Spatially Resolved Cross-Linking Characterization by Imaging Low-Coherence Interferometry

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer-review

Authors

  • Christopher Taudt
  • Bryan Nelsen
  • Edmund Koch
  • Peter Hartmann

External Organisational units

  • University of Applied Sciences Zwickau
  • Fraunhofer Application Center for Optical Metrology and Surface Technologies
  • TU Dresden
  • Polymer Competence Center Leoben GmbH

Abstract

A method to characterize cross-linking differences in polymers such as waveguide polymers has been developed. The method is based on the scan-free information acquisition utilizing a low-coherence interferometer in conjunction with an imaging spectrometer. By the introduction of a novel analyzing algorithm, the recorded spectral-phase data was interpreted as wavelength-dependent optical thickness which is matchable with the refractive index and therefore with the degree of cross-linking. In the course of this work, the method was described in its hardware and algorithmic implementation as well as in its accuracy. Comparative measurements and error estimations showed an accuracy in the range of 10-6 in terms of the refractive index. Finally, photo-lithographically produced samples with laterally defined cross-linking differences have been characterized. It could be shown, that differences in the optical thickness of ±1.5 μm are distinguishable.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number1152
Number of pages12
JournalSensors (Basel, Switzerland)
Volume19.2019
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 7 Mar 2019