PULSED PLASMA POLYMERIZATION OF PENTAFLUOROSTYRENE - SYNTHESIS OF LOWDIELECTRIC-CONSTANT FILMS

A variable duty cycle pulsed plasma was employed to synthesize polymer ic films from pentafluorostyrene monomer. The physical properties of t he resultant films are observed to vary in progressive fashion with ch anges in the plasma duty cycles employed during deposition, all other plasma variables remaining constant. The sequential variations in film compositions with plasma duty cycles were demonstrated spectroscopica lly (infrared and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) as well as by diel ectric constant, thermal stability, and surface energy measurements. I n the case of pentafluorostyrene, a trade off in dielectric constant a nd thermal stabilities is observed as the lower dielectric constant fi lms exhibit poorer thermal stability. In particular, this study shows that the variable duty cycle pulsed plasma synthesis approach can be e mployed to adjust physical properties of films, particularly dielectri c constants, in unusually controllable fashion. (C) 1998 American Inst itute of Physics.