Positron annihilation lifetime of irradiated polyimide

Ortho-positronium pick off annihilation lifetime gives the information of the microscopic free volume of polymers. Polyimide polymers such as Kapton are applied in many fields, but it was impossible to apply the positron lifetime method for free volume investigation because of no positronium formation. Here, we apply the idea of the free positron annihilation probability that is sum of the probability of annihilation by the positron and electrons on the molecular chain where the positron localized and that for the annihilation with the electrons on the neighboring molecular chains. The second term is probably affected by the free volume change. We have successfully shown the temperature dependence and the electron beam irradiation effect on the free volume change by observing the free positron annihilation lifetime for Kapton.