Patent ID: 6241906
Filing Date: 2001-06-05
Classification: B41J,H04N

Abstract:
A method of manufacturing an ink jet printhead, the method comprising the steps of:(a) providing an initial semiconductor wafer having an electrical circuitry layer formed thereon;(b) etching at least one ink inlet channel in the electrical circuitry layer;(c) depositing a first sacrificial material layer over the electrical circuitry layer to fill the, or each, ink inlet channel and etching an actuator anchor area in the first sacrificial material layer;(d) depositing a first expansion material layer of a material having a suitable coefficient of thermal expansion and etching predetermined vias in the first expansion material layer;(e) depositing a conductive layer on the first expansion material layer, and etching the conductive layer to be conductively interconnected to the electrical circuitry layer via said vias;(f) depositing a second expansion material layer of a material having a suitable coefficient of thermal expansion, and etching a shutter element over the at least one ink inlet channel, so that the shutter element is defined by a combination of the first and second expansion material layers and the conductive layer, the shutter element being anchored by the vias;(g) depositing a second sacrificial material layer, and etching the second sacrificial layer to form a nozzle chamber mould;(h) depositing an inert material layer over the sacrificial material layer and etching the inert material layer to form a nozzle chamber around the shutter element and a nozzle ejection port in the inert material layer;(i) etching an ink supply channel through the wafer; and(j) etching away the sacrificial layers.