Microscopic simulation of e-beam induced PMMA chain scissions with temperature effect

Abstract

Abstract This study presents microscopic quantitative model of e-beam induced poly-methylmethacrylate (PMMA) main-chain scissions. Scission processes are supposed to be caused by ester side group elimination, competing with hydrogen abstraction processes. Experimental values of PMMA radiation scission yield at different temperatures were obtained using direct Monte-Carlo algorithm for the simulation of e-beam scattering in PMMA/Si structure and detailed PMMA layer model for the simulation of exposed PMMA molecular weight distribution. The radiation scission yield increase at higher temperatures is associated by the increase of probability of remote PMMA main-chain scission, which follows the ester side group elimination. Temperature dependence of remote scission probability for the temperature range 20-180 °C is determined.