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Abstract

A method of manufacturing an ink jet printhead includes the step of providing an initial semiconductor wafer having an electrical circuitry layer formed thereon and etching at least one ink inlet channel in the electrical circuitry layer. A first sacrificial material layer is deposited over the electrical circuitry layer. A first expansion material layer having a suitable coefficient of thermal expansion is deposited. Predetermined vias is etched in the first expansion material layer. A conductive layer is deposited on the first expansion material layer and etched to be conductively interconnected to the electrical circuitry layer via said vias. A second expansion material layer having a suitable coefficient of thermal expansion is deposited and etched to form a shutter element over the 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. A second sacrificial material layer is deposited and etched to form a nozzle chamber mould. An inert material layer is deposited over the sacrificial material layer and etched to form a nozzle chamber around the shutter element and a nozzle ejection port in the inert material layer. An ink supply channel is etched through the wafer and the sacrificial layers are etched away.

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