DETAILED DESCRIPTION The invention is directed to a method of fabricating MEMS systems.
The method includes: providing a substrate in which integrated circuits and a sacrificial layer have been formed, forming a release mask including germanium, etching exposed sacrificial material, and removing the release mask.
The release mask provides protection for materials that may be adversely affected by the release etch.
The mask may be removed without affecting other materials.
This invention may potentially be used with a variety of MEMS processes, see for example: U.
S.
PPA Serial No.
60/127,973, Filed Apr.
6, 1999; U.
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09/322,381, filed May 28, 1999; Montague et al.
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5,798,283 issued Aug.
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5, 1994; Spangler et al.
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5,343,064, issued Aug.
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Implementations of the invention may include the following.
Circuit elements may be formed in the substrate including active devices such as transistors.
Electrical interconnection may be formed among circuit elements and structural elements.
Electrical circuits and electrical interconnection may involve materials that may be adversely affected by a release etch.
The structural elements may comprise materials that are not adversely affected by a release etch.
The circuit and/or structural elements may be supported by or connected to sacrificial materials that may be removed by a release etch.
A temporary release mask may be deposited and defined to allow a release etch to remove sacrificial materials where desirable while leaving other materials undisturbed.
The temporary release mask may be removed using an etch process that will not damage materials used in the MEMS device including electrical circuits, interconnection, and structural elements
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MEMS 
