Controlled deposition of plasma‐polyaniline thin film by PECVD: Understanding the influence of aniline to argon ratio

• Published in: Plasma processes and polymers Vol. 19; no. 5
• Main Authors: Pattyn, Cedric, Sciacqua, Dario, Kwiedor, Lukas, Jagodar, Andrea, Strunskus, Thomas, Traeger, Franziska, Lecas, Thomas, Kovacevic, Eva, Berndt, Johannes
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.05.2022; Wiley-VCH Verlag
• Subjects: Aniline; Argon; Chemical synthesis; Chemical vapor deposition; Fourier transforms; Gas mixtures; Infrared spectroscopy; Low pressure; Mass spectrometry; NEXAFS; Optical emission spectroscopy; Photoelectrons; Physics; plasma; Plasma Physics; Plasmas (physics); polyaniline; Polyanilines; polymerization; Radio frequency; Silicon substrates; Thin films; XPS
• ISSN: 1612-8850; 1612-8869
• DOI: 10.1002/ppap.202100233

Low pressure capacitively coupled radiofrequency plasmas operated in a mixture of aniline vapor and argon are used for the deposition of thin films on silicon substrates. The influence of the aniline vapor fraction in the gas mixture upon the plasma properties and the characteristics of the deposited thin film is analyzed. Plasmas diagnostics are carried out using mass spectrometry and optical emission spectroscopy and the thin films are characterized by means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and near‐edge X‐ray absorption fine‐structure spectroscopy. Experiments highlight that the use of a low aniline/argon ratio leads to the deposition of an amorphous film whereas high‐aniline/argon ratios allow the synthesis of a plasma polymer similar to polyaniline. The properties of such plasmas and the mechanisms involved in the deposition process are discussed in detail. Low‐pressure argon/aniline radiofrequency plasmas are used for the production of thin films of plasma‐polyaniline. Mass spectrometry and optical emission spectroscopy are used to analyze the discharge and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy; X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and near‐edge X‐ray absorption fine‐structure spectroscopy are used to analyze the polymer films. The ratio of argon/aniline is varied at fixed applied powers to study the behavior of the plasma and the film growth mechanisms.