Patent ID: 8623222

Claim:
A microfabrication method incorporating photolithography masking to produce a microgripper device operable to grasp objects varying from micro to nanoNewton and having two-axis force sensing capabilities, characterised in that the method comprises: (a) depositing a silicon dioxide layer onto a handle layer, wherein the handle layer is resident on a silicon on insulator wafer, the wafer comprising a device layer and a buried oxide layer, wherein the buried oxide layer is between the silicon oxide layer and the device layer; (b) patterning the silicon dioxide layer using an etching means to form a first mask; (c) etching an area of the wafer to remove a first portion of the handle layer exposed by the first mask; (d) etching the area of the wafer to remove the dioxide layer; (e) etching the area of the wafer to remove a second portion of the handle layer so that a portion of the buried oxide layer is exposed; (f) etching to remove the portion of the buried oxide layer; (g) forming ohmic contacts; and (h) etching the device layer to form structural elements of the microgripper device.