Composition of the interface region of sputtered titanium nitride thin films on thermoplastic polymers

The interface of poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT) and sputtered titanium nitride (TIN) thin films was studied. The thin films were deposited by magn etron sputter ion plating (MSIP) onto the polymer. The interface analysis w as performed after the deposition process, in which a layer of approximatel y 60 nm of titanium nitride was formed on the polymer. The influence of the plasma pretreatment parameters: (a) etch gas (Ar, O-2, N-2) and (b) r.f et ching plasma bias power on the interface composition were studied with X-ra y photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS) and argon sputter depth profiling. Result s show that the adhesion of the coatings can be improved by sputter etching the polymer substrates prior to the deposition of the coating, but that th e substrate itself also has a large influence on the chemical composition o f the coating and the interface region. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.