Scanning electrochemical microscopy for the direct patterning of a gold surface with organic moities derived from iodonium salt

The scanning electrochemical microscope (SECM) is used in the direct mode to draw patterns of a thin passivating organic layer on a gold electrode surface and to image them. The patterning is ensured by the local electrografting of the organic moieties obtained by reduction of an aryliodonium salt, as evidenced by XPS and SECM line scans. The resolution of the writing process is controlled by the charge injected.