Lexmark International, Inc.

Shauna Marie Leis

James Harold Powers

Carl Edmond Sullivan

James M Mrvos

Andrew McNees

Gary Raymond Williams

Brian Christopher Hart

Eric Spencer Hall

The invention provides a method for making ink feed vias in semiconductor silicon substrate chips for an ink jet printhead and ink jet printheads containing silicon chips made by the method. The method includes applying a first photoresist material to a first surface side of the chip. The first photoresist material is patterned and developed to define at least one ink via location therein. An etch stop material is applied to a second surface side of the chip. At least one ink via is anisotropically etched with a dry etch process through the thickness of the silicon chip up to the etch stop layer from the first surface side of the chip. As opposed to conventional ink via formation techniques, the method significantly improves the throughput of silicon chip and reduces losses due to chip breakage and cracking. The resulting chips are more reliable for long term printhead use.

Ink jet printheads and methods therefor

The invention provides an improved method for grit blasting slots in a silicon wafer. The method includes, providing a silicon wafer having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface containing resistive, conductive and insulative layers defining individual semiconductor components, applying a first substantially permanent non-water soluble layer selected from silane, photoresist materials and a combination of a silane layer and a photoresist layer to the first surface of the wafer to provide a first substantially permanent layer thereon, applying a water-soluble protective material to the first layer to provide a second layer, grit blasting slots in the wafer corresponding to the individual semiconductor components, and subsequently, removing the water-soluble protective layer from the wafer. The protective layer provides enhanced protection for the electrical components on a silicon wafer during a grit blasting process so that a higher yield of useable semiconductor chips may be made.

Method for making ink jet printheads

Growing community of inventors

Georgetown, KY, United States of America

Shauna Marie Leis