This study reports a pentacene patterning method that can be combined with conventional lithography to pattern pentacene film. The aluminum nitride (AlN) surface was patterned using a conventional photolithography process and then treated with oxygen (O-2) plasma on uncovered AlN to modify surface polarity. Following pentacene deposition, the sample was dipped in water to remove pentacene from the O-2 plasma-treated area. The O-2 plasma-treated AlN surface was analyzed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) before pentacene deposition. The polar surface energy changed from 13.2 to 114.4 mJ/m(2) when the AlN surface was treated with O-2 plasma at 100 W for 10 min. The polar surface energy was attributed to the increase of Al-O bonds on the surface based on XPS measurements. The intrusion energy of water was enhanced from 34.5 to 140.4 mJ/m(2) due to the polar surface energy induced by the O-2 plasma treatment. The enhancement of water intrusion energy and the polar surface energy explains the water-removable pentacene patterning mechanism. (C) 2008 The Electrochemical Society.