Photolithographic patterning of electroactive polymer films and electrochemically modulated optical diffraction gratings

Research News: Spatial patterning of electroactive films consisting of redox or pi-conjugated polymers has important implications for the applications of the films, for example in electronic and electro-optic devices. New methods for photolithographic patterning of electroactive films in the plane parallel to the surface of a substrate are presented and examples are given of electrochemically switchable optical diffraction gratings constructed from such films.