Crosslinking and decomposition reactions of epoxide functionalized polynorbornene. Part I. FTIR and thermogravimetric analysis

The miniaturization of microelectronic devices has created a demand for new low-dielectric-constant materials to be used as insulating layers between metal interconnects. In this study, a functionalized polynorbornene consisting of a copolymer of decyl norbornene and epoxide norbornene has been investigated as a low-temperature curing dielectric. Polynorbornenes possess properties that are attractive for microelectronics packaging; however, films of these polymers must be crosslinked in order to obtain the solvent resistance and low solvent swelling necessary for multilayer applications. Crosslinking of these materials was achieved by acid-catalyzed cationic crosslinking of epoxide side groups. The reactions that occurred during higher temperature curing of epoxy functionalized norbornene films were studied using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. Epoxide crosslinking and epoxide decomposition reactions were identified and studied as a function of temperature and time. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 89: 568–577, 2003