Formation of metal-polymer interfaces by metal evaporation: influence of deposition parameters and defects

Metal-polymer interfaces with different but well defined morphologies were prepared by evaporating noble metals (Au, Ag, Cu) onto chemically different polymers, i.e. bisphenol-trimethyl cyclohexane polycarbonate (TMC-PC), pyr omellitic dianhydride-oxydianiline (PMDA-ODA) polyimide (PI), polystyrene ( PS) and the low-k dielectric Teflon AF 1601. The interfaces were characteri sed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spect roscopy (XPS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The combination of these t echniques allowed one to determine morphological parameters such as concent ration and distribution of metal clusters at the surface and in the near-su rface region. In addition, radiotracer measurements yielded exact metal con densation coefficients C and was used to determine the extent of diffusion of metal atoms into the polymers. First experiments on the macroscopic adhe sion of Cu on TMC-PC showed that the initially low peel strength can be inc reased substantially by subsequent annealing above the polymer glass transi tion temperature, T-g. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.