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Abstract

An acoustic ink print head includes an array of individual emitters. Each of the emitters have a corresponding transducer with a lower electrode, a separate layer of a piezo-electric material located on the lower electrode, and a separate upper electrode provided on the upper surface of the piezo-electric layer. The upper and lower electrodes are connected to a source of conventionally modulated RF power. A dielectric layer is deposited on top of this structure and lenses are etched into the top of the dielectric layer. The lenses focus energy generated by the transducer to a region of the upper surface of a body of liquid located above the transducer. The lenses concentrate sound waves from the transducers thereby disturbing the surface and causing droplets to be emitted. The print head is formed as an array of individual emitters. The upper electrodes of the individual emitter array have varying surface areas dependent upon their location within a row of electrodes and their output efficiencies. The upper electrodes are altered in order to provide a uniform end-to-end print output.

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First Claim