Large Area Microfabrication of Electroactive Polymeric Structures Based on Near-Field Electrospinning

The use of electroactive polymeric materials for sensing and actuating applications is very attractive due to important properties like low operating voltage, low form factor, or high mechanical flexibility. However, its use has been conditioned by the lack of available processing methods for such materials. The deposition of thin layers is very easy by conventional techniques; however obtaining patterned layers is not a trivial task. This paper presents a methodology suitable to fabricate electroactive polymeric microstructures on large area devices. Structures ranging from similar to 1,5 mm to similar to 100 mu m width, with a thickness of similar to 12 mu m, were obtained. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd.