Patent ID: 8034719

Claim:
A method of fabricating metal structures, comprising: providing a two-layer structure of selected thickness on at least one: conductive layer, said two-layer structure comprises a first layer adjacent said at least one conductive layer and a second layer adjacent said first layer; etching, using a Deep Reactive Ion Etching (DRIE) process, completely through at least one selected etchable region of said second layer with said at least one selected etchable region being at least partially aligned with a region of said at least one conductive layer; removing said first layer for exposing said region of said at least one conductive layer, wherein remaining portions of said two-layer structure and said region of said at least one conductive layer so-exposed define a mold, said mold comprises a base region; electroplating a metal onto said base region; and removing said remaining portions of said two-layer structure for forming a metal structure, wherein said at least one conductive layer comprises a plurality of conductive layers deposited in a pattern on a support substrate, wherein said first layer is comprised of silicon dioxide and said second layer is comprised of silicon, wherein said etching said at least one selected etchable region forms a trench in said silicon of said second layer, and wherein said electroplating includes filling said trench with said metal.