A new technique is presented for the fabrication of three-dimensional metal
structures by surface tension-induced folding of flat structures. This ful
ly parallel. low temperature method is suitable for post-processing on inte
grated circuits, and in a first application is used to decouple inductors f
or radio- and microwave-frequency integrated circuits from their substrates
, to reduce losses and parasitic capacitance. Meandered microwave inductors
have been fabricated on a low resistivity silicon substrate, and a peak Q
of 10 was measured, at 1GHz, for a 2nH inductor standing vertically, compar
ed to a peak Q of 4 for the same structure before self assembly.