CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL EVALUATION OF HYDROPHOBIC pp-HMDSO LAYERS DEPOSITED BY PLASMA POLYMERIZATION AT ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE

This work deals with plasma polymerization deposition of hydrophobic layers onto glass substrates at atmospheric pressure. The hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO)organosilicon monomer was used as precursor for plasma polymerization in nitrogen working gas. The so-called Diffuse Coplanar Surface Barrier Discharge was used as a source of non-equilibrium non-thermal plasma. The pp-HMDSO thin films were studied by the means of SEM,AFM, FTIR, XPS and SIMS measurements. Our research revealed that smooth, polymer-like, hydrophobic and transparent in visible range thin films were deposited on the glass substrates. The results indicate that DCSBD discharge can be used for thin films deposition by the means of plasma polymerization process at atmospheric pressure.