Method for drying micromechanical components

A method for separating micromechanical elements on a semiconductor component, comprising the steps of:

• wet-chemically etching free a micromechanical element in an interior of the container;
• for the wet-chemical etching, employing a liquid etching chemical which is bled from the container and admitting at the same time a liquid into the container as a rinsing agent, said liquid rinsing agent having a lower density than the liquid etching chemical;
• bleeding downwardly the liquid admitted as a rinsing agent from the container while admitting a liquid having a relatively lower density than the rinsing agent liquid into the container from above until the lower density liquid replaces the rinsing agent liquid;
• converting the lower density liquid admitted into the container into a gaseous aggregate state by changing at least one of pressure and temperature in an interior of the container;
• and
• matching a pressure in the container to an outside air pressure and removing the etched component from the container.