Parylene C

Parylene C, a chlorinated poly(para-xylylene) polymer, is widely employed as a biocompatible, corrosion-resistant coating, as a packaging material, and as an optically transparent material. Parylene conformal coatings are ultra-thin, pinhole-free polymer coatings that provide a number of high-value surface treatment properties such as excellent moisture, chemical and dielectric barrier properties, thermal and UV stability, and dry-film lubricity. These properties make Parylene coatings the ideal choice for a number of applications throughout the medical device, electronics, transportation, defense and aerospace industries.

Processing Equipment

Deposition Equipment

• SCS_PDS_2035CR

Etching Equipment

Similar to other polymers, parylene can be etched isotropically with an O₂ plasma.

• Plasmatherm 790
  • m_pary1
  • L_O2_DSM
• LAM 9400
  • mnf_parylene_fast_iso
  • mnf_parylene_slow_iso
  • rh_parylene
• STS Glass Etcher
• YES Plasma Stripper
• Deep UV SenLights PL16

Characterization Equipment

• Thickness
  • Woollam M-2000 Ellipsometer
  • NanoSpec 6100 Interferometer
• Material Physical Properties
  • Woollam M-2000 Ellipsometer
  • Rame-Hart Goniometer

Applications

Common uses of Parylene C are

• Coating on devices to make them more Bio Compatible
• Soft structural material for Bio mems.

Processes

Deposition Processes

• Parylene deposition

Etching Processes

• RIE Etch
  • Parylene etches are O2 based and etch photoresits at a similar rates.
  • Hard masks of Aluminum or Silicon dioxide are often used.

Characterization Processes

• Ellipsometry
• Spectroscopic reflectometry
• Contact angle measurements

Relevant Material Information

• Contact angle measurements

a)Schematic that shows the static contact angles b) Photograph of a water droplet on a Parylene C film.
As with other polymers, the hydrophilicity of the surface can be changed by exposing the sample to an oxygen plasma

Below a list of useful information when considering the use of Parylene, taken from Diamond-mf.com

• Room temperature formation means the coatings are effectively stress-free
• Parylene is chemically and biologically inert and stable and make excellent barrier material.
• Parylene has excellent electrical properties: low dielectric constant and loss with good high-frequency properties; good dielectric strength; and high bulk and surface resistance.
• Parylene has good thermal endurance: Parylene C performs in air without significant loss of physical properties for 10 years at 80°C and in the absence of oxygen to temperatures in excess of 200°C.
• Parylene is optically transparent and can be used to coat optical elements.
• FDA approved material
• Parylene coating has excellent mechanical properties, including high tensile strength.
• Parylene is stable over a very wide temperature range (-200 ‘C to +200 ‘C), allowing the chamber items coated in Parylene to be put in an autoclave
• Parylene is unaffected by solvents

Technical data

For complete information on Parylene C physical properties see: Parylene C TDS

Parylene C thin film FTIR Spectrum from reference above.