The structure and chemistry of polymer metal interfaces: A combined EM and XPS investigation

Abstract

Polymer to metal relationships for applications from coating finishes to electronic devices require interfacial synergy. Polymer application requirements range in temperature, thermal stability, thermal expansion, moisture absorption, oxidative stability, etc. and choice of metal and deposition technique must take into account these characteristics. While the ability to deposit metal in a controllable fashion is well established the present study focuses on what takes place at the polymer metal interface. Polymer/metal interactions on polyimide systems have been studied in detail for the past decade by a variety of analytical techniques. For the first time this is being investigated in the FPAE polymers combining EM study for structural analysis and XPS for chemical analysis. Fluorinated poly (arly ethers) FPAE, are a newly developed class of polymeric dielectric materials for electronic packaging. These new materials exhibit excellent oxidative stability, low moisture absorption and low dielectric constant. While these parameters are critical for electronic device performance and longevity, device performance is also highly dependent on metallization of the polymer.