Pulse Radiolysis Study on Proton and Charge Transfer Reactions in Solid Poly(methyl methacrylate)

Abstract

Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) is a good matrix for a case study aimed at understanding reaction mechanisms of electron beam, X-ray and EUV resists. Radiation-induced reactions and proton dynamics of solid PMMA were studied under room temperature by pulse radiolysis. PMMA samples were doped with pyrene (Py), crystal violet lactone (CVL) or an anion scavenger to observe charge and proton transfer reactions in the solid matrix. The time-dependent behavior of ionic radicals was observed with the time resolution of 10 ns. The electron transfer from PMMA anion radicals to the anion scavenger or Py was observed in the time range of several hundred nanoseconds. The dynamics of protons generated in irradiated PMMA was traced using CVL. The growth of optical absorbance attributed to proton adducts of CVL was observed in the time range of several hundreds minutes. Protons derived from PMMA cation radicals have a long lifetime and migrated in the solid PMMA matrix.