Patent ID: 8142669

Claim:
A method of fabricating an electromechanical element including a mechanically movable element movable in a hollow formed on a substrate, comprising the steps of: forming a movable element on a sacrifice layer; penetrating the movable element to form a plurality of holes in the movable element through which the sacrifice layer is exposed; performing a first etching step on the sacrifice layer; and performing a second etching step on the sacrifice layer, wherein, the first etching step includes removing the sacrifice layer from a circumference of the movable element and the holes in the movable element to form support portions for the movable element using residual portions of the sacrifice layer, a mechanical load is imposed on the movable element after the first etching step and before the second etching step, the second etching step includes removing the residual portions of the sacrifice layer located under the movable element such that the movable element is movable, the plurality of holes are arranged such that at least first and second holes are successively located along a first line and are separated by a first distance, at least a third hole is located along a second line which is adjacent to the first line, the first and third holes are located closer to each other than are the second and third holes and are separated by a second distance, and the first distance is shorter than the second distance.