Patent ID: 6973722

Claim:
A method for fabricating a spring structure including a spring finger having a first end attached to a substrate, a second end including a tip, and a central section extending between the first and second ends such that the tip is located a selected target distance from the substrate, the method comprising: forming the spring finger on the substrate such that the first end, the second end and the central section are attached to the substrate; releasing the central section and second end of the spring finger such that the first end remains attached to the substrate and the central section and second end are detached from the substrate; and annealing the spring finger such that the central section achieves a selected curvature and the tip is positioned at the selected target distance from the substrate, wherein said annealing includes utilizing at least one of a pre-release annealing process, which is performed before releasing the central section and second end, and a post-release annealing process, which is performed after releasing the central section and second end.