Abstract Growth of self-assembled metal nanoislands on the surface of silver ion-exchanged glasses via their thermal processing in hydrogen followed by out-diffusion of neutral silver is studied. The combination of thermal poling of the ion-exchanged glass with structured electrode and silver out-diffusion was used for simple formation of separated groups of several metal nanoislands presenting plasmonic molecules. The kinetics of nanoisland formation and temporal evolution of their size distribution on the surface of poled and unpoled glass are modeled. PACS 78.67.Sc (nanoaggregates; nanocomposites); 81.16.Dn (self-assembly); 68.35.bj (surface structure of glasses); 64.60.Qb (Nucleation); 81.16.Nd (micro- and nanolithography)