US Patent 7303930 Method of fabricating suspended beam in a MEMS process

A method of fabricating a suspended beam in a MEMS process, said method comprising the steps of:(a) etching a pit in a substrate, said pit having a base and sidewalls;(b) depositing sacrificial material on a surface of said substrate so as to fill said pit;(c) removing said sacrificial material from a perimeter region within said pit and from said substrate surface surrounding said pit;(d) reflowing remaining sacrificial material within said pit such that said remaining sacrificial material contacts said sidewalls;(e) depositing beam material on said substrate surface and on said reflowed sacrificial material; and(f) removing said reflowed sacrificial material to form said suspended beam.