Patent ID: 7833484
Filing Date: 2010-11-16
Classification: B81C,G01M

Abstract:
1. A micrometric component including: (a) a structure made on or in one portion of a substrate; and (b) a cap fixed to one zone of the substrate to protect the structure, wherein a closed cavity is delimited by the inner surface of the cap, the structure and the zone of the substrate, wherein the micrometric component further includes, inside the closed cavity, an indicator element formed of a copper layer having a thickness in the range of 10 to 100 nm which can check for hermeticity of the closed cavity, and wherein optical properties of the copper layer change permanently in the presence of a reactive fluid capable of reacting with the copper layer, and by measuring the changes of the optical properties of the copper layer, the copper layer can check hermeticity of the closed cavity, wherein the structure is a magnetic microcontactor which includes a first conductive strip, one end of which is secured to the substrate by a conductive foot, and the other end of the first strip is free to move to come into contact with a second conductive strip fixed to the substrate in the presence of a magnetic field, an intermediate part of the first strip having an aperture extending over most of its length, the distance separating the foot of the first strip and one end of the second strip corresponding to the length of the aperture, and wherein the copper layer, which is at a distance from and opposite the aperture, has a surface dimension less than the surface dimension of the aperture to define, through the aperture, first and second measuring zones for the passage of light beams for checking hermeticity.