Characterization of ion-beam modified polyimide layers

Thin chemically modified polyimide films are widely used as functional laye rs for new microelectronic sensors. Modification of the chemistry of these polymers can lead to different mechanical, optical and electrical propertie s. Ion implantation is a preferred method to modify polyimide structures. I n this work the ion-induced changes of chemical structures of three polyimi des were analyzed by attenuated total reflection. Fourier transform infrare d spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR); X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS); Raman sp ectroscopy; and spectroscopic ellipsometry and atomic force microscopy (AFM ). The results indicate that during the implantation process the imide stru ctures were partly destroyed. Carbon-rich, graphite-similar and amorphous s tructures were formed in the surface-near area of the polyimide layers. The changes in molecular structures especially depend on the dose of implanted boron ions. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.