THIN CONDUCTIVE COATINGS FORMED BY PLASMA POLYMERIZATION OF 2-IODOTHIOPHENE

Intrinsically conductive plasma polymers were formed in a 2.45 GHz mic rowave low pressure plasma. The electrical conductivity and structure of the polymeric films were compared with those of electrochemically p olymerized polythiophene. A new method of doping was tested using the iodine-containing monomer 2-iodothiophene. Films with high electrical conductivity (10(-1) down to 10(-6) S cm-1) could be produced, and the ir chemical structure was studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier transform IR spectroscopy. The IR spectra give a strong in dication that the chemical structure of these films is comparable with that of electrochemically deposited polythiophene. Optical emission s pectroscopy was used to give in-situ information about the fragmentati on mechanism in the plasma.