Large scale ordered topographical and chemical nano-features from anodic alumina templates

We have used ordered anodic alumina membranes as masks to create large scale ordered arrays of either holes or chemical islands on silica. Regularly spaced holes were obtained by direct etching of silica/silicon or glass substrates through the membranes used as etching masks. To create an array of chemically functional islands, the membrane is first glued on the substrate using a soft polymer and subsequently the polymer is etched gently though the mask. Finally organo-silane molecules are deposited through the alumina/polymer hybrid mask and the mask is removed chemically leaving nanoislands on the substrate. We anticipate that this technique will be useful in future biological and biomedical applications.