Patent ID: 7863752

Claim:
A method for fabricating a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device, comprising: a) forming one or more conductive vias through a lower layer of a bottom substrate having an insulating layer sandwiched between an upper layer and the lower layer, wherein each of the vias is electrically isolated from the lower layer; b) electrically connecting the vias to one or more corresponding electrical contacts formed on a back side of the lower layer; c) selectively removing one or more portions of the upper layer that overlie the one or more vias to form one or more device cavities; d) bonding a device layer to the bottom substrate; and e) forming one or more devices from the device layer, wherein each of the one or more devices overlies a corresponding one of the one or more device cavities, and wherein each of the one or more devices is connected to the rest of the device layer by one or more corresponding hinges, wherein each hinge is formed from the device layer, and wherein each of the one or more devices is electrically isolated from the one or more vias.