A Comparative Study Of Sioxcyhz Thin Films Deposited In Trimethysilyl Acetate/O-2/Ar Plasmas

Plasma-polymerized SiOxCyHz thin films have been playing an important role in many research studies due to their wide range of applications. These materials are perspective for industrial applications as protective coatings of metals or plastic substrates, anti-reflection coatings for solar cells, low-k dielectrics for microelectronics, water-repellent barrier films etc. Materials based on organosilicon precursors prepared by PECVD technique have become interesting for bioapplications in recent years as well due to their ability to optimize protein adsorption and cell attachment. These coatings have a great potential e.g. in BioMEMS microfabrication or treatment of biosensors and surfaces of medical implants.In the present study, low pressure RF capacitive coupled discharge in mixture of trimethylsilyl acetate (TMSA) monomer with oxygen or argon was used to create hydrophobic SiOxCyHz coatings. This study is focused primarily on research of properties of resulting coatings (chemical composition, mechanical properties, optical properties, surface wettability and surface structure) in dependence on discharge parameters. Properties of created thin films were examined in dependence on the ratio of TMSA monomer and carrier gas flow rates during the deposition process. Influence of used carrier gas (O-2 or Ar) on growth of TMSA-based plasma polymers is discussed in this study as well.