Effects of laser radiation on some properties of the surface layer of polycarbonate

Influence of excimer laser radiation (193 nm) on the oxidation degree, surface geometrical structure, wettability, and surface free energy of the surface layer of polycarbonate was studied. The oxidation degree was monitored by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) while changes in the surface geometrical structure by the atomic force microscopy (AFM). The contact angles of test liquids (water and diiodomethane) were measured with use of a goniometer, the surface free energy was calculated by the Owens-Wendt method. It was found that the nature of the physicochemical changes occurring in the polycarbonate surface layer upon laser irradiation depends mostly on the wavelength of the laser radiation, unit energy of a laser pulse, and number of the laser pulses. It was found that the ArF excimer laser is an effective tool for modification of the polycarbonate surface layer, unlike the XeCl laser the radiation energy of which is too low.