PLASMA DEPOSITION OF THIN-FILMS FROM A FLUORINE-CONTAINING CYCLOSILOXANE

Thin films have been deposited from radio-frequency glow discharges fed with vapors of a silicon- and fluorine-containing organic compound, namely 2,4,6-tris[(3,3,3-trifluoropropyl)(methyl)] cyclotrisiloxane, in mixture with argon. [GRAPHICS] A triode reactor has been utilized to deposit films by independently changing substrate temperature and bias-induced ion-bombardment. Laser interferometry, electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy have been used to monitor film growth rate and composition. Results unambiguously show an activating effect of the ion-bombardment, which confirm the validity of the ion-assisted deposition model utilized for the plasma deposition of both teflon- and silicone-like films. In our experiments, low substrate temperature and bias conditions results in films with a ''monomer-like'' stoichiometry, while drastic conditions give origin to materials with a completely different composition and a markedly increased hardness. (C) 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.