Original scientific paper
Thickness estimation of thin polymer films by means of the vibrating reed technique and FIB/SEM analysis
Tatjana HARAMINA
orcid.org/0000-0001-5327-4329
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture, Zagreb
Abstract
Films with properties that differ from those of bulk systems due to the reduction in thickness are considered thin. One of the reasons for different properties in the case of polymer films is the preferential orientation of side groups at interfaces. This leads to differences in the amount of free volume comparing to that of the bulk. Any analysis of such systems must be presented as a function of thick-ness. The thickness estimation by common methods like ellipsometry, X-ray diffractometry, profilometry etc. might be affected by structural changes. Within this paper the film thicknesses retrieved by the vibrating reed technique are compared with those retrieved by FIB/SEM analyses. Both methods seem to be independent on the structural inhomogeneities.
Keywords
thickness; FIB/SEM; vibrating reed; thin polymer films
Hrčak ID:
32688
URI
Publication date:
23.2.2009.
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