Multi-plane microarrays

An array, comprising:

• a solid support;
• a first pattern of features positioned along an exterior surface of the solid support;
• a second pattern of features positioned along the exterior surface of the solid support and interleaved with the first pattern of features;
• wherein the features of the first pattern occur at a first elevation z1 and the features of the second pattern occur at a second elevation z2;
• and
• wherein the features of the first and second patterns comprise attachment points for analytes, the features of the first pattern being configured to attach analytes at a different elevation relative to analytes attached to the features of the second pattern.

A method of detecting a plurality of analytes, comprising:

• providing an array comprising a solid support comprising a first pattern of analyte features and a second pattern of analyte features along an exterior surface of the solid support, wherein the analyte features of the first pattern occur at a first elevation z1 and the analyte features of the second pattern occur at a second elevation z2 and, wherein the first and second patterns form an interleaved pattern along the exterior surface;
• detecting signals at the first elevation z1, whereby individual analyte features of the first pattern are distinguished from each other;
• and
• detecting signals at the second elevation z2, whereby individual analyte features of the second pattern are distinguished from each other, wherein analyte features in the first pattern are distinguished from nearest-neighbor analyte features in the second pattern by selectively detecting features at the first elevation z1 compared to features at the second elevation z2.