TABLE OF CONTENTS The term micromechanics, with its obvious similarity to the term microelectronics, is used to describe a completely new discipline. Its objective is the construction of complex microsystems consisting largely of integrated sensors, a logical signal processing stage and actuators. In this connection, micromechanics refers to the fabrication of mechanical structures whose geometrical size, at least in one dimension, is so small that it no longer is sensible to use the methods of fine mechanics. Depending on the boundary conditions imposed by the desired function or by the properties of the material, this limit may be located anywhere between the millimetre and the submicrometre range (see Figure 14.2). In contrast to microelectronics, micromechanics is concerned with the production of three-dimensional structures.
Modern micromechanics make it possible to produce micropumps, microvalves, micro-loudspeakers and microphones and therefore it is of interest to disciplines other than sensor technology [1, 2].
