Semiconductor and photonics devices have unique engineering structures in that various polymeric and inorganic materials are densely packed in millimeter to micrometer-scale configurations.  While inorganic materials such as silicon, copper, aluminum, etc., are impervious to moisture and other detrimental gas species, gas transport into polymeric and inorganic materials occurs through a mechanism known as diffusion.  LOMSS has been conducting leading edge research tasks on moisture and gas diffusion analyses.

Details of current research activities can be found:

• Moisture diffusion and hygroscopic swelling [pdf]
• Gas Transport in Inorganic/Organic Hybrid Barrier Structures [pdf]