Metal pattern forming method

In a method for forming a metal pattern by a micro-stamping process of fabricating a micro-structure by using a stamp for transferring a pattern, comprising the steps of:

• treating a substrate bearing a thin film of a reducing silicon polymer on a surface thereof, said thin film having a thickness in the range 0.001 to 10 μm, with a salt of a metal having a standard oxidation-reduction potential of at least 0.54 volt, stamping a pattern of an alkanethiol to the substrate surface for transferring the pattern to the metal colloid-bearing silicon polymer thin film, and effecting electroless metal plating for forming a metal pattern only on the region of the silicon polymer thin film which is not covered with the alkanethiol pattern,
• the improvement which comprises treating the substrate bearing the thin film of reducing silicon polymer on its surface with an aqueous solution containing said metal salt, thereby allowing metal colloid to deposit on the silicon polymer thin film, wherein the silicon polymer film on the substrate is not subjected to ultraviolet light lithography prior to treatment with the metal salt solution.