Fabrication of embedded conductive layer in polymer by plasma immersion ion implantation

Plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII) offers an alternative to ion beam with the advantage of high implantation rate. However, problems inherent to the application of PIII to non-conducting materials such as polymers are due to surface charging. To overcome these difficulties and to have a controllable implantation depth, we sputtered a thin layer of gold before PIII is applied to the polymer substrate. The result is a controllable implantation dept and stronger adhesion between the metal-polymer interfaces. The extent of implantation depth can be correlated to tribological properties, electrical conductivity and Raman spectroscopy. While conductive AFM confirmed the conductivity of the embedded layer, the future applications, difficulties and limitations using this technique for fabrication of conductive embedded layer in polymers are also discussed.

[1]  B. Tay,et al.  Tribological characterization of diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings sliding against DLC coatings , 2003 .

[2]  D. Mckenzie,et al.  Optical constants of amorphous hydrogenated carbon and silicon-carbon alloy films and their application in high temperature solar selective surfaces , 1983 .

[3]  Enhanced wear resistance of production tools and steel samples by implantation of nitrogen and carbon ions , 1992 .

[4]  P. Chu.  Semiconductor applications of plasma immersion ion implantation , 2003 .

[5]  K. Baba,et al.  Deposition of diamond-like carbon films by plasma source ion implantation with superposed pulse , 2003 .

[6]  C. Shek,et al.  Surface modification of polymeric materials by plasma immersion ion implantation , 2005 .

[7]  D. Mckenzie,et al.  Modification of polymers by plasma-based ion implantation for biomedical applications , 2004 .

[8]  G. Amaratunga,et al.  DEPOSITION OF SMOOTH TETRAHEDRAL AMORPHOUS-CARBON THIN-FILMS USING A CATHODIC ARC WITHOUT A MACROPARTICLE FILTER , 1995 .

[9]  W. Milne,et al.  Influence of reactive gas on ion energy distributions in filtered cathodic vacuum arcs , 1997 .

[10]  C. S. Bhatia,et al.  Multilayers of amorphous carbon prepared by cathodic arc deposition , 1997 .

[11]  P. Chu,et al.  Improvement of surface bioactivity on titanium by water and hydrogen plasma immersion ion implantation. , 2005, Biomaterials.

[12]  P. Chu,et al.  Anti-Corrosion Properties of Nitrogen and Oxygen Plasma-Implanted Nickel-Titanium Shape Memory Alloy , 2005 .

[13]  S. Lau,et al.  Optical and electrical properties of amorphous carbon films deposited using filtered cathodic vacuum arc with pulse biasing , 2004 .

[14]  A. F. Beloto,et al.  Surface modification of polyethylene terephthalate by plasma immersion ion implantation , 2004 .

[15]  Nathan W. Cheung,et al.  Plasma immersion ion implantation—a fledgling technique for semiconductor processing , 1996 .

[16]  Y. Hatanaka,et al.  Thin film switching devices using amorphous silicon/silicon carbon multilayers , 1993 .

[17]  B. Tay,et al.  Plasma immersion ion implantation of poly (tetrafluoroethylene) , 2004 .

[18]  D. Mckenzie,et al.  Control of stress and delamination in single and multi-layer carbon thin films prepared by cathodic arc and RF plasma deposition and implantation , 2006 .

[19]  D. Mckenzie,et al.  Multilayered carbon films for tribological applications , 2003 .

[20]  S. Lau,et al.  Tribological characterisation of diamond-like carbon coatings on Co–Cr–Mo alloy for orthopaedic applications , 2001 .

[21]  W. Lu,et al.  Carbon plasma immersion ion implantation of nickel-titanium shape memory alloys. , 2005, Biomaterials.

[22]  J. R. Conrad,et al.  Plasma source ion-implantation technique for surface modification of materials , 1987 .

[23]  A. Epstein,et al.  Unusual semimetallic behavior of carbonized ion-implanted polymers , 1998 .

[24]  B. Tay,et al.  Conducting Ni nanoparticles in an ion-modified polymer , 2005 .

[25]  D. Mckenzie,et al.  Control of stress and microstructure in cathodic arc deposited films , 2003 .

[26]  P. Chu,et al.  Plasma immersion ion implantation of industrial gears , 2004 .

[27]  S. Lau,et al.  Mechanical and tribological characterization of diamond-like carbon coatings on orthopedic materials , 2001 .