(US5831266-A)      (I) Micro-bridge structure for emitting or detecting radiation comprising; a) Substrate layer with two first electrical contacts. b) Microstructure with two second electric al contacts and comprising; (i) underside, (ii) topside through which radiation is emitted or received, (iii) at least one radiation active layer between them and having two distal points connected respectively to the two second electrical contacts, (iv) radiation reflecting layer between the underside and the radiation active layer. c) Micro-support for suspending the microstructure over and at a predetermined distance from the substrate layer with the underside of the microstructure facing the substrate, the support being provided with at least two electrically conductive paths for connecting the two first to the two second electrical contacts. Also claimed (II) is the method of forming the micro-bridge structure by; A) Providing the substrate with electrical contacts. B) Covering the substrate with a temporary layer and patterning and etching cavities to provide access to the contacts, the cavities also being for containing the legs of the support, each cavity extends along a vertical axis with a lower end opened out onto the contact. C) Forming a radiation reflecting layer over all, and patterning and etching it. D) Forming a first dielectric layer over all, patterning and etching it to expose the contacts, and then forming an electrically conductive layer over all followed by patterning and etching it so that it forms a part of the micro-support and provides an electrical path to the contacts. E) Forming a radiation active layer over all and patterning and etching it to define an active area for emitting or detecting radiation. F) Forming a second electrically conductive layer and patterning and etching it to provide two electrical paths from two distal points of the radiation active layer to the electrical contacts of the substrate through the first conductive layer. G) Patterning and etching the first dielectric layer down to the temporary layer. H) Removing the temporary layer to reveal the microstructure which comprises a radiation reflective layer and a radiation active layer suspended by means of a micro-support. Also claimed (III) is the method as (II) without a temporary layer and with the radiation reflective layer embedded between two layers of dielectric    USE -   Fabrication of micro-sensors.    ADVANTAGE -   The structure is compact, deformation free, and the planarity of the micro-platform simplifies the process of forming it by standard photolithographic and etching techniques.