V. Zaporojtchenko et al., Condensation coefficients and initial stages of growth for noble metals deposited onto chemically different polymer surfaces, APPL SURF S, 145, 1999, pp. 355-359
The initial stages of growth of noble metals deposited onto untreated as we
ll as Ar+ beam-treated polymer surfaces were investigated by means of X-ray
photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM),
and radiotracer methods. Condensation coefficients C of the metals on the p
olymer surfaces were determined by comparison of the XPS signals of the met
als with the nominal thicknesses measured by a quartz microbalance during d
eposition. These measurements were combined with radiotracer measurements,
which allow to determine C independently with high accuracy and sensitivity
. C was found to depend strongly on the chemical composition of the polymer
surface, e.g., at room temperature, C varies between 0.95 for PMDA-ODA pol
yimide and 0.002 for Teflon AF. By ion beam treatment of the latter, C was
raised considerably. During nucleation of the metal on the polymer surface,
C increases strongly with metal coverage. C also depends on the deposition
rate of the metal and decreases strongly at elevated temperatures. (C) 199
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