US Patent 7598107 Semi-sacrificial mold for diamond structures

A patterned structure forms a portion of the mold for a diamond molded structure but is separable from the mold by the same processes that release the diamond part. The mold portion may itself be a component in a MEMS or NEMS structure or device or the precursor to such a structure or device. The mold portion may be made from sapphire or silicon carbide. The mold portion may be coated and polished to obtain an optically smooth surface over the diamond mold inside pit. The coating may be formed from one or more of silicon carbide, PTFE, silicon nitride, silicon dioxide, sapphire, a metal, a plastic, and an epoxy.