Integrated movable micromechanical structures for sensors and actuators - Electron Devices, IEEE Transactions on

Movable pin joints, gears, springs, cranks, and slider structures with dimensions measured in micrometers have been fabricated using silicon microfabrication technology. These micromechanical structures, which have important transducer applications, are batch-fabricated in an IC-compatible process. The movable mechanical elements are built on layers that are later removed so that they are freed for translation and rotation. A new undercut-and-refill technique that makes use of the high surface mobility of silicon atoms undergoing chemical vapor deposition is used to refill undercut regions in order to form restraining Ranges. Typical element sizes and masses are measured in millionths of a meter and billionths of a gram. The process provides the tiny structures in an assembled form, avoiding the nearly impossible challenge of handling such small elements individually.