Ultrahigh rate, wide area, plasma polymerized films from high molecular weight/low vapor pressure liquid or solid monomer precursors

Abstract

A new process has been developed for the high rate vacuum deposition of solid films from high molecular weight/low vapor pressure liquid, or even solid, monomer precursors. The gas resulting from the flash evaporation of a liquid monomer mixture or from a suspension of liquid monomer and insoluble solid particles is used as the support medium for a glow discharge in a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition-like process. Due to the high molecular weight/low vapor pressure nature of the precursors, the plasma of the flash evaporated gas cryocondenses at an extremely high rate on substrates at ambient, and higher, temperatures. Upon condensation the liquefied plasma immediately begins to polymerize to form a solid film due to the high concentration of radicals and ions contained in the liquid film. The process has been successfully implemented in a vacuum roll coating system in a roll-to-roll deposition process. Polymer films and molecularly doped polymer composite films of polymer and light emitting organic molecules have been deposited at thicknesses ranging from about 0.1 to 24 μm at web speeds between 96 and 0.5 linear meters per minute. This new deposition process will be discussed along with some properties of the films fabricated with this new process.