Patent ID: 6855264

Claim:
A method of manufacture of a thermally actuated ink jet printer comprising a series of nozzle chambers from each of which ink is ejected via the utilization of a thermal actuator device, the method comprising the steps of: (a) initially providing a silicon wafer having a circuitry wafer layer including electrical circuitry necessary for the operation of the thermal actuators on demand; (b) etching an ink inlet aperture in said circuitry wafer layer; (c) depositing and etching a first sacrificial layer on top of the silicon and circuitry wafer layer and etching said first sacrificial layer in an area defining a first portion of a nozzle chamber wall, a thermal actuator anchor and a thermal actuator end point; (d) depositing and etching a first inert material layer defining an actuator path starting at said thermal actuator anchor; (e) depositing and etching a first conductive material layer adjacent said actuator path and attached to said first inert material layer; (f) depositing and etching a non-conductive layer over said first conductive material layer, said etching including etching predetermined vias for interconnection of said first conductive material layer with a second conductive material layer; (g) depositing and etching a second inert material layer on top of said first inert material layer; (h) depositing and etching said second conductive material layer on top of said non-conductive layer, the second conductive material layer having a conductive interconnect to said first conductive material layer; (i) depositing and etching a series of inert material layers and sacrificial layers to form a nozzle chamber including an ink ejection hole and a nozzle chamber paddle attached at said thermal actuator end point; (j) etching an ink supply channel through said wafer to said nozzle chamber; and (k) etching away said sacrificial layers.