The　fabrication　of　microstructures　on　copper　and　nickel　has　been　achieved　by　an　approach　named　electrochemical　wet　stamping　(E-WETS).　The　E-WETS　process　allows　the　direct　imprinting　of　microscopic　reliefs　on　an　agarose　stamp　into　nickel　and　copper　through　a　selective　anodic　dissolution　process.　The　pre-patterned　agarose　with　a　high　gel　strength　that　has　been　soaked　in　a　desired　etching　solution　is　employed　as　a　stamp.　It　can　direct　and　supply　the　solution　preferentially　on　the　contact　area　owing　to　the　constant　supply　of　electrolyte　from　the　agarose　stamp　to　the　interface　and　then　the　electrochemical　reaction　is　limited　only　to　the　contact　area.　Simultaneously,　the　product　can　be　removed　from　the　gel/substrate　interface.　On　the　basis　of　the　electrochemical　behavior　of　the　copper　electrode　in　contact　with　the　agarose　full　of　0.1　M　HClO　4,　the　potential　for　the　electrochemical　micromachining　was　chosen　to　be　a　relatively　low　value,　0.4　V　versus　SCE,　to　prevent　the　generation　of　cuprous　oxide.　A　voltage　pulse　was　applied　to　the　electrochemical　machining　of　nickel.　The　pulse　amplitude　was　set　to　8　V　versus　SCE　to　take　the　electrode　into　the　transpassivation　region　rather　than　the　passivation　region　in　the　pulse　duration.　Furthermore,　the　different　electrochemical　mechanisms　involved　in　the　etching　process　have　been　discussed　in　detail.　©　2010　IOP　Publishing　Ltd.