Patent ID: 7531424

Claim:
A method of fabricating a device, the method comprising the steps of: forming a trench in an active layer of a silicon-on-insulator substrate having a sacrificial layer on which the active layer is disposed, the trench being configured to electrically isolate first and second regions of the active layer; depositing a non-conductive material on the substrate such that the non-conductive material fills the trench to form a substantially planar support surface above the trench and the first and second regions of the active layer; forming a MEMS device structure from the active layer in the first region; forming a conductive interconnect line that crosses over the trench via the substantially planar support surface for an electrical connection with the MEMS device structure; and bonding a cap wafer to the silicon-on-insulator substrate in a bonding area through which the conductive interconnect line passes, the bonding step forming an encapsulation region in which the MEMS device structure and the trench are entirely disposed.