A method of manufacturing a composite electrode comprising the steps of: (a) providing a conducting carrier layer being a first substrate layer with an electrically conducting surface; (b) providing a non-conducting at least radiation-curable material; (c) providing a second substrate layer which is transparent at a wavelength of radiation used to cure the radiation curable material and which has a surface relief pattern defining at least one retaining feature corresponding to a desired metal track pattern; (d) forming a line of contact between the conducting carrier layer and at least a part of the surface relief pattern; (e) depositing the curable material onto at least part of the surface relief pattern or the electrically conducting surface along the line of contact; (f) advancing the line of contact and curing the curable material by irradiating said curable material through the second substrate layer; (g) releasing the cured material from the at least part of the surface relief pattern feature so as to leave behind a surface relief pattern on the conducting carrier layer; (h) selectively removing at least part of the surface relief pattern on the conducting carrier layer so as to selectively expose the electrically conducting surface of the conducting carrier layer; (i) depositing a first metal layer onto the exposed regions of the electrically conducting surface of the conducting carrier layer; CHARACTERISED BY THE STEP OF (j) either: (i) depositing an adhesive layer over the surface relief pattern on the conducting carrier layer after metal deposition; and (ii) contacting the adhesive layer to a third substrate layer, being the final carrier substrate; or: (iii) depositing a material suitable to form a supporting substrate; and (k) removing the conducting carrier layer; and the rms (root mean square) surface roughness of the conducting carrier layer is in the range 5 to 30nm. (a) providing a conducting carrier layer being a first substrate layer with an electrically conducting surface; (b) providing a non-conducting at least radiation-curable material; (c) providing a second substrate layer which is transparent at a wavelength of radiation used to cure the radiation curable material and which has a surface relief pattern defining at least one retaining feature corresponding to a desired metal track pattern; (d) forming a line of contact between the conducting carrier layer and at least a part of the surface relief pattern; (e) depositing the curable material onto at least part of the surface relief pattern or the electrically conducting surface along the line of contact; (f) advancing the line of contact and curing the curable material by irradiating said curable material through the second substrate layer; (g) releasing the cured material from the at least part of the surface relief pattern feature so as to leave behind a surface relief pattern on the conducting carrier layer; (h) selectively removing at least part of the surface relief pattern on the conducting carrier layer so as to selectively expose the electrically conducting surface of the conducting carrier layer; (i) depositing a first metal layer onto the exposed regions of the electrically conducting surface of the conducting carrier layer; CHARACTERISED BY THE STEP OF (j) either: (i) depositing an adhesive layer over the surface relief pattern on the conducting carrier layer after metal deposition; and (ii) contacting the adhesive layer to a third substrate layer, being the final carrier substrate; or: (iii) depositing a material suitable to form a supporting substrate; and (i) depositing an adhesive layer over the surface relief pattern on the conducting carrier layer after metal deposition; and (ii) contacting the adhesive layer to a third substrate layer, being the final carrier substrate; or: (iii) depositing a material suitable to form a supporting substrate; and (k) removing the conducting carrier layer; and the rms (root mean square) surface roughness of the conducting carrier layer is in the range 5 to 30nm.