A novel method for high-speed fabrication of large-scale periodic arrays of metal, dielectric, alloy, and semiconductor nanoparticles with diameters of 40 – 200 nm has been developed. The method is based on the laser-induced transfer of nanodroplets from different continuous material films as well as from nanostructures materials, resulting in exact spherical particles arranged in arbitrary array geometries. Arrays of nanoparticles consisting of pure metal, metal alloys, and semiconductors have been realized. The size of the particles, their composition, and the geometry and period of the particle array can independently be controlled by lithographic structuring of thin material films. Hexagonal arrays of gold nanoparticles with diameters of 110 nm are demonstrated as effective large area sensor elements, providing a sensitivity of 365 nm/RIU and a figure of merit of 21.5 in the visible spectral range.