Abstract: A micromechanical component placed on a substrate face includes at least one cell. A counter-electrode of a cell capacitor is placed under a cavity. The counter-electrode can be made from a first part of a lower conductive layer. An optionally circular membrane used as an electrode of the capacitor is placed above the cavity. The membrane is homogeneous, has a substantially uniform thickness, and can be part of an upper conductive layer preferably supported by a second part of the lower conductive layer. A caustic channel used to remove the sacrificial coating in order to form the cavity is laterally connected thereto. The channel has a vertical dimension equal to the vertical dimension of the cavity. A closure is adjacent to the channel and disposed outside the membrane. The component can be used as a pressure sensor, and can have several cells each adjacent to six other cells. A process for fabricating a micromechanical component is also provided.

Abstract: A method for back-etching of tungsten-coated substrate surfaces in the production of large-scale integrated circuits includes pressing a substrate against a cooled specimen holder during back-etching with a retaining ring being disposed on an edge of the substrate and only locally retaining the edge of the substrate with the retaining ring at retaining locations distributed over the circumference of the retaining ring. The retaining locations are backup-free relative to etching products liberated in the back-etching, causing the etching products to flow past the retaining locations and be purposefully deposited outside the substrate surface.

Abstract: Surface reactors for propellants operate with a copper/tin alloy and convert unsaturated hydrocarbons at low concentration into tin organics that are extremely highly ignitable and therefore act as ignition nuclei in the combustion of propellants. However, it loses some of its effect when used to form ignition nuclei in propellants. This is improved by melting the granular material in an alloy made from tin with at least one solution-activating alloying constituent, and then quenching it in an oxidation-preventing medium of the granular material so as to produce a particle size of up to 3 mm diameter and a large surface area. The novel granular material has a substantially larger surface area than granular material previously used for this purpose. Its efficiency is thus higher than previously possible.