1. A photothermographic material comprising a micro-particle dispersion dispersed in an organic solvent having a water content of not more than 10%, the micro-particle dispersion having a hydrophobic protective colloid and manufactured by a method comprising the steps of:
(a) dispersing micro-particles in a hydrophilic dispersant to form a hydrophilic micro-particle dispersion having the hydrophilic dispersant as a protective colloid, and
(b) adding a dispersant to the hydrophilic micro-particle dispersion, the dispersant having a functional group capable of ion bonding with a hydrophilic group of the hydrophilic dispersant.
2. A photothermographic material comprising a support having thereon a layer containing a photosensitive emulsion, photo-insensitive organic silver salt grains and a binder, wherein the photosensitive emulsion comprises a micro-particle dispersion dispersed in an organic solvent having a water content of not more than 10% and having a hydrophobic protective colloid, wherein the micro-particles are silver halide grains, and
wherein the micro-particle dispersion is manufactured by a method comprising the steps of:
(a) dispersing micro-particles in a hydrophilic dispersant to form a hydrophilic micro-particle dispersion having the hydrophilic dispersant as a protective colloid, and
(b) adding a dispersant to the hydrophilic micro-particle dispersion, the dispersant having a functional group capable of ion bonding with a hydrophilic group of the hydrophilic dispersant.
3. The photothermographic material of claim 2, wherein the photosensitive emulsion is prepared by addition of the micro-particle dispersion having a hydrophobic protective colloid to the photo-insensitive silver salt grains, the micro-particle dispersion being manufactured by the method comprising the steps of:
(a) dispersing micro-particles in a hydrophilic dispersant to form a hydrophilic micro-particle dispersion having the hydrophilic dispersant as a protective colloid, and
(b) adding a dispersant to the hydrophilic micro-particle dispersion, the dispersant having a functional group capable of ion bonding with a hydrophilic group of the hydrophilic dispersant.
4. The photothermographic material of claim 1, wherein the organic solvent may be methyl ethyl ketone or a combination of methyl ethyl ketone and at least one other organic solvent.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A device, comprising:
a substrate;
a first heater on the substrate;
a second heater spaced from the first heater on the substrate, the first heater being larger in area than the second heater;
a first microfluidic chamber aligned with the first heater and the second heater;
a first nozzle aligned with the first chamber; and
a channel region in fluid communication with the first microfluidic chamber and the first nozzle, the first heater being separated from the channel region by the second heater, the first nozzle being separated from the channel region by the second heater.
2. The device of claim 1, further comprising:
an inlet path through the substrate,
the inlet path being in fluid communication with the channel region, the first microfluidic chamber, and the first nozzle.
3. The device of claim 2, further comprising:
a third heater formed on the substrate;
a fourth heater formed on the substrate;
a second microfluidic chamber aligned with the third heater and the fourth heater; and
a second nozzle aligned with the second chamber, the second nozzle being in fluid communication with the inlet path, the channel region, and the second chamber.
4. The device of claim 3 wherein the third heater has a larger area than the fourth heater.
5. The device of claim 3, further comprising:
a first contact pad;
a second contact pad;
a third contact pad;
a first electrical trace coupled between the first heater and the first contact pad;
a second electrical trace coupled between the second heater and the second contact pad; and
a third electrical trace coupled between the third heater and the third contact pad.
6. The device of claim 5 wherein the fourth heater is coupled to the second electrical trace.
7. The device of claim 1, further comprising:
a first contact pad;
a second contact pad;
a first electrical trace coupled between the first heater and the first contact pad; and
a second electrical trace coupled between the second heater and the second contact pad.
8. The device of claim 7, further comprising a third electrical trace between the first heater and the second heater.
9. The device of claim 7 wherein the first electrical trace is coupled to a first side of the first heater and a first side of the second heater and the second electrical trace is coupled to a second side of the first heater and a second side of the second heater.
10. The device of claim 1 wherein the first nozzle is positioned between the first heater and the second heater.
11. The device of claim 1 wherein the first nozzle includes a first axis passing through a center of the first nozzle and the first axis passes through a center point of the first heater.
12. A device, comprising:
a substrate;
a plurality of first heaters on the substrate;
a plurality of second heaters on the substrate, each second heater having a smaller area than each first heater, each second heater having an outer edge;
a plurality of chambers, each chamber having an area that encompasses one of the first heaters and one of the second heaters;
a plurality of nozzles, each chamber being associated with one of the nozzles, each nozzle having an outer diameter, the outer diameter of each nozzle being non-overlapping with the outer edge of each second heater; and
an inlet path in fluid communication with each of the plurality of chambers, each second heater being closer to the inlet path than each first heater.
13. The device of claim 12 wherein each nozzle is positioned between one of the first heaters and one of the second heaters.
14. The device of claim 12 wherein an axis through each nozzle is aligned with a center point of each of the first heaters.
15. A method, comprising:
forming a first heater on a substrate with a first area;
forming a second heater with a second area spaced from the first heater on the substrate, the first area being larger than the second area;
forming a first microfluidic chamber, the first chamber covering the first heater and the second heater;
forming a first nozzle aligned with the first chamber;
forming an inlet path through the substrate, the inlet path being in fluid communication with the first nozzle and the first microfluidic chamber, the first nozzle being separated from the inlet path by the second heater.
16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:
forming a third heater on the substrate adjacent to the first heater;
forming a fourth heater spaced from the third heater on the substrate, the third heater being larger than the fourth heater;
forming a second microfluidic chamber, the second chamber covering the third heater and the fourth heater; and
forming a second nozzle aligned with the second chamber.
17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:
forming a channel in fluid communication with the inlet path, the first chamber, and the second chamber, the channel including a neck portion that has a first width, the each of the first chamber and the second chamber having a same second width, the first width being smaller than the second width.