Vacuum deposited polymer films: Past, present, and future applications

摘要

Two extremely high rate processes have been developed for the vacuum deposition of polymer thin films. Dubbed the PML (for Polymer Multi-Layer) and LML (for Liquid Multi-Layer) processes, the PML technique was originally developed for the manufacture of polymer/aluminum surface mount capacitors while the LML method arose from a need to fabricate lithium polymer batteries. These processes have since been found to be compatible with most other vacuum deposition techniques in, integrated, in-line coating processes. Battelle has developed an extensive program, and a great deal of hardware, to pursue a wide variety of PML and LML applications which integrate these two process technologies with other, conventional, vacuum deposition methods. The historical development of the technologies is reviewed and the Battelle PML/LML facilities are described. Current Battelle work involving solar thermal control films, PML QWOTs, and polymer/metal high reflectors are also discussed. Battelle PML work that is just starting, involving non-linear optical materials/devices, lithium polymer battery fabrication, electrochromic devices, and polymer/oxide multilayers, is discussed as well.