Surface modification by plasma etching and plasma patterning

Using radio-frequency glow-discharge plasma techniques, we have prepared surface patterns of various chemical functionalities on a micrometer scale. While H2O-plasma etching, discovered in this study, was used for generating surface patterns of oxygen-containing polar groups using a mask, surface patterning of various functionalities, including both polar and nonpolar groups, was achieved by plasma polymerization in a patterned fashion using appropriate monomer vapors and/or discharge conditions. Furthermore, we have developed a versatile method for obtaining patterned conducting polymers by first depositing a thin, patterned plasma polymer layer using a mask onto a metal-sputtered electrode and then performing electropolymerization of monomers such as pyrrole within the regions not covered by the patterned plasma polymer layer. The conducting polymer patterns thus prepared were shown to be electrically active.