Study of fluorine diffusion in metallized polymers using ion beam techniques

F-19(p, alpha gamma)O-16 nuclear reaction analysis (NRA) technique has been used to quantitatively determine fluorine concentration and distribution i n fluorinated polymeric films. By varying the proton beam energy over a sui table range and measuring the gamma-ray yield at each step, combined with t he knowledge of energy loss per unit length of the film, the fluorine depth profile is obtained, The diffusion of fluorine at the Al/PA-F (fluorinated parylene) interface is clearly identified after the: sample is annealed at 450 degrees C for 2 h. Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS) data g ives similar results. Ion beam techniques provide an attractive method to c haracterize the stability of the metal-fluorinated film interface. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.