A method for forming a field effect transistor, comprising: forming source and drain metal contacts (12, 14) in ohmic contact with a semiconductor, and forming a gate metal contact in Schottky contact with said semiconductor, wherein the thickness of the gate metal contact is 10nm (100Å) to 50nm (500Å) and the gate metal contact is a lower layer of nickel and a top layer of gold; forming a dielectric layer over the formed source, drain, and gate metal contacts and said semiconductor, wherein the dielectric layer is less than 50nm thick; forming a first mask over the dielectric layer, said first mask having a window therein disposed over a portion of the dielectric layer to expose an underlying portion of the dielectric layer, such exposed portion of the dielectric layer being disposed over a portion of the gate metal contact such that in a cross section of the structure made through the source, the drain and the gate, the exposed portion is formed between the source and drain metal contacts; applying a dry etch to the first mask to remove the portion of the dielectric layer exposed by the window to expose the portion of the gate metal contact, remaining portions of the dielectric being left over edge regions of the gate metal contact and over the semiconductor and source and drain metal contacts; removing the first mask; forming a second mask over the remaining portions of the dielectric layer, such second mask having a window therein disposed over the exposed portion of the gate metal contact and over a portion of the dielectric left over the edge region of the gate metal contact that is located closest to the drain metal contact; forming a field plate metal through the window in the second mask, such field plate: being electrically connected to the exposed portion of the gate metal contact; extending beyond the edge of the gate metal contact towards the drain metal contact; being separated from said edge region of the gate metal contact by the portions of the dielectric left over the edge region of the gate metal contact; and being made of gold. forming source and drain metal contacts (12, 14) in ohmic contact with a semiconductor, and forming a gate metal contact in Schottky contact with said semiconductor, wherein the thickness of the gate metal contact is 10nm (100Å) to 50nm (500Å) and the gate metal contact is a lower layer of nickel and a top layer of gold; forming a dielectric layer over the formed source, drain, and gate metal contacts and said semiconductor, wherein the dielectric layer is less than 50nm thick; forming a first mask over the dielectric layer, said first mask having a window therein disposed over a portion of the dielectric layer to expose an underlying portion of the dielectric layer, such exposed portion of the dielectric layer being disposed over a portion of the gate metal contact such that in a cross section of the structure made through the source, the drain and the gate, the exposed portion is formed between the source and drain metal contacts; applying a dry etch to the first mask to remove the portion of the dielectric layer exposed by the window to expose the portion of the gate metal contact, remaining portions of the dielectric being left over edge regions of the gate metal contact and over the semiconductor and source and drain metal contacts; removing the first mask; forming a second mask over the remaining portions of the dielectric layer, such second mask having a window therein disposed over the exposed portion of the gate metal contact and over a portion of the dielectric left over the edge region of the gate metal contact that is located closest to the drain metal contact; forming a field plate metal through the window in the second mask, such field plate: being electrically connected to the exposed portion of the gate metal contact; extending beyond the edge of the gate metal contact towards the drain metal contact; being separated from said edge region of the gate metal contact by the portions of the dielectric left over the edge region of the gate metal contact; and being made of gold.