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Interface roughness of plasma deposited polymer layers.
Yi Zhang1, Judith Arfsten, Sascha A Pihan
1Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz, Germany.
Journal of Colloid and Interface Science
|August 24, 2010
Summary
Investigating plasma-polymerized hexamethyldisiloxane films revealed that altering radio frequency (RF) power during deposition significantly impacts interface roughness. Higher RF power in subsequent layers increases roughness, affecting multilayer film properties.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Surface Science
- Plasma Physics
Background:
- Multilayered films are crucial in various applications, requiring precise control over interfacial properties.
- Plasma polymerization offers a versatile method for creating thin films with tunable characteristics.
- Understanding interface roughness is key to optimizing the performance and durability of multilayered structures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the interface roughness of multilayered films created by plasma polymerization of hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO).
- To determine the influence of varying plasma conditions, specifically radio frequency (RF) input power and oxygen presence, on interfacial characteristics.
- To correlate deposition parameters with the resulting mechanical properties and roughness of the interfaces.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of multilayered HMDSO films using alternating plasma polymerization conditions.
- Utilizing Scanning Force Microscopy (SFM) with phase contrast to visualize interfaces in fractured multilayer samples.
- Analyzing the mechanical contrast between layers to estimate interfacial roughness.
Main Results:
- Significant phase contrast was observed between HMDSO layers deposited under different plasma conditions.
- A higher interface roughness (≈10 nm) was measured when a 90 W RF power deposition (with oxygen) followed a 48 W RF power deposition (without oxygen).
- A lower interface roughness (≈3 nm) was observed in the reverse deposition order, indicating a strong dependence on RF power and process conditions.
Conclusions:
- The interface roughness is significantly influenced by the radio frequency (RF) input power and the presence of oxygen during plasma polymerization of HMDSO.
- Higher RF power in subsequent deposition steps can lead to increased interface roughness, potentially due to partial etching effects.
- Controlling RF power and deposition sequences is critical for minimizing interface roughness and tailoring the mechanical properties of HMDSO multilayer films.
