Constrained flexure mechanism and method for manufacturing the same

A thin material structure of a flexure mechanism, comprising:

• a weak-link portion formed of a thin material;
• a separable constraint portion formed of the thin material;
• and
• first and second linkages connecting the separable constraint portion to the weak-link portion such that the separable constraint portion is configured to stabilize the weak-link portion.

A method for manufacturing a flexure mechanism by lithographic techniques, comprising:

• chemically etching a designed pattern with a mask to produce a plurality of individual substantially identical thin material structures, each thin material structure including a weak-link portion and a constraint portion secured to the weak-link portion with first and second linkages;
• stacking and securing the thin material structures together to form a laminar structure, wherein each separable constraint portion stabilizes the respective weak-link portion during the stacking;
• and
• mechanically separating each constraint portion from the respective weak-link portion.