Pulsed plasma initiated chemical vapor deposition (PiCVD) of polymer layers − A kinetic model for the description of gas phase to surface interactions in pulsed plasma discharges

Abstract

A new kinetic model for studying the growth mechanisms in ultra-short square pulsed atmospheric-pressure dielectric barrier discharges (AP-DBD) is presented. Interpretation of the deposition rates yields information on the dominant mechanisms along each pulse cycle (i.e., initiation, propagation, chain-transfer, and termination). Further investigations extracted important parameters for the understanding of free-radical kinetics in the plasma deposition processes. Based on the thin films’ chemistry, topography, polymeric length and growth rates, the chemical and physical meaning of the calculated parameters and their impacts on the thin films’ polymeric structure are discussed.