Methods for fabricating isolated micro- or nano-structures using soft or imprint lithography

A method of forming a plurality of substantially uniform particles, the method comprising:

• disposing a volume of material in or on at least one of:
• (i) a patterned template comprising a patterned template surface having a plurality of recessed areas formed therein and each recess is less than about 100 micrometers in a broadest dimension, or
• (ii) a first substrate,
• wherein at least one of the patterned template or the first substrate has a non-wetting surface;
• contacting the patterned template surface with the first substrate under heated conditions wherein at least a portion of the material is in contact with the recessed areas of the patterned template;
• allowing the material to cool in the recessed areas of the patterned template to form uniform particles;
• separating the first substrate from the patterned template wherein the particles are essentially free of a scum layer.