Patent ID: 6324748
Filing Date: 2001-12-04
Classification: B81B,F03G,F15C,F16K,G02B,H01H,Y10T

Abstract:
A method of fabricating a microelectromechanical structure comprising the steps of:depositing a sacrificial plating base upon a first surface of a microelectronic substrate;depositing a photoresist layer upon the sacrificial plating base, following said step of depositing a sacrificial plating base;patterning the photoresist layer to open one or more windows to the sacrificial plating base, wherein said patterning step comprises defining windows corresponding to a pair of spaced apart supports and further defining an arched beam extending between the spaced apart supports and arched in a direction parallel to the first surface of the microelectronic substrate, following said step of depositing a photoresist layer;electroplating metal within the windows defined by the photoresist layer and upon the sacrificial plating base, following said step of patterning the photoresist layer, to thereby form the pair of spaced apart supports and the arched beam extending between the spaced apart supports;removing the photoresist layer following said electroplating step; andreleasing the arched beam from the microelectronic substrate following removal of the photoresist layer while permitting the spaced apart supports to remain affixed to the microelectronic substrate such that the arched beam extends between the spaced apart supports and is supported above the substrate in a spaced relationship thereto while remaining arched in a rest position in a direction parallel to the first surface of the microelectronic substrate.