Three-dimensional metallic microstructures fabricated by soft lithography and microelectrodeposition

Soft lithography offers a convenient set of methods for the transfer of pat terns to planar and nonplanar substrates. Microelectrodeposition can transf orm thin metal patterns into self-supporting microstructures, weld componen ts together, and strengthen microstructures after deformations. Together, s oft lithography and electrochemistry provide synergistic technologies and t he basis for a strategy for converting planar patterns into three-dimension al (3D) microstructures with complex topologies. This strategy is illustrat ed in the formation of folded tetrahedra, square-based pyramids, cylinders with joints, "pop-up" cubes, and linked chains and knots.