REACTION OF CARBOXYLIC GROUPS CONTAINING ORGANIC LAYERS WITH THE SURFACE OF A ZNSE INTERNAL-REFLECTION ELEMENT DURING HIGH-ENERGY PROCESSES

The aim of this FTIR study was to get information about the reactivity of plasma-deposited organic layers on a ZnSe-ATR probe by means of mo dification experiments using organic layers with carboxyl groups as mo del compounds. The model layers prepared on ZnSe internal reflection e lements were exposed both to a low pressure plasma in a reactor (gener ation of ultraviolet radiation: lambda = 100-400 nm) and to a ultravio let radiation outside of the reactor (lamp with lambda(max) = 254 nm) for the simulation of partial steps of complex plasma processes. The r eaction behaviour was investigated without irradiation under ambient c onditions as well. The reactions of the carboxyl groups of the model s ubstances allow conclusions to the behaviour of the carboxyl groups of ten produced during plasma deposition processes and whose chemical rea ctions to zinc carboxylates on ZnSe probes. However, the individual re action time is very strong dependent on the corresponding conditions o f the processes. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.