ABSTRACT
In 1984, HP introduced the ThinkJet—the first low-cost, mass-produced thermal inkjet printer. Providing a reasonable alternative to noisy dot matrix printers, ThinkJet set the stage for subsequent generations of HP thermal inkjet (TIJ) technology. With each new generation, HP TIJ products provided new standards for print quality, color, and an unprecedented cost-to-performance ratio. Regarded as the first and most successful commercial MEMS technology, the development of HP’s TIJ printheads required multidisciplinary innovation in microfluidics, bulk and surface micromachining, large-scale integration of electronics, packaging, and high volume MEMS manufacturing. HP’s current TIJ printhead products combine Pentium-class addressing circuitry, high voltage mixed-signal driver electronics, dense electrical interconnects, and up to 3900 high-precision microfluidic drop ejectors—all on a single silicon chip. In this chapter, we will provide a brief history of HP’s TIJ technology and then discuss how the unique capabilities required to advance the state of the art of TIJ printing technology now provide platforms for the development of new MEMS devices and systems.
