Patent ID: 7195989

Claim:
A fabrication process for forming a multi-layer three-dimensional structure, comprising: (a) forming and adhering a layer of material to a previously formed layer and/or to a substrate; and (b) repeating the forming and adhering of (a) a plurality of times to build up a three-dimensional structure from a plurality of adhered layers; wherein the formation of at least a given layer, comprises: (1) selectively transferring a pre-patterned precursor of a masking material which is transformed into a solidified masking material of desired thickness and cross-sectional configuration and adhered to the substrate or a previously formed layer to form a mask, wherein the mask has at least one extended region of masking material through which at least one void extends, and wherein the masking material comprises a dielectric; and (2) depositing a first material onto a portion of the substrate or previously formed layer through the at least one void in the mask to form a portion of the given layer from a deposited first material; and (3) removing the masking material to leave at least one opening which extends through the deposited first material on the given layer; (4) depositing a second material into the at least one opening through the deposited first material on the given layer to form a portion of the layer from a deposited second material; and (5) planarizing the deposited first and second materials to establish a common level for the first and second materials.