Non-linear effect of cluster irradiation on chemical modification of polycarbonate

Abstract

Chemical modification of single-ion and cluster-ion irradiated polymer films was studied using attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Various single ions (B+, C+, Si+ and Cu+ ions at energies between 0.19 and 2.255 MeV) and cluster ions (0.19 MeV/atom-C4+, C6+ and C8+, 0.3 MeV/atom-C4+ and C6+) were irradiated on polycarbonate, and the effect of single-ion irradiation on the peak intensities for OH, CH2 and CH3 bands was compared with that of cluster-ion irradiation. In the cluster-ion irradiation, the accumulated energy density around ion track becomes higher by simultaneous impacts of several ions to small area. CH2 bond formation was anomalously enhanced in the samples irradiated with 0.19 MeV/atom-C8+ and 0.3 MeV/atom-C6+. High energy density of 0.19 MeV/atom-C8+ and 0.3 MeV/atom-C6+ irradiation was found to be responsible for the anomalous enhancement. © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.