Method and apparatus for thermal jet printing

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a method for depositing films on a substrate which may form part of an LED or other types of display. In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to an apparatus for depositing ink on a substrate. The apparatus includes a chamber for receiving ink; a discharge nozzle having an inlet port and an outlet port, the discharge nozzle receiving a quantity of ink from the chamber at the inlet port and dispensing the quantity of ink from the outlet port; and a dispenser for metering the quantity of ink from the chamber to the inlet port of the discharge nozzle; wherein the chamber receives ink in liquid form having a plurality of suspended particles and the quantity of ink is pulsatingly metered from the chamber to the discharge nozzle; and the discharge nozzle evaporates the carrier liquid and deposits the solid particles on the substrate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for accurate deposition of ink on a substrate, the system comprising:
 a storage means for storing a composition of ink particles in a carrier liquid;   a metering means in communication with the storage means to pulsatingly meter at least a portion of the composition;   a transporting means for transporting the ink from the chamber to a discharge nozzle;   an evaporating means for evaporating the carrier liquid to form a substantially solid quantity of ink particles at the discharge nozzle; and   a discharging means for discharging the substantially solid ink particles from the discharge nozzle onto a substrate.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the storage means comprises a chamber in fluid communication with an external reservoir for receiving the liquid. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the storage means defines a reservoir for storing the composition of ink. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the metering means is configured to heat the chamber in discrete pulses. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising control means for controlling at least one of the metering means and means for discharging the suspended vaporized particles. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the control means further comprises a processor programmed with instructions to activate the metering means to meter the ink and thereafter to activate the discharging means to deliver the solid ink particles to the substrate. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the control means further comprises a processor programmed with instructions to use pulsating energy to active the metering means and the discharge means. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the metering means is in the chamber in discrete pulses. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the dispensing means comprises a heater. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the dispensing means comprises a piezoelectric element. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the evaporating means comprises a heater. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the discharging means comprises a piezoelectric element. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the discharging means comprises a heater. 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus for depositing particles on a substrate, the apparatus comprising:
 a chamber for receiving ink, the chamber receiving ink in liquid form having a plurality of particles in a carrier liquid;   a dispenser associated with the chamber, the dispenser metering a quantity of ink delivered from the chamber to a discharge nozzle, the discharge nozzle evaporating the carrier liquid to form a substantially solid quantity of ink particles;   wherein the discharge nozzle rotates axially relative to the chamber to discharge the substantially solid quantity of ink particles; and   wherein the discharge nozzles deposits the substantially solid particles onto a substrate.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising a housing for receiving the chamber and the discharge nozzle. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising an ink reservoir in fluid communication with the chamber. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the dispenser defines a heater for metering the quantity of ink delivered from the chamber. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the dispenser defines a piezoelectric element for metering the quantity of ink delivered from the chamber. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the dispenser provides energy pulses having an amplitude and a frequency to the chamber to meter ink from the chamber. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the discharge nozzle further comprises a plurality of micro-pores, the plurality of micro-pores receiving the metered quantity of ink in liquid form and dispensing substantially solid quantity of ink particles from the micro-pores onto the substrate. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the discharge nozzle further comprises a heater for evaporating the carrier liquid. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the discharge nozzle evaporates the substantially solid particles and discharges said particles in substantially gaseous form onto the substrate. 
     
     
         23 . A system for controlling a printing device, the system comprising:
 a first controller having a first processor circuit in communication with a first memory circuit, the first memory circuit containing instructions for directing the first processor to:
 identify a plurality of chambers, each chamber receiving liquid ink having a plurality of dissolved or suspended particles in a carrier liquid, engage each of the plurality of chambers to meter a quantity of liquid ink for dispensing 
   a second controller having a second processor circuit in communication with a second memory circuit, the second memory circuit containing instructions for directing the second processor to:
 identify a plurality of discharge nozzles, each of the plurality of discharge nozzles receiving the quantity of liquid from a corresponding one of the plurality of chambers, 
 activate each of the plurality of the discharge nozzles to evaporate at least a part of the carrier liquid, 
 direct each of the plurality of discharge nozzles to deposit substantially solid ink particles onto a substrate. 
   
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the first processor identifies the plurality of chambers from a group of available chambers. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the first processor engages each chamber to meter substantially the same quantity of liquid ink for dispensing. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the first processor engages a first chamber of the plurality of chambers to meter relatively more liquid ink than a second chamber of the plurality of chambers. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the first processor engages each of the plurality of chambers to meter the quantity of ink by activating one or more of a heater, a piezoelectric element or a valve associated with each chamber. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the second processor directs each of the plurality of discharge nozzles to deposit solid ink particles by rotating a surface of the discharge nozzle relative to the substrate. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the processor directs each of the plurality of discharge nozzles to deposit solid ink particles by engaging a plurality of piezoelectric elements corresponding to each of the discharge nozzles. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the second processor directs each of the plurality of discharge nozzles to deposit solid particles of ink onto a substrate by plurality of heaters corresponding to each of the discharge nozzles.