ULTRA-THIN FILMS OF CONJUGATED POLYMERS FOR OPTOELECTRONIC APPLICATIONS

Ultra-thin films of precursor polymers for poly(benzimidazole) (PBI), poly(benzoxazole) (PBO), or poly(benzthiazole) (PBTBAR) were formed at air/water interface by spreading monomers and then polymerizing on the water surface. These thin films could be deposited onto appropriate substrates such as quartz by using the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) method of horizontal lifting. Moreover, the heat treatment of the built-up films of the precursor polymers transformed the films into corresponding PBI, PBO, or PBT, which were high-temperature polymers. The resulting films had uniform and controllable thickness. Electronic and opto-electronic properties of these thin films were evaluated in terms of electric conductivities and non-linear optical properties.