NOVELTY - Micro-fuel cell comprises a substrate having anode current collectors, a membrane (12) including dioxide or oxide, a hollow channel having a catalyst layer(s) (14a, 14b), a cathode current collector, and an electrically conductive path between the catalyst layer and the anode current collector.    USE - For, e.g. microelectronics e.g. microprocessor chips, communication chips, or optoelectronic chips; micro-electromechanical systems; microfluidics; sensors; analytical devices such as microchromatography; communication/positioning devices such as beacons or global positioning systems; and recording devices.    ADVANTAGE - High resistance leads to a decrease in cell voltage at higher current.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Micro-fuel cell comprises:    (a) a substrate having anode current collectors;    (b) a membrane disposed on the anode current collectors, and comprising a material such as silicon dioxide, doped silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, doped silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, doped silicon oxynitride, metal oxides, doped metal oxides, metal nitrides, doped metal nitrides, metal oxynitrides, and/or doped metal oxynitrides, the membrane having a thickness of 0.01-10 mm and an area resistivity of 0.1-1000 Ohm-cm2;    (c) a hollow channel substantially defined by a portion of the substrate and a portion of the membrane, a catalyst layer(s) exposed to the channel, where the anode current collector is disposed adjacent the channel;    (d) a cathode current collector disposed on the membrane on the side opposite the substrate; where there is an electrically conductive path between the catalyst layer and the anode current collector.    An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is also included for a method for the fabrication of a micro-fuel cell, comprising:    (i) providing a substrate having an anode current collector;    (ii) disposing a sacrificial polymer layer on the substrate and the anode current collector;    (iii) removing portions of the sacrificial material not disposed on the anode current collector to form sacrificial material portions;    (iv) disposing a first porous catalyst layer on the sacrificial material portions;    (v) disposing a layer of a membrane material on the sacrificial material portions, the first porous catalyst layer, and the anode current collector, wherein the membrane material is selected from silicon dioxide, doped silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, doped silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, doped silicon oxynitride, metal oxides, doped metal oxides, metal nitrides, doped metal nitrides, metal oxynitrides, and/or doped metal oxynitrides; and    (vi) removing the sacrificial material portions to form hollow channels substantially defined by the substrate, membrane material, and the first porous catalyst layer    .    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure shows a cross-sectional view of the fuel cell membrane.    Membrane (12)    Catalyst layer (14a, 14b)