Perhaps ion beam milling could cut appropriate pits into the substrate by using the sugar casting of the proteins as a mask- the thinner portions of the mask would ablate away faster and allow etching of the surface below.
Gina Miller wrote:
>
> Check this out
>
> http://www.eurekalert.org/releases/uwash-ncp041299.html
-- Doug Jones, Rocket Plumber Rotary Rocket Company