XPS and AES studies of halofluorocarbon plasma etched surfaces

Abstract
In situ AES and ex situ XPS studies have been performed on surfaces treated with haloflurocarbon plasmas. The quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) technique has been used to measure the corresponding etch rates.Silicon dioxide, polystyrene (PS) and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) show comparable trends in etch rates, they seem to react preferentially with fluorine. On the surface of silicon dioxide a silicon oxyfluoride layer is formed as a consequence of plasma treatment. Such a layer is virtually unaffected by the change in the discharge gas.PS and PMMA surfaces react also with chlorine and bromine, to give derivatization. The reactivity of polystyrene is higher, probably owing to the presence of aromatic rings allowing addition and electrophylic reactions, while in polymethylmethacrylate only substitution reactions are possible.

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