Directly patternable dielectric based on fluorinated polyimide

A photosensitive polyimide system based on amine catalyzed imidization of a precursor poly(amic ester) is described. The material is based on the meta ethyl ester of pyromellitic dianhydride and 2,2’ bis(trifluoromethyl)benzidine and acts as a negative tone resist when formulated with a photobase generator. The material exhibits a dielectric constant of 3.0 in the GHz range, a coefficient of thermal expansion of 6±2 ppm/K, and can be patterned to aspect ratios of greater than 2 when formulated with a high efficiency cinnamide type photobase generator.