This paper describes the use of microcontact printing (mu CP) to generate patterned self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of alkanethiolates on the surfaces of evaporated films of silver. Using patterned SAMs of alkanethiolates as nanometer-thick resists, patterned microfeatures of silver with sizes down to similar to 200 nm were fabricated on Si/SiO2 by selective etching in aqueous solutions containing K2S2O3, K3Fe(CN)(6), and K4Fe(CN)(6). Complete etching of silver can be achieved more rapidly than that of gold : similar to 20 s vs. similar to 20 min for 50 nm thick metal films when similar ferricyanide etchants were used. Microstructures of silver produced by the present method have higher edge resolution (typically, similar to 20 nm vs. similar to 100 nm) and far fewer defects (similar to 10 pits/mm(2) vs. similar to 10(3) pits/mm(2)) than those of gold fabricated by a similar procedure. Silver lines (0.2 mu m in thickness, similar to 50 mu m in width, and similar to 5 mm in length) had the expected metallic conductivity (approximate to 5.56 x 10(5) S/cm); parallel lines of silver (0.2 mu m in thickness, similar to 10 mu m in width, similar to 1 mm in length, and separated by similar to 10 mu m) were electrically isolated from each other. Aqueous solutions containing other coordinating ligands and oxidants, Fe(NO3)(3), NH4OH/O-2, NH4OH/H2O2, and H2NCH2COOH/H2O2, were also selective etchants for use with patterned SAMs of alkanethiolates on silver. Patterned structures of silver (50 nm thick) on Si/SiO2 could be used as secondary masks for etching of SiO2 in aqueous solutions of HF/NH4F, and of Si(100) in aqueous solutions of KOH and i-propanol. Patterned films of silver (0.2 mu m thick) on silicon wafers could be used as masters to cast elastomeric stamps with surface relief to be used for mu CP. By choosing appropriate etching conditions, microparticles of MX (M = Ag; X = Cl, Br, I, OH, and SCN) could be formed in situ on the underivatized regions of the SAM-patterned surface during etching of silver.