Micromechanical beam

Micromechanical beam for scanning probe measurements, lithography and the like, the micromechanical beam extending in a longitudinal direction between a fixed end and a free end,

• wherein the beam has a height along a height direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the height being smaller than a width along a width direction,
• wherein the beam has a bending section that is located in the longitudinal direction at the fixed end of the beam,
• wherein the beam has a reinforcement section that is located in the longitudinal direction between the bending section and the free end,
• wherein the beam has a base element and a reinforcement structure located on the base element in the reinforcement section,
• wherein the reinforcement structure is configured to increase a flexural stiffness of the beam in the reinforcement section for bending in the height direction.

Method for fabricating a micromechanical beam,

• wherein the micromechanical beam extends in a longitudinal direction between a fixed end and a free end,
• wherein the beam has a height along a height direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the height being smaller than a width along a width direction,
• wherein the beam has a bending section that is located in the longitudinal direction at the fixed end of the beam,
• wherein the beam has a reinforcement section that is located in the longitudinal direction between the bending section and the free end,
• wherein the beam has a base element and a reinforcement structure located on the base element in the reinforcement section,
• wherein the reinforcement structure is configured to increase a flexural stiffness of the beam in the reinforcement section for bending in the height direction,
• wherein the method comprises:
• providing a base material of the beam;
• fabricating a reinforcement structure at a surface of the base material that is perpendicular to a height direction;
• fabricating a free standing beam from the base material,
• wherein the beam extends along a longitudinal direction between a fixed end and a free end,
• wherein the beam has a height along a height direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the height being smaller than a width along a width direction,
• wherein the beam has a bending section that is located in the longitudinal direction at the fixed end of the beam and a reinforcement section that is located in the longitudinal direction between the bending section and the free end, wherein the reinforcement structure is located within the reinforcement section, and
• wherein the reinforcement structure is configured to increase a flexural stiffness of the beam in the reinforcement section for bending in the height direction.