Patent ID: 7749789

Claim:
A method for producing a micro/nanoelectromechanical system (MNEMS) device comprising: providing a multilayer wafer comprising an upper layer, a middle layer, and a substrate; forming a device in said upper layer material, wherein gaps are defined in said upper layer material; filling said gaps with at least one protective gap material wherein said at least one protective gap material has etch characteristics different from etch characteristics of said device upper layer material and said substrate; removing at least a top portion of said at least one protective gap material from said upper layer; etching said at least one protective gap material, wherein a portion of said at least one protective gap material remains on sidewalls of surrounding said upper layer; etching said substrate beneath said device excluding said middle layer, thereby releasing said device from said substrate; and etching said middle layer wherein etch of said step of etching said middle layer is selective to said middle layer and said at least one protective gap material.