Methods for fabricating stamps and systems for patterning a substrate, and devices resulting from those methods are provided.

Lithographic printing plate precursors are prepared with a unique substrate and one or more radiation-sensitive imageable layers. The substrate is prepared by two separate anodizing processes to provide an inner aluminum oxide layer having an average dry thickness (T.sub.i) of 650-3,000 nm and a multiplicity of inner micropores having an average inner micropore diameter (D.sub.i) of 15 nm. A formed outer aluminum oxide layer comprises a multiplicity of outer micropores having an average outer micropore diameter (D.sub.o) of 15-30 nm; an average dry thickness (T.sub.o) of 130-650 nm; and a micropore density (C.sub.o) of 500-3,000 micropores/m.sup.2. The ratio of D.sub.o to D.sub.i is greater than 1.1:1, and D.sub.o in nanometers and the outer aluminum oxide layer micropore density (C.sub.o) in micropores/m.sup.2, are further defined by the outer aluminum oxide layer porosity (P.sub.o) according to the following equation:

0.3P.sub.o0.8

where P.sub.o is 3.14(C.sub.o)(D.sub.o.sup.2)/4,000,000.

Methods for fabricating stamps and systems for patterning a substrate, and devices resulting from those methods are provided.

A lithographic printing plate precursor has a substrate comprising a hydrophilic surface and two opposing edges; a radiation-sensitive imagable layer, and optionally, a protective layer disposed over that layer. The precursor has a shear droop at each opposing edge, each shear droop having a shear droop depth Y of 20-200 m and a shear droop width X of 500-2000 m. The precursor also has a hydrophilic coating band extending from each of the two opposing edges inwardly along the hydrophilic surface independently to provide a hydrophilic coating band width A of at least 1.5 times the shear droop width X. This hydrophilic coating band comprises amphoteric surfactant(s) in an amount greater than all other surfactants. Such individual precursors are obtained by cutting a continuous radiation-sensitive web into strips and such cutting creates the shear droop that can result in edge staining if the hydrophilic coating band is not present.

Provided is a printing plate precursor including: a support; a layer which contains a polymer on one side of the support; and a layer which contains a metal oxide obtained by hydrolyzing and polycondensing an organic metal compound or an inorganic metal compound and fine particles on the other side of the support, in which an average particle diameter of the fine particles is 0.3 m or greater and is greater than the thickness of the layer containing a metal oxide and fine particles, and in a case where the printing plate precursors are laminated, dislocation in stacking precursors, adhesion between precursors, and scratches can be all prevented even without using interleaving paper.