Growth and Characterization of Vapor Deposited Polyimide Thin Films

In this paper, we report on the preparation and characterization of polyimide (PI) thin films through vapor deposition polymerization (VDP). PI thin films were formed by vapour co-deposition of the precursor monomers pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) and 4,4-oxydianiline (ODA) following a thermal treatment at a temperature of over 300°C. The effects of the polymerization temperature on the characterization of PI films were investigated using scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The results showed that the deposited polyamic acid (PAA, a precursor of polyimide) with imidization in the temperature interval of 300-400°C are smooth, uniformly thick and form without shrinkage.