Patent ID: 8603316

Claim:
An electroplating method for fabricating a multi-layer three-dimensional structure, comprising: (i) forming a first layer comprising depositing at least a first structural material and at least a first sacrificial material and planarizing the deposited first structural material and first sacrificial material to set a boundary level of the first layer; (ii) forming additional layers with an initial additional layer formed on and adhered to the first layer and with subsequent additional layers formed on and adhered to previously formed additional layers, wherein the forming of each additional layer comprises depositing at least one additional structural material and depositing at least one additional sacrificial material and planarizing the at least one deposited additional structural material and the at least one additional sacrificial material to set a boundary level for each additional layer; wherein the depositing of a first and second selected material for a given one of the additional layers comprises: a) depositing a first selected material for the given layer using a first patterned mask; and b) depositing a second selected material for the given layer using a second patterned mask that results in at least a portion of the second selected material being deposited in a lateral region of the given layer that is different from the lateral region occupied by the first selected material; and wherein the first and second selected materials are selected from the group consisting of the at least one additional sacrificial material and the at least one additional structural material; and (iii) removing at least a portion of the at least one sacrificial material deposited on a plurality of layers after formation of the additional layers to at least partially release the three-dimensional structure from the sacrificial material, and wherein at least a portion of the depositing steps are electroplating steps.