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 polymerization is performed on a monomer-covered surface with an ultramicroelectrode. The effects of scan speed and tip–substrate distance on the micropatterns are reported, along with a newly developed reading procedure—based on the reduction of iodine—that enables characterization of the synthesized polymer. The SECM and its local polymerization possibilities extend the microtechnological applications of conducting polymers.