LSCM: A Non-Destructive Diagnostic Tool for Examining the Microstructure of Polymer Dielectric Films

Laser Scanning Confocal Microscopy (LSCM) was used to examine the microstructure of polymer dielectric films for voids and imperfections. Sample films examined included Polypropylene(PP), Poly-imide(PI), Teflon Perfluoroalkoxy(PFA), Poly-P-Xylene(PPX), and Polyvinylidene Fluoride(PVDF) under a variety of conditions. It is demonstrated that LSCM is a new and powerful tool for the non-destructive evaluation of dielectric films because it can take two dimensional, confocal image “slices” of a structure with resolution down to a few microns without any kind of physical damage to the sample. The basic concept, capability, and usefulness in non-destructive dielectric characterization are demonstrated.