Dynamics from Buried Polymer-Polymer Interfaces in Thin Films

ORAL

Abstract

We report a further development of X-ray photon correlation spectrocopy (XPCS) in order to probe capillary wave dynamics at a buried polymer interface of a bilayer. The bi-layer was chosen so that the critical angle for total external reflection for the top layer is smaller than that for the bottom layer. When x-rays are incident below the critical angle of the top layer only the structure and dynamics of the top layer are probed. When x-rays are incident above the critical angle of the top layer but below that of the bottom layer, a standing wave is set up. The phase of this standing wave can be adjusted to have a maxima at the polymer-polymer interface and simultaneously a node at the polymer-air interface. Consequently, one can isolate the static scattering and XPCS from the buried layer. Results on a system consisting of a 100 nm polystyrene (PS) film on top of an 100 nm polybromostyrene (PBrS) film, supported on a Si substrate will be reported. The dynamics are consistent with a low-viscosity mixed layer between the PS and PBrS.

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Authors

  • Jyotsana Lal

  • Xuesong Hu

    • Intense Pulsed Neutron Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL-60439, USA.

  • Zhang Jiang

    • University of California, San Diego, CA 92093
    • Department of Physics, University of California at San Diego
    • Sogang University

  • Sunil Sinha

    • University of California, San Diego, CA 92093
    • Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA-92093, USA.
    • Dept. of Physics, Univ. of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
    • Department of Physics, University of California at San Diego
    • University of California, San Diego
    • Department of Physics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
    • University of California, San Diego and Los Alamos National Laboratory

  • Suresh Narayanan

    • Advanced Photon Source, Argonne, IL 60439
    • X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Lab, Argonne, IL 60439
    • Argonne National Laboratory
    • Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Lab
    • X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439
    • Argonne National Lab

  • Alec Sandy

    • Advanced Photon Source, Argonne, IL 60439
    • Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL-60439, USA.
    • Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Lab

  • Xuesong Jiao

    • Advanced Photon Source, Argonne, IL 60439

  • Laurence Lurio

    • Department of Physics, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL-60115, USA.
    • Northern Illinois University
    • Department of Physics, Northern Illinois University