A method for forming a cavity of a sensor chip. The method comprises forming a first groove (a2) on a substrate (a1); bonding a covering layer (a4) onto the substrate (a1) to cover the first groove (a2), thereby forming a cavity; and etching the covering layer (a4) to decrease a thickness of the covering layer. The method can implement a thinner thickness of a film, thereby improving the sensitivity of a sensor.

A method of making microstructures having re-entrant or doubly re-entrant topology includes forming a mold defining the negative surface features of the re-entrant or doubly re-entrant topology that is to be formed. In one embodiment, a soft or flowable material is formed on a first substrate and the mold is contacted with the same to form a solid, now positive surface having the re-entrant or doubly re-entrant topology. The mold is then released from the first substrate. The microstructures are secured to a second, different substrate, and the first substrate is removed. Any residual microstructure material located between adjacent microstructures may be removed to form the separate microstructures on the second substrate. The second substrate may be thin and flexible any manipulated into useful or desired shapes having the microstructures on one side thereof.

A method and apparatus for the etching of variable depth features in a substrate is described. Movement of the substrate relative to an etchant (e.g. into or out of the etchant) during the etching process is utilised to provide a varying etch time, and hence depth, across the substrate, and in various examples this is enabled without requiring a varying mask.

A method for manufacturing a three-dimensional structure comprising supplying a stack comprising, stacked in a vertical direction, a support substrate, a sacrificial layer, a layer of interest having a sidewall and a tensor layer having a sidewall, the tensor layer having a residual stress. The method also comprises removing a removal portion of the sacrificial layer, while retaining a remaining portion of the sacrificial layer underlying the layer of interest. The removal portion is located in line with a lateral portion of the layer of interest extending from the entire sidewall of the layer of interest. The residual stress of the tensor layer is configured to cause bending of the layer of interest during the step of removing the removal portion.

An example Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) accelerometer device includes a proof mass comprising at least one of one or more isolated conductive coil traces or one or more pick-off combs within the proof mass, the one or more pick-off combs comprising a plurality of pick-off comb tines; a pole-piece layer coupled to the proof mass; and a return-path layer coupled to the proof mass, wherein the at least one of the one or more isolated conductive coil traces or the one or more pick-off combs are formed by selective laser etching.

An optical device includes a support portion, a movable portion; and a pair of torsion bars. An optical function portion is provided on one surface of the movable portion and a rib portion is provided on the other surface of the movable portion. The rib portion includes eight extending portions of first to eighth extending portions. When setting directions in which the first to eighth extending portions extend as first to eighth extending directions respectively, and setting an angle between the first and second extending directions as a first angle, an angle between the third and fourth extending directions as a second angle, an angle between the fifth and sixth extending directions as a third angle, and an angle between the seventh and eighth extending directions as a fourth angle, each of the first and second angle is larger than each of the third and fourth angle.

A method and apparatus for the etching of variable depth features in a substrate is described. Movement of the substrate relative to an etchant (e.g. into or out of the etchant) during the etching process is utilised to provide a varying etch time, and hence depth, across the substrate, and in various examples this is enabled without requiring a varying mask.

A method for capillary self-assembly of a plate and a carrier, including: forming an etching mask on a region of a substrate; reactive-ion etching the substrate, the etching using a series of cycles each including isotropic etching followed by surface passivation, wherein a duration of the isotropic etching for each cycle increases from one cycle to another, a ratio between durations of the passivation and etching of each cycle is lower than a ratio for carrying out a vertical anisotropic etching to form a carrier having an upper surface defined by the region and side walls defining an acute angle with the upper surface; removing the etching mask; placing a droplet on the upper surface of the carrier; and placing the plate on the droplet.

A MEMS structure includes a substrate, an inter-dielectric layer on a front side of the substrate, a MEMS component on the inter-dielectric layer, and a chamber disposed within the inter-dielectric layer and through the substrate. The chamber has an opening at a backside of the substrate. An etch stop layer is disposed within the inter-dielectric layer. The chamber has a ceiling opposite to the opening and a sidewall joining the ceiling. The sidewall includes a portion of the etch stop layer.

Provided is a method of manufacturing a stretchable substrate according to various embodiments of the present disclosure in order to implement the above-described objects. The method may include forming an auxetic including a plurality of unit structures and forming one or more microstructures.