APPLICATION OF CONDUCTING POLYMER TECHNOLOGY IN MICROSYSTEMS

Conducting polymers are a new type of organic material that offer enor mous potential for application within the field of microsystems. In th is paper we review the basic properties of conducting polymers and dis cuss their application in electronic, mechanical and (bio)chemical mic rosystems. For instance, we have found that thin films of poly(pyrrole )/decanesulfonate have both a low friction coefficient (ca. 0.1) and w ear rate (ca 1 nm cm(-1)) that are similar to values observed for PTFE , yet possess relatively high electrical and thermal conductivities. I n addition, conducting polymers can be readily electrodeposited onto p lanar or curved micromechanical structures, such as microslideways, mi cromotors or microturbines, to provide a bearing material of superior performance to standard microengineered materials (e.g. Si, SiO2, Si3N 4) and better processability than PTFE. In addition, conducting polyme rs can be used as gas-sensitive films in microelectronic devices. They have been shown to have a rapid, reversible ppm sensitivity to polar organic compounds (e.g. alcohols, ketones, aldehydes and fatty acids) without interference from common gases such as CO2, CO, CH4 and N-2. C onducting polymers are currently being used in commercial electronic n oses, and integrated microsystems are being realised with the advent o f custom microsensor array devices and application-specific integrated circuit chips.