Patent ID: 7175776

Claim:
A method of fabricating a micro-electromechanical device, the method comprising the steps of: forming electrical connections to drive circuitry on a wafer substrate; forming a first sacrificial structure on the wafer substrate that corresponds at least to a mechanical arm to be formed on the sacrificial structure, spaced from the wafer substrate; forming at least the mechanical arm on the sacrificial structure; forming a second sacrificial structure on the wafer substrate such that the second sacrificial structure corresponds at least to a heater element to be connected to the electrical connections, isolated from and overlying the mechanical arm; forming the heater element on the second sacrificial structure; forming a third sacrificial structure on the wafer substrate such that the third sacrificial structure corresponds at least to a structural formation that serves to fasten the heater element to the mechanical arm at a position spaced from the electrical connections such that resistive heating and subsequent cooling of the heater element as a result of an electrical current passing through the heater element results in displacement of the structural formation relative to the substrate; and forming the structural formation on the wafer substrate.