Patent ID: 6881677

Claim:
A process for forming one or more fluid feed vias in a semiconductor substrate chip for a micro-fluid ejection device, the process comprising the steps of: (a) applying a photoresist planarization and protection layer to a first surface of the chip, the planarization and protection layer having a thickness ranging from about 1 to about 10 microns; (b) patterning and developing the photoresist planarization and protection layer to define at least one fluid feed via location; (c) applying a strippable masking layer to the photoresist planarization and protection layer of the chip, the strippable masking layer having a thickness ranging from about 10 to about 100 microns; (d) patterning and developing the strippable masking layer to define the at least one fluid feed via location in the strippable masking layer; (e) dry etching the chip to form at least one fluid feed via in the defined fluid feed via location; (f) inducing deprotection of the strippable masking layer before or after step (e) so that the strippable masking layer can be substantially removed without affecting the photoresist planarization and protection layer.