Patent ID: 7573022

Claim:
A method for fabricating an actuator device having vertically offset interdigitated-comb actuators including a fixed-comb actuator and a moving-comb actuator, comprising: forming a low temperature oxide layer on a semiconductor wafer; and, selectively removing said low temperature oxide layer at the locations of the fixed combs of said fixed-comb actuator; and, forming said fixed-comb actuator and said moving-comb actuator simultaneously by photolithographic patterning and etching; and, performing timed deep reactive ion etching to define the vertical height of said fixed-comb actuator without significantly affecting the height of said moving-comb actuator creating thereby vertically offset interdigitated-comb actuators; and, opening the backside of said actuator device and releasing said actuator device in an etch solution; and, wherein the temperature of said actuator device exceeds about 500 deg. C. at no time during the fabrication process.