Effect of plasma polymerization conditions on the humidity sorptive properties of thin films obtained from hexamethyldisiloxane in glow discharge

The humidity sorptive powers of polymer coatings deposited on quartz resonators has been studied. The polymer was obtained from hexamethyldisiloxane by plasma polymerization under different operating conditions of glow discharge current density, gas phase pressure, polymer film thickness and modification of the polymer surface in an ammonia plasma. The sensitivity of the films to humidity was enhanced by operating at the highest current density and pressure and by raising the film thickness and exposure to the ammonia plasma. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.