AVS 50th International Symposium
    Thin Films Tuesday Sessions
       Session TF-TuM

Paper TF-TuM11
Effect of Swift Heavy Ions on the Structural and Optical Properties of RF Plasma Polymerized Aniline Thin Films

Tuesday, November 4, 2003, 11:40 am, Room 329

Session: Thin Films on Organic, Polymeric and Biological Substrates
Presenter: M.R. Anantharaman, Cochin University of Science and Technology, India
Authors: S. Saravanan, Cochin University of Science and Technology, India
C. Joseph Mathai, Cochin University of Science and Technology, India
M.R. Anantharaman, Cochin University of Science and Technology, India
S. Venkatachalam, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, India
D.K. Avasthi, Nuclear Science Centre, India
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Organic and polymer thin films have been receiving a great deal of attention due to their interesting properties. They find extensive applications in making devices such as Light Emitting Devices, rechargeable batteries, super capacitors, intermetallic dielectrics and EMI shielding. Polyaniline thin films prepared by plasma polymerization are cross-linked, pinhole free and their permittivity lie in the ultra low k regime. Electronic and photonic applications of polyaniline thin films attracted the attention of various researchers. Modification of polymer thin films by swift heavy ions is well established and ion irradiation of polymers can induce irreversible changes in their structural, electrical and optical properties. Polyaniline thin films prepared by RF plasma polymerization were irradiated with 92 MeV silicon ions for various fluences of 1 x 10@super 11@ ions/cm@super 2@, 1 x 10@super 12@ions/cm@super 2@ and 1 x 10@super 13@ ions/cm@super 2@ using the pelletron facility at Nuclear Science Centre, New Delhi, India. FTIR and UV Vis NIR measurements were carried out on the pristine and silicon ion irradiated polyaniline thin films for structural evaluation and optical bandgap determination. In this paper the effect of swift heavy ions on the structural and optical properties of plasma polymerised aniline thin film is investigated. Their properties are compared with that of the pristine sample. The FTIR spectrum indicates that the structure of the irradiated sample is altered. The optical bandgap of these irradiated thin film is considerably modified.