A cluster of non-collapsed nanowires, a template to produce the same, methods to obtain the template and to obtain the cluster by using the template, and devices comprising the cluster are described. The cluster and the template both have an interconnected region and an interconnection-free region. The template comprises a region with (13) lateral pores (15) and a region (12) without those pores and is made by anodization of Al and Al-Cu alloy layers.