EPITAXIAL-GROWTH OF POLY(DIMETHYLSILANE) EVAPORATED-FILMS ON POLY(TETRAFLUOROETHYLENE) LAYER

Epitaxially grown poly(dimethylsilane) (PDMS) films have been prepared by evaporation on a highly-oriented poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) layer which is formed by means of a mechanical deposition technique. T he orientation characteristics of PDMS films are determined using atom ic force microscopy, polarizing microscope images, X-ray diffraction p atterns and polarized absorption spectra. The oriented regions lie alo ng the grooves (1-5 mu m wide) formed on the PTFE layer. The X-ray dif fraction patterns and the polarized absorption spectra indicate that t he (110) plane of the crystal structure is parallel to the substrate s urface and that the c-axis of the Si-backbone chain is parallel to the grooves on the PTFE-coated Substrate.