Thin-film multilayer polyimide deposition

Figure 15.24 shows the fabrication process of the optical filter on a fluorinated polyimide substrate. First, the low-thermal-expansion-coefficient PMDA/TFDB poly(amic acid) solution was spin-coated onto a Si substrate and baked. Then alternate TiO2 and SiO2 layers were formed on the polyimide film by ion-assisted deposition. The multilayered polyimide film was diced and peeled off from the Si substrate. In this way, thin optical filters on a fluorinated polyimide substrate are easily fabricated. 

Vapour Deposition Polymerisation. This is a little studied approach but one that offers significant potential for the fabrication of very thin films and for elaborate multilayer structures. A commercial process has been developed by the Ulvac Corporation in Japan to coat magnetic relay switches with an insulating polyimide layer. A polyamic acid is sythesised by co-deposition of two reactive monomers and is then thermally imidised. The same approach can be used for the condensation polymerisation of poly(azomethine)s, ° poly(ox-adiazoles) and poly(quinoxalines) all of which have been used in LED structures. This approach to polymer synthesis is ripe for further development. 

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