Thermal recording head

A thermal recording head for a printer for thermally recording characters on a heat-sensitive recording medium, comprising:

• a heatsink with a connector attached thereto, the connector containing a plurality of signal lines;
• a substrate provided on the heatsink;
• driving means provided on the substrate, the driving means being connected to the connector by one connection for each of the plurality of signal lines, the driving means generating a pulsed electric current and outputting the pulsed electric current at a collector electrode;
• a heat-resistant resin layer provided on the substrate a distance from the collector electrode, the heat-resistant resin layer having a surface facing opposite the substrate defining an elevated area:
• an inorganic thermal insulation layer made from a material with a linear thermal expansion coefficient of less than 5.times.10.sup.-6 .degree./C. from 20.degree. to 300 .degree. C., the inorganic thermal insulation layer covering at least the elevated area of the heat-resistant resin layer and the distance to the collector electrode, a combined thickness of the heat-resistant resin layer and the inorganic thermal insulation layer being thicker at the elevated area than at the collector electrode;
• a thin-film resistor layer provided to the inorganic insulation layer, the thin-film resistor layer being a thin-film layer that is 500 to 1,000 .ANG. thick and made from a material selected from a group consisting of a Cr--Si--SiO alloy and a Ta--Si--SiO alloy, the thin-film resistor layer having a heating portion substantially at the elevated area, the thin-film resistor layer being in direct contact with the collector electrode, the thin-film resistor layer being energized by the pulsed electric current, the heating portion heating in pulses according to the pulsed electric current;
• a first conductor layer provided to the thin-film resistor layer except at the heating portion, the first conductor layer serving as a conductor for supplying the pulsed electric current to the thin-film resistor layer;
• and
• an anti-abrasion layer provided 1 .mu.m or less thick to the heating portion for forming direct abutment contact with the heat-sensitive recording medium and transmitting the pulsed heat from the heating portion thereto for forming an image thereon.