PROPERTIES OF MICROMETER-THICK PLASMA-POLYMERIZED TETRAFLUOROETHYLENE FILMS

Several physical properties of thin plasma-polymerized films have been measured using a new fiber-optic-based technique. Films of plasma-polymerized tetrafluoroethylene (PPTFE) deposited on the end of an optical fiber form an optical cavity, the reflectivity of which is very sensitive to the film thickness. The fiber is used as an in situ monitor of the deposition rate in the plasma and, after removal from the plasma, the mechanical properties of the film can be measured. With this measurement technique the thermal expansion of the film normal to its surface as well as the swelling of the film when exposed to an array of organic solvents have been determined. A significantly smaller thermal-expansion coefficient and larger degree of swelling are observed relative to bulk PTFE. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements show that the fluorocarbon chains are highly branched and have a fluorine-to-carbon ratio of 1.45. These results suggest that the plasma-polymerized films are not crystalline and are heavily cross linked.