A method for the acyl fluoride activation of a carboxysilyl-coated glass is described. The method includes providing a glass substrate having a surface with at least one pendant carboxysilyl linker comprising a carboxyl group and activating without etching the surface of the glass by converting the carboxyl group into an acyl fluoride group. In one embodiment, the surface of the glass may be activated by contacting the surface with a fluoridating agent and a tertiary amine reagent, and a solvent that is capable of binding hydrogen fluoride. A substrate for the covalent immobilization of nucleophile-containing species is also provided. The substrate comprises a glass having a surface with a pendant carboxysilyl linker activated by acyl fluoride without etching the surface of the glass. The invention also provides a bioarray formed on a glass surface activated with acyl fluorides without etching.