Polymeric metal-filled films for photothermal optical recording

Polymer films filled with metal nanoparticles were produced both by vacuum co-deposition and plasma enhanced chemical vapor-deposition (PECVD). Films composition and structure were studied by AES, TEM, SEM, Raman scattering and ellipsometry. Information was recorded by both Nd:YAG laser at 532 nm and semiconductor laser at 830 nm. Te, Sb, Sn, Pd, Au-contained films of different composition were produced. Hydrocarbon and fluorocarbon polymers were used. It is shown, that the recording energy is determined by physical properties of metal, its concentration and phase morphology. The polymer matrix properties strongly influence threshold characteristic of media. There an three possible recording mechanisms on the metal-polymer media: ablation, swelling, bubbling. They depend on melting and evaporation temperatures of the metal and decomposition temperature of the polymer. The swelling type media shows the best resolution and high stability, if noble metal is used. For this type media polymer must have a slope of function of viscosity and quantity of decomposition products vs temperature as sharp as possible, while for ablation type media these properties should align with melting and evaporation temperatures of metal.