Fabrication of self-standing, size-adjustable nickel structures with nanometer resolution.

Silicon micromachining is an attractive technique for a wide class of minia turised components and systems. We have designed and fabricated several sel f-standing devices based on surface and bulk micromachining techniques. Our process makes use of Silicon Nitride membranes, which are patterned by ele ctron beam (e-beam) lithography and removed after pattern metallization by reactive ion etching. The fabricated microstructures can be moved and adjus ted by electromagnetic actuation.