Abstract: Supported three-dimensional arrays of a polydiacetylene backbone bonded to and supported by a solid support in a sample are provided. The bonding is achieved by providing a support having thiol and/or amine groups and epoxy groups and/or maleimide groups, and a polydiacetylene backbone containing the other of thiol and/or amine groups or the epoxy and/or maleimide groups for reacting with the corresponding thiol groups or epoxy groups and/or maleimide groups on the support; provided that when an amine is used the other group is an epoxy; and/or having a layer of a polyelectrolyte on the support; and/or having a multiple atom linker between the three-dimensional array of the polydiacetylene backbone and the solid support.