AVS 45th International Symposium
    Applied Surface Science Division Wednesday Sessions
       Session AS-WeA

Paper AS-WeA7
Interface Characterization with Combined XPS and TOF-SIMS An Application to the Metallization of Plasma Modified Polymer Surfaces

Wednesday, November 4, 1998, 4:00 pm, Room 307

Session: Polymer Surfaces, Films and Interfaces
Presenter: D. Wolany, Universität Münster, Germany
Authors: D. Wolany, Universität Münster, Germany
T. Fladung, Universität Münster, Germany
Th. Gantenfort, Universität Münster, Germany
L. Wiedmann, Universität Münster, Germany
A. Benninghoven, Universität Münster, Germany
Correspondent: Click to Email
In recent years, the combination of time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) has gained considerable importance for the analysis of technologically relevant surfaces and interfaces, e. g. for device technology or for surface modification of organic substances. The polymer-metal interface is of particular interest, because such compound materials are used e. g. for compact disks or flexible electronic circuit boards. The polymer-metal interface itself, however, is not accessible by surface analytical techniques except in the case of adhesion failure. The combination of TOF-SIMS and XPS can help in this situation by characterization of the original polymer substrate, the surface of the plasma modified polymer, and the initial stages of metal deposition. In this way, one can obtain valuable insights into the interaction mechanisms between the metal and the substrate. We present results for Cu on polyimide modified in an oxygen plasma, and Al on polycarbonate modified in oxygen, argon and SF@sub 6@ plasmas, respectively. In both cases, XPS shows, after plasma modification, the occurrence of additional binding states within the polymer. In the initial stages of metallization, metal-substrate bonds can be identified which are characteristic for adhesion of the metal. The TOF-SIMS fragmentation patterns both after plasma treatment and after metallization allow the identification of specific interaction mechanisms between the polymer and the metal. In addition, standard technical adhesion tests (peel test, twist-off test) were applied to similar samples with thick metallic overlayers.@footnote 1@ In this way we established correlations between the plasma parameters used for substrate modification, the chemical and physical properties of the modified substrate and the polymer-metal interface, and the adhesion strength of the compound material. @FootnoteText@ @footnote 1@Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), Berlin, 12200, Germany