Heat transfer structures

1. A method for forming a switching element, comprising:

forming a trench within a planar light circuit;

forming a heater within an integrated circuit;

forming a trench in the integrated circuit, the trench in the integrated circuit being located over the heater, the trench having sidewalls that extend in a direction away from the heater;

forming a heat conductor attached to the integrated circuit above the heater, the heat conductor being located within the trench within the integrated circuit and a portion of the heat conductor being in close proximity to the heater so that heat from the heater is conducted along at least one of the sidewalls so that for a predetermined operating range of the heater, fluid adjacent to the at least one of the sidewalls is kept above an evaporation point for the fluid; and,

attaching the integrated circuit to the planar light circuit so that the trench within the planar light circuit aligns with the trench within the integrated circuit to form a chamber.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein forming the heat conductor includes forming a plurality of pillars.

3. A method as in claim 1 wherein forming the heat conductor includes attaching a plurality of ceramic pillars to the integrated circuit at a location over the heater within the trench within the integrated circuit.

4. A method as in claim 1 wherein forming the heat conductor includes forming a plurality of metal pillars.

5. A method as in claim 1 wherein forming the heat conductor includes forming a plurality of metal pillars coated by a passivating layer.

6. A method as in claim 1 wherein forming the heat conductor includes forming a plurality of oxide pillars coated by a metal layer.

7. A method as in claim 1 wherein forming the heat conductor includes forming a plurality of pillars using at least one of the following materials:

tantalum;

tungsten;

aluminum;

silicon.