AVS 53rd International Symposium
    Plasma Science and Technology Wednesday Sessions
       Session PS1-WeM

Paper PS1-WeM13
In-situ Spectroscopic and Kelvin Probe Studies of the Modification of Passive Films on Metals in Low Temperature Plasmas

Wednesday, November 15, 2006, 12:00 pm, Room 2009

Session: Plasma-Surface Interactions II
Presenter: M. Giza, Max-Planck-Institut fuer Eisenforschung, Germany
Authors: M. Giza, Max-Planck-Institut fuer Eisenforschung, Germany
T. Titz, Max-Planck-Institut fuer Eisenforschung, Germany
G. Grundmeier, Max-Planck-Institut fuer Eisenforschung, Germany
Correspondent: Click to Email
Low temperature plasma processes are of increasing interest for the surface modification of engineering metals such as iron, zinc, aluminium, copper or titanium. Many studies have been devoted to the deposition of thin protective, adhesion promoting or biocompatible films on these metal substrates. However, less attention was paid to the influence of the plasma treatment on the passive films between the metal and the deposited plasma polymer. Since the adhesive properties as well as the corrosion behaviour of metals strongly depend on the chemical composition, morphology and electronic structure of their oxides, it is of high interest to reveal principle processes of oxide modification on metals in reducing and oxidising plasmas. Moreover, the question arises how stable these modified oxides are in contact with the underlying metal and with the environment. To answer these questions in-situ analytical set-ups have been designed that allow studies of the plasma modification as well as ageing processes of modified oxides in defined environments. An in-situ set-up for vacuum and atmospheric plasma studies combines a quartz crystal microbalance, FTIR spectroscopy under grazing incidence and a Kelvin Probe.@footnote 1@ For studies in ultra high vacuum an in-situ cell was developed that consists of Auger Spectroscopy in combination with a Kelvin Probe. This plasma cell is connected to an UHV system with ToF-SIMS, XPS and STM. The presentation will cover principle aspects of relevant passive film structures, the introduction of the in-situ analytical set-ups, oxide modification in vacuum and atmospheric plasmas, the stability of these modified oxides and finally the relevance of the oxide modification for aspects of polymer/metal adhesion and corrosion. @FootnoteText@ @footnote 1@ Raacke, J., Giza, M., and Grundmeier, G., Surface and Coatings Technology, 2005. 200(1-4): p. 280-283.