Synthesis of teflon-like thin layers under perfluoro-1-butanesulfonyl fluoride/methane radio frequency plasma environments

Teflon-like thin layers were deposited on various substrate surfaces from p erfluoro-1-butanesulfonyl fluoride/methane radio frequency pulsed plasma en vironments. The deposited films were characterized using attenuated total r eflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, electron spectroscopy f or chemical analysis, differential thermal analysis/thermogravimetric analy sis (DTA/TG), and atomic force microscopy techniques. It has been demonstra ted that the presence of methane is crucial for the deposition of fluorinat ed structures due to the simultaneously developed and fluorine atoms contro lled competitive etching and deposition processes. It has been shown that p lasma films with the highest fluorine concentrations can be generated under low duty cycle and high methane partial pressure conditions. DTA/TG data i ndicate that the Teflon-like layers have a fairly high thermal stability.