Anisotropic thermal characterization of suspended and spin-coated polyimide films using a square-pulsed source method

• A non-contact Square-Pulsed Source (SPS) method is applied to polymer thin films. • Simultaneous measurement of in-plane and cross-plane thermal conductivities and volumetric heat capacities within a single experimental setup. • Spin-coated PI films show higher cross-plane thermal conductivities compared to suspended films. • The SPS method offers precise and efficient characterization of anisotropic thermal properties. Polyimide (PI) thin films are widely used in advanced technologies, yet accurate characterization of their thermal properties remains challenging, as evidenced by significant inconsistencies in reported data and an incomplete understanding of heat transfer mechanisms. In this study, we employ an optical Square-Pulsed Source (SPS) technique to simultaneously measure the in-plane and cross-plane thermal conductivities, as well as the volumetric heat capacity, of PI thin films. SPS is a pump-probe method that utilizes a square-wave-modulated pump laser to induce periodic heating and a probe laser to detect the thermoreflectance response. Thermal properties are extracted by analyzing amplitude signals across multiple modulation frequencies and laser spot sizes. Measurements were conducted on both suspended commercial PI films and spin-coated PI films on fused silica substrates. The results show that spin-coated films exhibit higher cross-plane thermal conductivity and lower anisotropy compared to suspended films, which we attribute to differences in molecular orientation and substrate interactions. These findings provide new physical insights into anisotropic heat transport in polymer thin films and demonstrate the SPS technique as a robust tool for probing microscale thermal phenomena in soft materials.