| AVS 57th International Symposium & Exhibition | |
| Advanced Surface Engineering | Monday Sessions |
| Session SE+PS-MoM |
| Session: | Atmospheric Pressure Plasmas |
| Presenter: | P. Antony Premkumar, Eindhoven University of Technology, Netherlands |
| Authors: | P. Antony Premkumar, Eindhoven University of Technology, Netherlands S.A. Starostin, Eindhoven University of Technology, Netherlands H. de Vries, FUJIFILM Manufacturing Europe BV, Netherlands M. Creatore, Eindhoven University of Technology, Netherlands M.C.M. van de Sanden, Eindhoven University of Technology, Netherlands |
| Correspondent: | Click to Email |
High quality inorganic oxide thin films applied over polymers are of significant technological interest in the field of optics, vapour barrier coatings, microelectronics, flat panel displays and protective coatings. The layers prepared by PECVD at atmospheric pressure (AP-PECVD) is considered as a promising technology due to its economical and technological advantages. Despite these benefits, the major challenge of this coating technology is the usually reported poor film quality which arises mainly due to the intrinsic instabilities of the plasma as well as from the complex reactions of the deposition process.
In this investigation, we demonstrate the remarkable SiOx film properties synthesized using AP-PECVD in a roll-to-roll configuration [1]. The depositions were performed, in He free gas mixtures, using uniform glow-like dielectric barrier discharge as the electrical sources to assist CVD at atmospheric pressure. As a generic characteristic of the developed technology, it is observed that, irrespective of precursors (TEOS or HMDSO) and process gases (Ar, N2 or air) employed, the films are smooth, both in short and long range length scales, and of near stoichiometric silica with very low carbon content (<2%). Detailed AFM morphology description and surface statistical analysis on SiO2 dynamics showed that no dynamical film roughening in growth front and lateral directions are observed and the synthesized layers (~ 350 nm) follow the topology of the substrate, mimicking its surface texture characteristics. The value of the roughness exponent (α), close to 1, determined from the height-height correlation function analysis, indicates a self-similar scaling of the SiO2-like film morphology with the polymer substrate. The films are uniform with no defects or particle being incorporated during the deposition process and exhibit excellent barrier performances towards O2 and H2O permeation.
[1] P. Antony Premkumar, S.A. Starostin, M. Creatore, H. de Vries, R.M.J. Paffen, P.M. Koenraad, M.C.M. van de Sanden, Plasma. Proc. Polym. (2010) In Press