Patent ID: 8501516

Claim:
A method for producing micromechanical patterns having a relief-like sidewall outline shape or an adjustable angle of inclination, comprising: developing the sidewall outline shape of the micromechanical pattern by varying a germanium proportion in a SiGe mixed semiconductor layer that is present on or deposited on a silicon semiconductor substrate, a greater germanium proportion being present in regions that are to be etched more strongly, the variation in the germanium proportion in the SiGe mixed semiconductor layer being set by a method selected from a group including at least one of: (i) depositing a SiGe mixed semiconductor layer having varying germanium content, (ii) introducing germanium into a silicon semiconductor layer or a SiGe mixed semiconductor layer, (iii) introducing silicon into a germanium layer or a SiGe mixed semiconductor layer, and (iv) thermally oxidizing a SiGe mixed semiconductor layer; and dry chemical etching the micromechanical patterns out of the SiGe mixed semiconductor layer.