Abstract: An optical component or an analytical platform includes a substrate, an array of microstructures on the substrate and microchannels formed by side walls of adjacent microstructures, a width of the microchannels varies as a function of distance to the substrate, the width continuously decreasing with increasing distance from the substrate within at least one distance-interval. In a method for producing such a component or such a platform a substrate with an array of surface microstructures is coated in a vapor treatment in such a way that shadowing effects of the coating mechanism narrow at least partially a width of the upper parts of side walls of the microstructures thereby forming at least partially embedded microchannels.