In-situ characterization of free-volume holes in polymer thin films under controlled humidity conditions with an atmospheric positron probe microanalyzer.

A pulsed, slow positron beam, with a diameter of 200 μm, was extracted into air through a thin SiN window of an atmospheric positron probe microanalyzer (PPMA), and used to measure the ortho-positronium lifetimes τ in polyvinyl alcohol and polycaprolactam sub-μm-thick films. By measuring the variation of τ as a function of relative humidity, the effect of water molecules on the hole sizes, deduced from τ, was examined for the films with consideration to the chain mobility. The results demonstrate the usefulness of the atmospheric PPMA to the in-situ characterization of nanoscopic holes in thin films under practical conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]