On a substrate blanket coatings of a metal thin film (5) and an organic polymer (6) are auccessively deposited. A pattern of openings (10) is formed through polymer (6). A blanket layer of matter (11) is deposited in the presence of which thin film (5) and polymer (6) are removable selectively. Polymer (6) is dissolved where the layers thereon are lifted off. The exposed portions of thin film (5) are removed. Owing to being protected by metal thin film (5) during the lift-off process the substrate is not contaminated in the application of the method especially if dry-etching is used. The method is employed effectively in semiconductor processing and can be used to fabricate Schottky barrier diodes and/or the metallization for integrated circuits on silicon wafers (1) containing semiconductor devices.