Growth of fluorocarbon polymer thin films with high CF2 fractions and low dangling bond concentrations by thermal chemical vapor deposition

Abstract

Thermal chemical vapor deposition was used to deposit fluorocarbon films with chemical resemblance to bulk polytetrafluoroethylene. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that the films deposited from thermal decomposition of hexafluoropropylene oxide had fluorine to carbon ratios of 2.0 and CF2 fractions of 90% along with 10% of CF3 and CF moieties. Electron spin resonance results found the dangling bond density to be 1.2×1018 spins/cm3, low compared to conventional plasma polymerized films. Low dangling bond densities were achieved by using a clean source of CF2 in the absence of plasma source.