AVS 47th International Symposium
    Surface Engineering Tuesday Sessions
       Session SE-TuA

Paper SE-TuA8
Reactions of Fluorocarbon Polyatomic Ions with Polymer Surfaces

Tuesday, October 3, 2000, 4:20 pm, Room 201

Session: Surface Engineering: Surface Preparation to Postcoating Surface Finishing
Presenter: M.B.J. Wijesundara, University of Illinois at Chicago
Authors: M.B.J. Wijesundara, University of Illinois at Chicago
L. Hanley, University of Illinois at Chicago
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25 - 100 eV, mass-selected CF@sub 3@@super +@ and C@sub 3@F@sub 5@@super +@ ions are used to deposit fluorocarbon films on polystyrene surfaces. Monochromatic x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and contact angle measurements are used to quantify the effect of the unique chemistry and structure of the incident ions on the fluorocarbon film. Oxidation and other aging processes are also examined for these films, following air exposure for several weeks. Fluorination efficiency of the film increases with ion size and energy. The fluorocarbon components vary with ion size, energy, and fluence. These ions deposit largely intact at 25 eV and undergo partial decomposition at 50 or 100 eV. Overall, CF@sub 3@@super +@ and C@sub 3@F@sub 5@@super +@ behave as covalently bound polyatomic precursors or fragments that can react and become incorporated within the polystyrene surface. The size and structure of the ions affect polymer film formation via differing chemical structure, reactivity, sticking probabilities, and energy transfer to the surface. Overall, the different reactivity of these two ions with the polymer surface supports the argument that larger species contribute to the deposition of polymeric films from fluorocarbon plasmas. These results further indicate that complete understanding and accurate computer modeling of plasma-surface modification requires accurate measurement of the identities, number densities, and kinetic energies of higher mass ions and energetic neutrals.