Quantitative in situ FTIR studies of polymers irradiated with synchrotron radiation Original Research Article

The analysis of radiation chemistry in polymers irradiated with synchrotron radiation is of great relevance for a better understanding and improvement of the X-ray lithographic process. In order to determine the reaction yields quantitatively, in situ techniques are favorable, because they eliminate the influence of sample-to-sample variations and storage conditions. With in situ FTIR spectroscopic analyses of irradiated PMMA and of poly(L-lactide-co-glycollide 10%), we determined radiation chemical yields for the formation of carboxylic acid and gaseous CO2 in the copolymer which are 2.9(3) and 0.36(6) (100 eV)−1 respectively, (numbers in parentheses indicate the uncertainty of the last digit) and which are in good agreement with independent method measurements.