PLASMA-ENHANCED CHEMICAL-VAPOR-DEPOSITION OF THIN-FILMS BY CORONA DISCHARGE AT ATMOSPHERIC-PRESSURE

A corona discharge (also called dielectric barrier discharge or silent discharge) near or at atmospheric pressure was used for the depositio n of organic and inorganic thin films at low temperatures. Inorganic S iOx thin films were deposited with tetramethylsilane (TMS, Si[CH3](4)) or tetraethylortosilicate (TEOS, SI[OC2H5](4)) in oxygen-containing a tmospheres. In inert argon/nitrogen atmospheres, TMS formed amorphous plasmapolymerlike hydrogenated silicon carbon coatings (a-SiC:H). Hydr ocarbons like methane (CH4), ethine (C2H2) or propargyl alcohol (HC2CH 2OH) as monomers lead to polymer-like amorphous hydrogenated carbon co atings (a-C:H). With tetrafluoroethene (C2F4) teflon-like carbon coati ngs (a-C:F) were deposited. Surface energies between 16 and 66 mN m(-1 ) on silicon and between 16 and 62 mN m(-1) on polypropylene were obta ined depending on the film composition. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.