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A microelectromechanical accelerometer having submicron features is fabricated from a single crystal silicon substrate. The accelerometer includes a movable portion incorporating an axial beam carrying laterally-extending high aspect ratio released fingers cantilevered above the floor of a cavity fo

A microelectromechanical accelerometer having submicron features is fabricated from a single crystal silicon substrate. The accelerometer includes a movable portion incorporating an axial beam carrying laterally-extending high aspect ratio released fingers cantilevered above the floor of a cavity formed in the substrate during the fabrication process. The movable portion is supported by restoring springs having controllable flexibility to vary the resonant frequency of the structure. A multiple-beam structure provides stiffness in the movable portion for accuracy.

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A microelectromechanical accelerometer fabricated by single mask reactive ion etching comprising: a single crystal silicon substrate; a single crystal silicon movable beam element fabricated from said single crystal silicon substrate by a deep vertical silicon reactive ion etch to produce a trench h

A microelectromechanical accelerometer fabricated by single mask reactive ion etching comprising: a single crystal silicon substrate; a single crystal silicon movable beam element fabricated from said single crystal silicon substrate by a deep vertical silicon reactive ion etch to produce a trench having vertical sidewalls surrounding the beam element and forming a cavity in said substrate, followed by an isotropic dry etch to thereafter release the beam element from the substrate; a resilient spring integral with said substrate and said beam element and fabricated from said substrate by said reactive ion etch and isotropic dry etch simultaneously with the formation of said movable beam element to support said beam element for relative motion with respect to said substrate, said spring urging said beam element to a rest position with the beam element being movable from its rest position in response to a force to be measured; a mass on said beam element for providing a selected inertia to said beam element; and a sensor fabricated in part on said beam element and in part on said substrate for measuring relative motion between said beam element and said substrate in response to said force to be measured.