Microintegrated structure with protection against contaminating particles

A process for manufacturing a microstructure comprising:

• forming, in a semiconductor material body, a micromechanical element having mobile parts and fixed parts separated from each other, said micromechanical element being externally delimited by a first and a second faces, opposed to each other, and by a side delimitation trench;
• forming a monolithic encapsulation structure of semiconductor material, which surrounds said micromechanical element, said encapsulation structure having a bottom portion facing said second face of said micromechanical element and an outer side portion facing said side delimitation trench;
• and
• forming at least one outer separation trench extending through said bottom portion of said encapsulation structure, said outer separation trench separating a mobile region of said encapsulation structure from an outer side portion and defining, together with said side delimitation trench, a labyrinth path for contaminating particles.

A microactuator for positioning a read/write transducer, comprising:

• a rotor, whereon is attached said transducer;
• a stator;
• an encapsulation structure, comprising integrated circuitry for operating said microactuator, and enclosing said rotor and stator for protection from contaminating particles;
• a separation trench, having a cylindrical gap between a fixed portion of said encapsulation structure and a mobile portion of said encapsulation structure, the cylindrical gap being shaped to impede entrance of contaminating particles into a space between said rotor and said stator.