Abstract
Thin films of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) have been grown using sequential surface chemical reactions on silicon substrates. The surface has been sequentially exposed to terephthaloyl chloride (TC) and ethylene glycol (EG) in an ASM F-120 atomic layer deposition reactor. Precursor pulses were alternated with 30 s of N2 purge. The process has been studied as a function of temperature, precursor pulsing time, and number of cycles. The films were deposited in the temperature range 145–175 °C and the precursors were held at 130 °C (TC) and 70 °C (EG). Before deposition the silicon surface was functionalized using 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane to ensure nucleation of the film. The film growth exhibits self-limiting behavior and linear growth rate dependence that confirms its molecular layer deposition nature. The deposited films have been identified as PET by means of attenuated total reflectance FTIR which reveals the presence of characteristic carbonyl and aromatic groups. Film thickness was measured by spectroscopic ellipsometry. The maximum deposition rate of 3.3Å/cycle was obtained. Surface morphology was investigated using AFM showing average roughness (Ra) of 3.5 nm.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology A: Vacuum, Surfaces, and Films
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
