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PUBLICATIONS

Water Adsorption in Interfacial Silane Layers by Neutron Reflection: 2. Epoxy plus Silane on Silicon Wafers

Published

Author(s)

M S. Kent, W F. McNamara, P M. Baca, W Wright, L A. Domeier, A P. Wong, Wen-Li Wu

Abstract

The interaction of water with an interphase composed a common commercial glass cloth silane finish and an epoxy resin is explored by neutron reflection. The silane finish was applied to the oxide surfaces of polished silicon wafers. The epoxy resin (diglycidyl ether of bisphenon A) was then roll-coated over the silane finish and cured. Profiles of D2O in the interphase are measured by neutron reflection after varying periods of exposure to air saturated with D2O at 22 degrees C and at 80 degrees C. After exposure at 80 degrees C for 3 days, a significant uptake of D2O into the interphase region is observed. The D2O profile in the interphase can be described by a two layer model composed of a thin (equivalent to 15 Angstrom) layer with equivalent to 50 vol percent D2O next to the silicon oxide surface and a second layer corresponding to the remainder of the silane-epoxy mixed layer with a much lower D2O level. No excess D2O is detected (detection limit equivalent to 3 percent) in the interface region under the same conditions if the silane finish layer is not present. For samples conditioned at 22 degrees C, no D2O is detected in the silane interpahse after exposure for 18 days, but a significant uptake is observed after exposure for 6 months. The profile in the latter case can again be described by a two layer model with a thin D2O-rich layer near the silicon oxide surface. The nature of the interaction of D2O with the interphase is further probed by exposing the samples to vacuum following humidity conditioning. After evacuation for equivalent to 1 month, near complete removal of interfacial water is observed for samples conditioned at 80 degrees C for 2 days and also at 22 degrees C for 6 months. These observations are interpreted in terms of a reversible chemical interaction (hydrolysis) between water and the silane finish.
Citation
Journal of Adhesion Science and Technology
Pub Type
Journals

Keywords

epoxies, interface, moisture, neutron reflectivity, silane, silicon wafers

Citation

Kent, M. , McNamara, W. , Baca, P. , Wright, W. , Domeier, L. , Wong, A. and Wu, W. (2008), Water Adsorption in Interfacial Silane Layers by Neutron Reflection: 2. Epoxy plus Silane on Silicon Wafers, Journal of Adhesion Science and Technology (Accessed April 16, 2024)

Created October 16, 2008