A method of forming a printhead comprising: processing a front-side surface of a substrate by forming on a front-side surface of the substrate, a thin film layer and a plurality of fluidic channels and ejection chambers; following the processing of the front-side surface of the substrate forming fluid-handling slots having recessed end regions by forming a slot (302; 1200) through the substrate from a back-side surface to the front-side surface, the back-side and front-side surfaces (306, 308) generally opposing one another, wherein the slot (302; 1200) has a length extending along a long axis of the substrate and a width extending along a short axis of the substrate; and forming recessed regions into (700, 702; 1202, 1204) the back-side surface of the substrate at both ends of the slot (302; 1200) that extend beyond the length of the slot (302; 1200), wherein the method further comprises: prior to forming the slot (302; 1200), forming a masking layer on the back-side surface; and patterning the masking layer to create an exposed area of the back-side surface sufficient to encompass the recessed regions (700, 702; 1202, 1204) and the length and width of the slot (302; 1200), the exposed area being patterned to have a first width and a first length, the first width corresponding approximately with the width of the slot, and the first length corresponding to a length that is greater than the length of the slot so that the first length extends beyond both ends of the desired slot. processing a front-side surface of a substrate by forming on a front-side surface of the substrate, a thin film layer and a plurality of fluidic channels and ejection chambers; following the processing of the front-side surface of the substrate forming fluid-handling slots having recessed end regions by forming a slot (302; 1200) through the substrate from a back-side surface to the front-side surface, the back-side and front-side surfaces (306, 308) generally opposing one another, wherein the slot (302; 1200) has a length extending along a long axis of the substrate and a width extending along a short axis of the substrate; and forming recessed regions into (700, 702; 1202, 1204) the back-side surface of the substrate at both ends of the slot (302; 1200) that extend beyond the length of the slot (302; 1200), wherein the method further comprises: prior to forming the slot (302; 1200), forming a masking layer on the back-side surface; and patterning the masking layer to create an exposed area of the back-side surface sufficient to encompass the recessed regions (700, 702; 1202, 1204) and the length and width of the slot (302; 1200), the exposed area being patterned to have a first width and a first length, the first width corresponding approximately with the width of the slot, and the first length corresponding to a length that is greater than the length of the slot so that the first length extends beyond both ends of the desired slot. prior to forming the slot (302; 1200), forming a masking layer on the back-side surface; and patterning the masking layer to create an exposed area of the back-side surface sufficient to encompass the recessed regions (700, 702; 1202, 1204) and the length and width of the slot (302; 1200), the exposed area being patterned to have a first width and a first length, the first width corresponding approximately with the width of the slot, and the first length corresponding to a length that is greater than the length of the slot so that the first length extends beyond both ends of the desired slot.