申请人:MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
公开号:EP0185941A2
公开(公告)日:1986-07-02
Several types of new microelectronic devices including diodes, transistors, sensors, surface energy storage elements, and light-emitting devices are disclosed. The properties of these devices can be controlled by molecular-level changes in electroactive polymer components. These polymer components are formed from electrochemically polymerizable material whose physical properties change in response to chemical changes. Examples of such materials include polymers which respond to changes in redox potential. Very stable, polymer-based electrochemical devices which are durable in an aqueous electrolyte over a wide pH range and which respond rapidly to chemical or electrical signals are formed by polymerization of thiophene or a derivative such as 3-methylthiophene. In one embodi ment, the device functions as an extremely sensitive sensor which measures changes in chemical concentration or pH. For example. a poly-3-methylthiophene-based device is sensitive to as little as 8 x 10- 16 moles of an oxidant which reversibly interacts with the polymer, including gas phase oxidants such as I2. In a variation of the polymer-based device, a catalyst such as a noble metal or an enzyme is dispersed on or within the conducting polymer matrix so that the device is responsive to chemicals such as H2 and O2 which the polymer would otherwise respond very slowly to. In another embodiment, a polymer-based electrochromic device consists of individually adressable microelectrodes coated with a polymer whose optical properties change in response to chemical or electrical signals. Very high resolution is achieved by separating the microelectrodes by distances on the order of 10,000 Angstroms. In still another embodiment, the polymer-based device functions as a capacitor with an energy density as high as 200-300 J cm3 which can operate at frequencies as high as 100 Hz when the device is formed from a polymer of thiophene or a thiophene derivative. These very small, specific, sensitive devices provide means for interfacing electrical and chemical systems while consuming very little power, and may be incorporated into conventional integrated circuit designs.
本文公开了几种新型微电子器件,包括二极管、晶体管、传感器、表面储能元件和发光器件。这些器件的特性可通过电活性聚合物成分的分子级变化来控制。这些聚合物成分是由电化学可聚合材料形成的,其物理特性会随着化学变化而改变。这类材料的例子包括对氧化还原电位变化做出反应的聚合物。通过聚合噻吩或 3-甲基噻吩等衍生物,可以形成非常稳定的、基于聚合物的电化学装置,这种装置在水性电解液中的 pH 值范围很宽,而且对化学或电信号反应迅速。在一种实施方式中,该装置可作为极其灵敏的传感器,测量化学浓度或 pH 值的变化。例如,以 3-甲基噻吩为基础的聚合装置对与聚合物发生可逆作用的氧化剂(包括 I2 等气相氧化剂)的灵敏度仅为 8 x 10- 16 摩尔。在基于聚合物的装置的一种变体中,贵金属或酶等催化剂被分散在导电聚合物基体上或基体内,这样该装置就能对 H2 和 O2 等化学物质产生反应,否则聚合物对这些化学物质的反应将非常缓慢。在另一个实施方案中,基于聚合物的电致变色装置由涂有聚合物的可单独加压微电极组成,这些微电极的光学特性会随着化学或电信号的变化而改变。微电极之间的距离约为 10,000 埃,从而实现了极高的分辨率。在另一个实施方案中,基于聚合物的装置可用作能量密度高达 200-300 J cm3 的电容器,当装置由噻吩或噻吩衍生物聚合物制成时,其工作频率可高达 100 Hz。这些非常小的、特殊的、灵敏的装置提供了连接电气和化学系统的方法,同时耗电量极低,并可集成到传统的集成电路设计中。