Deposition of uniform conductive polyaniline films and approach for their patterning

Conductive polyaniline Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) films are considered to be candidates for numerous applications. However, the quality of their deposition is usually non-satisfactory. In addition, the possibilities of many applications are restricted by the intrinsic low speed of deposition with the LB technique. We have found a solution to these problems and obtained uniform ultra thin polyaniline films using the Langmuir–Schaefer (LS) technique, which allows very fast monolayer transfer onto the substrate. A well known approach of deposition of mixed monolayers was used to obtain uniform films, but in our case the matrix compound was chosen in such a way as to provide a possibility of its selective dissolution from the deposited multilayers without the deterioration of uniformity of remaining polyaniline layer. Finally, we demonstrate an approach to polyaniline film patterning with an electron beam, which is based on the possibility to cross-link the polyaniline molecules without considerable loss of film conductivity and on further dissolution of polyaniline from non-irradiated areas.