Surface analysis of plasma-deposited polymer films by Time of Flight Static Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SSIMS) before and after exposure to ambient air

Pulsed plasma deposited styrene and ethylene films were studied by Time of Flight Static Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SSIMS) before and after exposure to ambient air. The influence of the external plasma parameters on the secondary ion mass spectra of plasma deposited films was investigated. Approaches for the interpretation of SSIMS spectra of organic materials were reviewed and applied to the evaluation of SSIMS data of plasma deposited films. From these data, information on the chemical character of the plasma deposited films was derived. When the plasma polymers are exposed to air oxygen incorporation occurs. The oxygen uptake is high at the beginning and then it levels of. A relation that "higher the regularity of the film lower is the oxygen uptake" was found. Harder plasma conditions, which could be obtained by applying higher plasma power or lower monomer flow rate, result in higher oxygen uptake and vice versa. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.