FORMATION OF POLYTETRAFLUOROETHYLENE THIN-FILMS BY USING CO2-LASER EVAPORATION AND XECL LASER-ABLATION

Laser evaporation and laser ablation methods were applied to the prepa ration of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) thin films. In the case of th e laser evaporation method, PTFE targets were evaporated by a continuo us wave (cw) CO2 laser (10.6 mu m), and fluorocarbon thin films were f ormed at a deposition rate of as high as 2 mu m/min for a laser power of 10 W. The chemical composition and structure of the deposited film corresponded to those of a PTFE target, which was confirmed by x-ray p hotoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared absorption sp ectroscopy analyses. In the laser ablation method, PTFE targets were a blated by a XeCl excimer laser (308 nm). It is found that the deposite d films contained a small amount of fluorine atoms on the surface. Fro m these experiments, the successful formation of PTFE thin films was d emonstrated for the first time using cw CO2 laser evaporation method. (C) 1996 American Vacuum Society.