Femtosecond pulsed laser patterning of poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) thin films on gold/palladium substrates

Femtosecond pulsed laser damage studies were performed on poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT-PSS) films of varying thickness on Au∕Pd substrates. The femtosecond laser induced damage thresholds of the PEDOT-PSS films were determined (0.007–0.03J∕cm2) and were found to behave similarly to metallic conductors as a function of film thickness. Femtosecond laser patterning of the PEDOT-PSS films was also performed, with minimum wire widths of 1.4μm produced at speeds of 1mm∕s. Discrete removal of the PEDOT-PSS films from the underlying substrate was also demonstrated, with the film cleared down to the depth of the substrate in linear channels as narrow as 4μm while maintaining the integrity of the substrate.