Molecular Design for Moisture Insensitivity of Compositionally Graded Hybrid Films

Effective bonding of organic/inorganic interfaces especially in high humidity environments is paramount to the structural reliability of modern multilayer device technologies, such as flexible electronics, photovoltaics, microelectronic devices, and fiber-metal laminates used in aerospace applications. We demonstrate the ability to design compositionally graded hybrid organic/inorganic films with an inorganic zirconium network capable of forming a moisture-insensitive bond at the interface between an oxide and organic material. By controlling the chemistry of the deposited films and utilizing time-dependent debonding studies, we were able to correlate the behavior of the hybrid films at high humidity to their underlying molecular structure. As a result, an outstanding threefold improvement in adhesion of silicon/epoxy interfaces can be obtained with the introduction of these films even in high humidity environments.