Communication: A ''three-way-templating'' strategy is proposed for the
growth of patterned, mesoporous silica on a gold-covered mica substra
te. A model is suggested, as shown in the Figure, involving (from bott
om to top) the co-assembly of alkanethiol-decorated gold surfaces, alk
anethiol-surfactant hetero-bilayers, and surfactant-silicate assemblie
s.