Atomic Force Microscopy Structural Characterization of Polyaniline Thin Film Sensors

Using Tapping Mode Atomic Force Microscopy (TMAFM), the surface structure was determined for polymer sensors which incorporated polyaniline (PAn) films that were deposited electrochemically across narrow insulating gaps between interdigitated gold electrodes. The sensitivity and response time for such sensors, which can be used for the detection of low levels of gases and low concentrations of impurities in liquid media critically depend on the quality and structure of the polymer film in the gap region between the gold electrodes. TMAFM images of the PAn films ranging in thickness between ≈ 1.5μm and =5μm reveal that films approaching 5μm (typically used in such sensors) develop deep cracks at the edges and along the length of the Au electrodes. The cracks, which appear to be a consequence of stress build-up in thick films, can lead to reliability problems and inferior sensor performance. Simple modeling analysis of cracked films indicates that they can lower sensitivity and increase response time. TMAFM images of sensors with thinner ≈2.5μm PAn films show no cracks as well as continuous PAn bridges across the gap between Au electrodes. Analyses of TMAFM images are presented and compared for thin and thick film PAn sensors.