Periodic patterns of silicon carbide (SiC) micropillars of 18 mu m in length and 2 mu m in diameter with a hexagonalmorphology and an areal number density of micropillars of 6 x 10(4) mm(-2) were fabricated from a mixture of two different polycarbosilane ceramic precursors. The polycarbosilanes (PCS) were molded into polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) micromolds processed from a silicon wafer master. After cross-linking between 200 degrees and 400 degrees C, debonding from the elastomeric PDMS mold yielded freestanding structures of PCS micropillars. Due to the low stiffness of cross-linked PCS (E similar to 2.5 GPa), surface adhesion forces might result in the deformation of the micropillars into ordered domains. The PCS micropillar arrays were pyrolyzed in inert atmosphere at 900 degrees and 1500 degrees C to yield amorphous and nanocrystalline SiC (beta-SiC) with crystallite sizes in the range of tenths of micrometers, respectively. The formation of domains due to instability of micropillars with a high aspect ratio might be of specific interest for electrical engineering and catalytic applications.