Method of printing which minimizes cross-contamination between nozzles

1. A method of printing from a printhead, whilst minimizing cross-contamination of ink between adjacent nozzles, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a printhead comprising:

a substrate including a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink droplets onto a print medium, each nozzle having a nozzle aperture defined in an ink ejection surface of the substrate; and

a plurality of formations on the ink ejection surface, the surface formations being configured to isolate each nozzle from at least one adjacent nozzle; and

(b) printing onto a print medium using said printhead,

wherein the surface formations are configured in a plurality of nozzle enclosures, each nozzle enclosure comprising sidewalls surrounding a respective nozzle, the sidewalls forming a seal with the ink ejection surface, thereby isolating each nozzle from at least one adjacent nozzle.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the surface formations each have a hydrophobic surface.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein each nozzle enclosure further comprises a roof spaced apart from the respective nozzle aperture, the roof having a roof opening aligned with its respective nozzle aperture, thereby allowing ejected ink droplets to pass therethrough onto the print medium.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the sidewalls extend from each roof to the ink ejection surface.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the sidewalls extend from a perimeter region of each roof.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the printhead is a pagewidth inkjet printhead.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the printhead has a nozzle density sufficient to print at up to 1600 dpi.

8. A printhead, for printing using the method of claim 1 , comprising:

a substrate including a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink droplets onto a print medium, each nozzle having a nozzle aperture defined in an ink ejection surface of the substrate; and

a plurality of formations on the ink ejection surface, the surface formations being configured to isolate each nozzle from at least one adjacent nozzle,

wherein the surface formations are configured in a plurality of nozzle enclosure, each nozzle enclosure comprising sidewalls surrounding a respecetive nozzle, the sidewalls forming a seal with the ink ejection surface, thereby isolating each nozzle from at least one adjacent nozzle.

9. A method of fabricating a printhead, for printing using the method of claim 1 , having isolated nozzles, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a substrate, the substrate including a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink droplets onto a print medium, each nozzle having a nozzle aperture defined in an ink ejection surface of the substrate;

(b) depositing a layer of photoresist over the ink ejection surface;

(c) defining recesses in the photoresist, each recess revealing a portion of the ink ejection surface surrounding a respective nozzle aperture;

(d) depositing a roof material over the photoresist and into the recesses;

(e) etching the roof material to define a nozzle enclosure around each nozzle aperture, each nozzle enclosure having an opening defined in a roof and sidewalls extending from the roof to the ink ejection surface; and

(f) removing the photoresist,

wherein said sidewalls surround a respective nozzle the sidewalls forming a seal with the ink ejection surface thereby isolating each nozzle from at least one adjacent nozzle.