Abstract
Electrochemical methods for the high resolution etching of metals as well as the deposition of metals in polymer films and on conducting substrates are presented. These faradaic processes were carried out with a scanning electrochemical microscope (SECM) (similar in design to the scanning tunneling microscope) and different ionically conducting polymer films such as Nafion, poly(4‐vinylpyridine), and poly(bis‐(methoxyethoxyethoxide)phosphazene) on the substrate. Continuous patterns of silver, gold, copper, and palladium were deposited, and copper, silver, and gold were etched with widths in the submicron range. The use of polymer‐coated substrate electrodes to deposit and etch metals is compared to depositions and etchings performed in electrolyte solutions.