Development of an electrostatic drop-on-demand inkjet device for display fabrication process

This paper presents a novel electrostatic drop-on-demand inkjet device featured by a MEMS fabricated pole-type and hole-type nozzle with tube shaped orifice and investigates the feasibility of applying the inkjet device to display fabrication process. The electric voltage signal applied to the ring shaped upper electrode plate, against the hole-shaped ground or pole-shaped ground, referred here pole-type and hole-type nozzle respectively, allows ejection of small droplet to take place: That is, a tiny droplet is taken away from the peak of the mountain shaped liquid meniscus formed at the nozzle orifice. It is verified experimentally that the use of the pole type nozzle allows a stable and sustainable micro-dripping mode of droplet ejection for a wider range of applied voltages and of liquid viscosities. This demonstrates a feasibility of electrostatic drop-on-demand inkjet device as a disruptive alternative to conventional print heads such as thermal bubble or piezoelectric inkjet heads.