Integrated thermal ink jet printhead and method of manufacturing

We describe an integrated thermal ink jet printhead and manufacturing process therefor which includes the successive build-up of an orifice plate (18), a first barrier layer (20), heater resistors (22), a second barrier layer (30), and an ink reservoir-­defining layer (38) on top of a reusable or "dummy" substrate (10). Lead-in conductors (24,26,28) are formed integral with the heater resistors (22) by controlling the cross-sectional areas of these components, and openings (44,46) (passageways) are formed between ink reservoirs (40,42) and the orifice plate (18) to provide for ink flow under control of the heater resistors (22). The dummy substrate (10) is stripped away from the adjacent orifice plate (18), and the ink reservoir defining layer (38) may be secured to an ink supply tank (48) which supplies ink to the individual ink reservoirs (40,42). Thus, the orifice plate (18), heater resistors (22) and ink flow paths (44,46) of the printhead are self aligned, and the heater resistors (22) are removed or displaced from direct cavitational forces from ink ejected from the orifice plate (18).