In situ studies of thin polymer film dissolution by laser interferometry plus fluorescence quenching.

The dissolution characteristics of thin polymethyl methacrylate films, studied by simultaneous laser interferometry and fluorescence quenching (LIFQ) experiments, are reported. These require UV-transparent substrates. The influence of the substrate material on the LIFQ results was investigated. The results obtained with sapphire substrates allowed us to calculate the thickness of the solvent-swollen gel layer at the beginning and at the end of the dissolution process.