MEMS components with perfectly protected edges and corners in Si{110} wafers

In this paper, we report a fabrication method for the formation of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) structures with perfectly protected edges and corners in {110}Si wafers using complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) compatible tetramethyl-ammonium hydroxide (TMAH) solution. Fabrication method includes two-steps wet etching. The second step of etching is carried out after mask inversion from silicon nitride (Si₃N₄) to silicon dioxide (SiO₂) by local oxidation of silicon (LOCOS) followed by nitride etching. Mask design methodology for the various shapes microstructures whose edges aligned along different directions is briefly discussed.