Surface modification of poly(tetrafluoroethylene) films by plasma polymerization of glycidyl methacrylate and its relevance to the electroless deposition of copper

Surface modification of poly(tetrafluoroethylene) films by plasma polymeriz ation and deposition of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) was carried out. The ef fects of glow-discharge conditions on the chemical structure and compositio n of the deposited GMA polymer were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectro scopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. XPS and FTI R results revealed that the epoxide groups in the plasma-polymerized GMA (p p-GMA) layer had been preserved to various extents, depending on the plasma deposition conditions. The morphology of the modified PTFE surface was inv estigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The pp-GMA film with well-prese rved epoxide groups was used as an adhesion promotion layer to enhance the adhesion of the electrolessly deposited copper on the PTFE film. The T-peel adhesion test results showed that the adhesion strength between the electr olessly deposited copper and the pp-GMA-modified PTFE (pp-GMA-PTFE) film wa s much higher than that between the electrolessly deposited copper and the pristine or the Ar plasma-treated PTFE film. (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, In c.