The primary focus of this research is to utilize microprinted arrays of pure polymer capacitors to develop new microdevices. These can be used primarily for irradiated cell detection. Arrays of pure polymer capacitors are patterned over desired areas of devices using PeDOT-PSS as the conductive material and PDDA as the dielectric material (Figure 1). For proper beta-radiation detection, aluminum substrates may also be used.
The PPC array begins with a glass substrate (a). This substrate is cleaned with a series of acetone and IPA washes. Once this substrate is cleaned, a layer of the conductive polymer PeDOT-PSS is then added using a microprinter (b). This PEDOT-PSS is patterned to form the desired shape of the array (c). The polymer dielectric, PDDA, is then microprinted as a capacitive dielectric (d). For the final step, another layer of PeDOT-PSS is microprinted to complete the capacitors (e) resulting in the final patterned PPC array (f).
Once built, these can be readily used as an irradiated cell detector. The device is designed for cellular radiation detection using beta-sensitive aluminum as a beta-voltaic transformer (figure 2). Impinging beta particles initiate a beta-voltaic effect in the aluminum sub-layer. The electrons generated are measured as a voltage difference across regional polymer printed capacitors. Polymer capacitors will enable cheap, precise arrays to be printed. This will help advance many types of biological testing equipment. As the capacitors are low power electrical components, this will allow low power biological radiation detection systems to be created.
