Micropatterns of poly(4,4 '-dimethoxy-2,2 '-bithiophene) generated by the scanning electrochemical microscope

Micropatterning of a conducting polymer using the scanning electrochemical microscope (SECM) in the feedback mode is described, in which the local pol ymerization is performed on a monomer-covered surface with an ultramicroele ctrode. The effects of scan speed and tip-substrate distance on the micropa tterns are reported, along with a newly developed reading procedure-based o n the reduction of iodine-that enables characterization of the synthesized polymer. The SECM and its local polymerization possibilities extend the mic rotechnological applications of conducting polymers.