Characterization of a Fluoropolymer Thin Film Synthesized in a Photoexcited Radio-Frequency Plasma

Abstract

The effects of ultraviolet light irradiation during radio-frequency plasma fluoropolymer sputtering on the structure of a deposited polymer film was investigated by well-established chemical analytical techniques. Thermal analyses reveal that thermal stability is enhanced by photoassisted effects. Elemental and spectroscopic analyses, such as magnetic resonance and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies, clarified that the photoassisted effect on the molecular structure is an enhancement of unsaturated carbons through C-F bond cleavage by electronic excitation. These unsaturated bonds result in radical spins and induce a conjugated structure. This effect is also supported by the results of ultraviolet-visible and infrared spectroscopies. © 1991, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.