Modification and structuring of conducting polymer films on insulating substrates by ion beam treatment

Besides the commonly used procedures of UV-, X-ray and electron beam lithog raphy, surface structuring by ion beam processes represents an alternative route to receive patterns in the nanometre-micrometre scale. In this work w e focused on changes of surface properties of the polymer materials induced by ion irradiation and on reproducing hexagonal and square patterns in the micrometre scale. To achieve a better understanding of modification and st ructuring of insulating and conducting polymers by ion beam treatment we in vestigated effects of 14 keV Ar+ bombardment on thin films of doped conduct ing polyethoxithiophene (PEOT) and polyethylenedioxithiophene (PEDT) on pol yethersulfone (PES) as insulating substrate within the fluence range from 1 0(14) to 10(17) ions/cm(2). Changes of surface properties like wettability, solubility, topology and electrochemical behaviour have been studied by co ntact angle technique, AFM/LFM, cyclovoltammetry and electrochemical microe lcctrode. By irradiation through copper masks structured patterns were achi eved. These patterns can be converted by galvanic or electroless copper dep osition in structured metal layers. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All righ ts reserved.