ATOMIC-FORCE MICROSCOPY AND FOURIER-TRANSFORM INFRARED STUDIES OF THEINFLUENCE OF A HIGHLY ORIENTED POLY(TETRAFLUOROETHYLENE) SUBSTRATE ONPOLY(ETHYLENE-TEREPHTHALATE) OVERLAYERS

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and Fourier transform infra-red spectros copy (FT i.r.) were used to investigate the nature of poly(ethylene te rephthalate) (PET) films formed on the surface of a highly oriented po ly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) substrate mechanically deposited on sil icon wafers. PTFE films have been previously shown to be highly effect ive substrates for the growth of oriented overlayers; such materials o ften have unique properties. In this study we report FT i.r. observati ons of an increase in crystallinity of a PET film formed on such an or iented substrate when compared to a film formed on the untreated silic on wafer. AFM imaging is used to show the deeply contrasting surface o f the PET film formed on each substrate.