Provided is a thin film device and an associated method of making a thin film device. For example, a thin film transistor with nano-gaps in the gate electrode. The method involves providing a substrate. Upon the substrate are then provided a plurality of parallel spaced electrically conductive strips. A plurality of thin film device layers are then deposited upon the conductive strips. A 3D structure is provided upon the plurality of thin film device layers, the structure having a plurality of different heights. The 3D structure and the plurality of thin film device layers are then etched to define a thin film device, such as for example a thin film transistor that is disposed above at least a portion of the conductive strips.