a protective layer is formed with a film thickness of 300 nm.

  On the other hand, in the printer head according to this example, when a protective layer was formed with a film thickness of 300 nm by the same Al solution immersion test, two printer heads in 98 samples were cracked. Generation was confirmed (probability of occurrence 2 [%]), and when the thickness of the protective layer was 500 [nm], no cracks were generated in 100 samples.

In addition, when the heating element was repeatedly driven with no ink supplied, and the change in the resistance value of the heating element was observed, as shown in FIG. 6, even if a pulse was applied 100 million times, the heating element was disconnected. It was also found that the change in resistance value was slight. The driving condition in this test is that a heating element having a resistance value of 100 [Ω] is driven so that 0.85 [W] power is consumed by one pulse, and a pulse is repeatedly applied. When the number of pulses reached 100 million, the rate of change in resistance value was 4%.
(3) Effect of Example According to the above configuration, it is possible to effectively avoid deterioration of reliability due to damage to the protective layer by forming the anti-cavitation layer after the heat treatment for stabilizing the connection. it can.

  In the above-described embodiment, the case where the heat generating element is formed with a tantalum film has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and various materials can be applied to various laminated materials as necessary. .

  The present invention relates to a printer head and a printer, and can be applied to a printer that ejects ink droplets by heating a heater.

It is sectional drawing which shows the printer head based on the Example of this invention. It is sectional drawing with which it uses for description of the preparation process of the printer head of FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a continuation of FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a continuation of FIG. 3. It is sectional drawing which shows the continuation of FIG. It is a characteristic curve figure which shows the reliability test result of the printer head of FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the conventional printer head. It is sectional drawing with which it uses for description of the generation | occurrence | production prevention method of the crack by a conventional method.

Explanation of symbols

1, 21 ... Printer head, 2, 22 ... Silicon substrate, 3, 30 ... Heating element, 4, 6, 31, 32, 36 ... Protective layer, 7, 40 ... Cavity-resistant layer, 24 25 ... transistor 28 ... 35 ... wiring pattern

Claims (2)

A semiconductor element, a heating element, and a wiring pattern for connecting the semiconductor element to the heating element are created on a semiconductor substrate, and the ink in the ink liquid chamber is heated from a predetermined nozzle by driving the heating element by the semiconductor element. In the printer head that ejects ink droplets,
The heating element and the semiconductor element are connected via the via hole by the wiring pattern,
After a protective layer for protecting the heat generating element from the ink is formed on the upper layer of the heat generating element with a film thickness of 300 to 500 [nm],
By the heat treatment, at least the connection between the heating element and the wiring pattern, the connection between the wiring pattern and the semiconductor element is stabilized,
Then, a cavitation-resistant layer that protects the heat generating element from cavitation is formed. In a printer that prints by ejecting ink droplets by driving a heating element by a semiconductor element arranged in a printer head,
The printer head is
A wiring pattern that connects the semiconductor element, the heating element, and the semiconductor element to the heating element is created on a semiconductor substrate,
The heating element and the semiconductor element are connected via the via hole by the wiring pattern,
After a protective layer for protecting the heat generating element from the ink is formed on the upper layer of the heat generating element with a film thickness of 300 to 500 [nm],
By the heat treatment, at least the connection between the heating element and the wiring pattern, the connection between the wiring pattern and the semiconductor element is stabilized,
Thereafter, a cavitation-resistant layer that protects the heating element from cavitation is formed.

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