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Article
Application of scanning angle Raman spectroscopy for determining the location of buried polymer interfaces with tens of nanometer precision
Analyst
  • Craig A. Damin, Iowa State University and Ames Laboratory
  • Vy H.T. Nguyen, Iowa State University and Ames Laboratory
  • Auguste S. Niyibizi, Ames Laboratory
  • Emily A. Smith, Iowa State University and Ames Laboratory
Document Type
Article
Publication Version
Published Version
Publication Date
1-1-2015
DOI
10.1039/C4AN02240H
Abstract

Near-infrared scanning angle (SA) Raman spectroscopy was utilized to determine the interface location in bilayer films (a stack of two polymer layers) of polystyrene (PS) and polycarbonate (PC). Finite-difference-time-domain (FDTD) calculations of the sum square electric field (SSEF) for films with total bilayer thicknesses of 1200–3600 nm were used to construct models for simultaneously measuring the film thickness and the location of the buried interface between the PS and PC layers. Samples with total thicknesses of 1320, 1890, 2300, and 2750 nm and varying PS/PC interface locations were analyzed using SA Raman spectroscopy. Comparing SA Raman spectroscopy and optical profilometry measurements, the average percent difference in the total bilayer thickness was 2.0% for films less than ∼2300 nm thick. The average percent difference in the thickness of the PS layer, which reflects the interface location, was 2.5% when the PS layer was less than ∼1800 nm. SA Raman spectroscopy has been shown to be a viable, non-destructive method capable of determining the total bilayer thickness and buried interface location for bilayer samples consisting of thin polymer films with comparable indices of refraction.

Comments

This article is published as Damin, Craig A., Vy H.T. Nguyen, Auguste S. Niyibizi, and Emily A. Smith. "Application of scanning angle Raman spectroscopy for determining the location of buried polymer interfaces with tens of nanometer precision." Analyst 140, no. 6 (2015): 1955-1964. DOI: 10.1039/C4AN02240H. Posted with permission.

Creative Commons License
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0
Copyright Owner
The Royal Society of Chemistry
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Citation Information
Craig A. Damin, Vy H.T. Nguyen, Auguste S. Niyibizi and Emily A. Smith. "Application of scanning angle Raman spectroscopy for determining the location of buried polymer interfaces with tens of nanometer precision" Analyst Vol. 140 Iss. 6 (2015) p. 1955 - 1964
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/emily-smith/44/