The ultraviolet (UV) light induced wet etching for micro-optical electromechanical systems applications produces a range of sidewall angles depending on the relative contributions of photo and chemical dissolution. The technique uses recently developed multi-element UV light emitting diodes (LEDs) that feature broad area coverage and relatively low cost compared with laser-based systems. The UV LED illumination creates sidewall profiles with angles ranging from 55 degrees to 90 degrees by changing the oxidizer content and the light intensity. (C) 2004 The Electrochemical Society.