Gold nanoparticle arrays created with electroless gold plating provide a unique means of transforming nanocylinders usually formed ill electron beam lithography to spherical nanoparticles. Alone, electroless gold plating is not selective to the Substrate and results ill the formation of a gold film oil all exposed surfaces of an electron beam patterned sample, including the electron resist. Undesired gold plating occurred near patterned features on the substrate surface, which was reduced by increasing post-spin-coat cure time. When the electron resist is removed, some nanocylinders break off with the gold film, leaving partial cylinders or holes in the patterned elements. By presensitizing the substrate surface with tin, gold cylinders may be selectively deposited to the Substrate surface without forming a film oil the electron resist. Tin presensitized arrays were produced with 47.1 +/- 7.4 nm radius gold nanoparticles with ail interparticle distance of 646.0 +/- 12.4 nm. Defects from sheared, missing, and redeposited Ail particles associated with the resist removal were minimized, resulting in enhanced size and shape Uniformity of pillars and arrays. Hollow particles were eliminated, and relative standard deviation ill particle size wits reduced by 7.4% oil average, while elongation was reduced 12.3%, when astigmatism was eliminated.