Interface effects on moisture absorption in ultrathin polyimide films

Abstract

Water absorption in thin films (<1000 Å) of a commercial polyimide was evaluated by monitoring dimensional changes induced by a humid environment. Film thickness was measured using x-ray reflectivity, which is a nondestructive technique offering angstrom resolution in the measurements of thin film or multilayer thickness. The effect of several variables on the absorption of moisture were monitored in polyimide films adhered to polished silicon substrates, including total dry film thickness, exposure time, and the contribution of a coupling agent. The percentage increase in film thickness due to moisture uptake is found to be a weak function of dry film thickness, decreasing as dry film thickness increases, and to be somewhat affected by the use of an interfacial coupling agent. The observed behavior points to the polymer/substrate interface as a strong factor controlling the absorption of moisture in the polyimide/silicon system, and is believed to reflect the presence of a highly moisture-saturated interfacial layer. A bilayer model is proposed, and the feasibility of using this model to describe the observed behavior is considered. Published 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.1 This article is a US Government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 36: 155–162, 1998