Method for manufacturing a micromechanical relay

PCT No. PCT/EP97/06174 Sec. 371 Date May 11, 1999 Sec. 102(e) Date May 11, 1999 PCT Filed Nov. 6, 1997 PCT Pub. No. WO98/21734 PCT Pub. Date May 22, 1998A method of producing a micromechanical relay comprises the steps of providing a substrate including a conductive fixed electrode in or on said substrate. A sacrificial layer and a conductive layer are applied and the conductive layer is structured so as to define a beam structure as a movable counterelectrode opposite said fixed electrode. A contact area is applied, the conductive layer extending between an anchoring region and the contact area and being insulated from said contact area. Subsequently, the sacrificial layer is removed by means of etching so as to produce the beam structure comprising a movable area and an area secured to the anchoring region on the substrate. The beam structure is defined such that etch access openings in said beam structure are structured such that the size of the area covered by the etch access openings used for etching the sacrificial layer increases from the area of the beam structure secured to the substrate to the movable area of the beam structure so that the etching of the sacrificial layer is controlled in such a way that the portion of the sacrificial layer arranged below the movable area of the beam structure is etched faster than the portion of the sacrificial layer arranged in the area of the anchoring region.