Thin Film Growth and Surface Modification by keV Ion Beam

Abstract

High-quality ZnO film and highly wettable polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) are obtained by using a keV ion beam. ZnO films are grown on glass substrates by ion beam sputter deposition, changing the oxygen/argon gas ratio, ion beam energy, and substrate temperature. Physical properties of ZnO films were investigated by X-ray diffraction, Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy, and the Van der Pauw method. All the films show a strong preferred orientation along the c-axis. The electrical resistivity is varied from 10-3 to 106 Ωcm and its dependence on the deposition parameters is discussed. The PMMA surface was modified by the ion-assisted reaction technique. Ion dose, ion energy, and oxygen gas flow rate are varied from 5×1015 to 1×1017 ions/cm2, from 0.6 to1.2 kV, and from 0 to 8 ml/min, respectively. A highly wettable PMMA surface can be obtained by irradiating oxygen ions in an oxygen gas environment. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis shows that hydrophilic groups are formed on the surface of PMMA.