(a) providing a substrate having a surface and including a plurality of topography features on said surface;

(b) forming a planarizing layer on said surface, said planarizing layer comprising a compound selected from the group consisting of polymers, monomers, oligomers, or mixtures thereof of the following: epoxies, acrylates, vinyl ethers, polyesters, polyimides, and vinyl-containing compounds and mixtures of the foregoing;

(c) contacting the planarizing layer with a flat surface of an object for sufficient time, pressure, and temperature to transfer the flatness of the flat surface to the planarizing layer, curing or hardening said planarizing layer during or after said contacting, said flattened cured or hardened planarizing layer presenting a globally planar surface ready for the application of subsequent layers;

(d) optionally forming one or more intermediate layers on said globally planar surface of said planarizing layer;

(e) forming an imaging layer to yield the microelectronic precursor, said imaging layer being formed on said intermediate layers if present or on said planarizing layer if no intermediate layers are present, said layer-forming steps (d) and (e) being carried out without alteration of said globally planar surface of said planarizing layer;

(f) creating a pattern on said imaging layer; and

(g) transferring said pattern to said intermediate layers, if present, and to said planarizing layer, wherein after said transferring step said substrate surface retains at least a portion of its original topography.