The influence of post deposition annealing (PDA) up to temperatures of T-PDA = 900 degrees C on the morphology and agglomeration behavior of ambient temperature sputter deposited platinum onto anodic aluminum oxide templates is investigated. Both cluster agglomeration and diffusion processes occur on the surface and on the inner channel walls. When the annealing temperature is less than 400 degrees C, particles are diffusing inside the channels. Around T-PDA = 400 degrees C, a particle agglomeration process is taking place. A diffusion process is playing an important role and the Pt particles are able to reach a depth of 12 mu m. The surface morphology exhibits a remarkable change for annealing temperature above 600 degrees C, where Pt is migrating on the outermost surface for forming flat films. When further enhancing T-PDA to 900 degrees C, the particles on the surface and in the channels agglomerate together to form separated large flat islands. Moreover, the maximum channel depth where platinum is present is around 12 mu m. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.