Conjugated Silicon–Based Polymer Resists for Nanotechnologies: EB and UV Meditated Degradation Processes in Polysilanes

Abstract

The comparison of the susceptibility of aryl-substituted polysilanes to the photodegradation by electron beam (EB) and UV radiation is examined on the prototypical material, poly[methyl(phenyl)silylene] (PMPSi). The main purpose of this paper is to compare the photoluminescence (PL) and cathodoluminescence (CL) after major degradation, predominantly in the long wavelength range of 400-600 nm, studying the disorder due to dangling bonds, conformational transformations and weak bonds created by the degradation process. The UV degradation was a completely reversible process, whereas the EB degradation process was only reversible, provided certain material specific level of degradation was not exceeded. This observation supports different paths and final states in both UV and EB degradations. The results serve for the optimization of polysilane nanoresists.

Thickness dependent structural ordering, degradation and metastability in polysilane thin films: A photoluminescence study on representative σ-conjugated polymers

“…These processes were shown to be thermally activated and dependent on the external conditions (air, inert atmosphere or vacuum) and on the energy of incident photons [8,9]. On the other hand, chain scission is expected to lead to non-reversible processes [11]. Similar observation of two types of degradation induced defects was presented by Kobayashi [18] and explained by two subsequent types of DB differing in energy configuration diagram.…”

“…Moreover, the excitation spectra can be collected as well and interpreted in terms of structural changes too. PL has been already shown as a useful and extremely sensitive tool for structural investigation of PSis [11,12].…”

Weathering of Compounded Products

“…355 Defect-free -conjugated materials carrying alkyl or oligo(ethyleneglycol) solubilizing substituents are sensitive to photooxidative degradation. 356 The disorder due to dangling bonds, conformational transformations and weak bonds created by the degradation processes were studied. 357 Polyfluorenes are a class of -conjugated polymers that are commonly used as an active layer in organic light-emitting diodes.…”

Effect of skeleton conformation on the electronic structure of 50% Ti substituted polysilanes from density functional calculations

“…For more than a decade they have attracted a great deal of attention owing to their potential technological applications based on their desirable photoresistivity, electrical conductivity, photoconductivity, and nonlinear optical properties [4][5][6][7][8][9]. Polysilanes are -conjugated polymers with strong -electron delocalization along the main chain.…”