Annealing dewetted films of smectic polymers in their mesophase, a peculiar surface structure was observed by polarizing microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The surface structure, which develops independent from the substrate, consists of micron-size shallow dimples that are a few nanometer in depth. The lateral spacing of the dimples, which arrange in a hexagonal lattice, is directly proportional to the thickness of the dot. Based upon in situ video imaging of the dimple formation dynamics a mechanism is proposed. © 2001 Taylor and Francis, Inc.