Subsequently, the configuration of the scanning NIR fs beam was changed to decreased power PL = 10 mW and shortened dwelling time of td = 1 s, which is below the threshold for the direct MPC recording but above the threshold for PE-MPC. Figure presents the AFM height topography image of an area with AuNPs bearing the attached pNIPAAm-based network that was dried at room temperature after the rinsing step. Apparently, it does not reveal clear localization of the polymer network around the AuNPs, which we ascribed to its high swelling ratio (>10) as documented by our previous work on direct MPC. This effect was previously observed in the case of other pNIPAAm-based hydrogel nanostructures attached to a solid substrate and attributed to the strong surface tension of the water-air interface which deforms the elastic polymer network and leads to a planarization of the soft crosslinked area as it reaches the hydrogel layer during water evaporation. However, when the same structure is allowed to swell in water at room temperature and subsequently heated to a higher temperature above the pNIPAAm VPTT before drying, the original crosslinked pattern can be retained (this is schematically shown in Figure ). To confirm this, we dried the sample at an elevated temperature of T = 80 °C and the results are shown in Figure and. Specifically, as can be seen from Figure , the hydrogel structure dried at a temperature above its VPTT partially retained the shape, which resembles the plasmonic hotspots (similar to Figure in the case of poly(DMAA96-co-AAHAQ4) copolymer).