| 摘要 |
A method for adjusting with high precision the width of gaps between micromachined structures or devices in an epitaxial reactor environment. Providing a partially formed micromechanical device, comprising a substrate layer, a sacrificial layer including silicon dioxide deposited or grown on the substrate and etched to create desired holes and/or trenches through to the substrate layer, and a function layer deposited on the sacrificial layer and the exposed portions of the substrate layer and then etched to define micromechanical structures or devices therein. The etching process exposes the sacrificial layer underlying the removed function layer material. Cleaning residues from the surface of the device, then epitaxially depositing a layer of gap narrowing material selectively on the surfaces of the device. The selection of deposition surfaces determined by choice of materials and the temperature and pressure of the epitaxy carrier gas. The gap narrowing epitaxial deposition continues until a desired gap width is achieved, as determined by, for example, an optical detection arrangement. Following the gap narrowing step, the micromachined structures or devices may be released from their respective underlying sacrificial layer.
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