Patent ID: 8597565

Claim:
A method for forming a structure on a substrate, the method comprising: providing a substrate, said substrate showing a surface on which the structure is built; repeatedly performing the steps of: a) adding a thin layer of a fluid precursor material with a predetermined thickness on the surface, the fluid precursor material forming a solid or liquid layer on the surface, the layer defining a new surface; b) converting part, but not all, of the precursor material to another material or to another physical state by irradiating part of the layer with particles, while the unconverted part of the precursor material stays unconverted on the surface; the repeatedly performed steps of a) and b) followed by: c) the removal of part, but not all, of the precursor material; the penetration depth of the particles sufficient to convert the precursor material over the complete thickness of one layer, the penetration depth of the particles insufficient to convert the precursor material that, immediately prior to step c), is closest to the substrate, as a result of which a structure is built in which, prior to step c), unconverted precursor material is sandwiched between the substrate and converted precursor material, wherein: steps a) and b) are performed in a vacuum, and the thin layer is formed by directing a jet of fluid to the substrate.