Surface treatment and characterization of ITO thin films using atmospheric pressure plasma for organic light emitting diodes

Ar atmospheric pressure plasma (APP) was used to treat indium-tin-oxide (ITO). The plasma conditions were varied to treat the ITO surface, e.g., plasma treatment time, RF power, flow rate, and the plasma outlet-to-sample distance. The plasma effectiveness was measured by the contact angle. The change in the surface energy calculated with the Owens-Wendt method mainly arises from the polar component. The dynamic contact angle measurements show that APP-treated surface showed considerably lower hysteresis in the water and ethylene glycol but there was no change in hysteresis in methylene iodide compared with the untreated ITO. Atomic force microscopy showed that the Ar APP-treated surface sharply decreased the surface roughness and showed a similar morphology as the untreated ITO. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed that the Ar APP treatment not only effectively removed carbon contamination from the surface but also introduced oxygen. Therefore, it is believed that the APP treatment modifies the physico-chemical properties of ITO, which can in turn improve the performance of the organic light-emitting diodes.     

Surface characterization of polyimide films

 Various kinds of poly(amide acid)s were prepared by the reaction of four kinds of acid dianhydride and three kinds of diamine in N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc). Polyimide films were prepared by casting the poly(amide acid) solution on soda glass substrates, followed by thermal imidization at various temperatures. Contact angles of polyimide films for the sides in contact both with air and with glass substrate (air side and glass side, respectively) were measured to evaluate the dispersive component (γ^D _S) and the nondispersive component (γ^P _S) of surface free energy (γ_S) of polyimide films. It was shown that, for the air side, γ^P _S value decreased greatly and γ^D _S values increased slightly with the development of imidization. Values of γ^P _S for the glass side were much higher than those for the air side. Poly(amide acid) solution was also cast on quartz glass and silicone rubber, and was thermally imidized. The γ^P _S for the quartz glass side was almost the same as that for the soda glass side. But the γ^P _S for the silicone rubber side was as low as the γ^P _S for the air side. Attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy of polyimide films showed that the degree of imidization for the glass side surface was not as high as that for the air side surface, and that the amount of polar groups for the glass side surface was higher than that for the air side surface. Among the various kinds of polyimides, there is a slight but clear difference in the values of γ_S and its components, which can be rationalized from the difference in the chemical structure. It was also found that thermal degradation and oxidation can be easily detected from the change of surface free energy and its components for the polyimide films after being treated at high temperatures in both air and vacuo. Received: 22 January 1998 Accepted: 10 March 1998     

Mechanical properties degradation of polyimide films irradiated by atomic oxygen

Mechanical properties of polyimide films are degraded by exposure to a low earth orbit environment. The main environmental factor for that degradation is atomic oxygen (AO). Using tensile tests, AO-irradiated surface topography observations, and fracture surface analyses, this study investigated the degradation behavior of polyimide films’ mechanical properties by increased AO fluence and its accompanying degradation mechanisms. Tensile strength and elongation of polyimide films were reduced concomitantly with increased AO fluence. Furthermore, AO-irradiated polyimide films fractured from the AO-irradiated surfaces, of which roughness became marked as AO fluence increased. These results reflect that reduction of mechanical properties is attributable to the roughness increase in AO-irradiated surfaces. Polyimide films coated with indium tin oxide (ITO) were also evaluated to confirm the degradation behavior of AO protective films. Surfaces of ITO-coated polyimide films remained smooth even after AO irradiation. However, undercut cavities were formed at ITO coating defect sites. Rupture of ITO-coated polyimide films initiates from the undercut cavities, engendering large reduction of tensile strength and elongation. The degradation of the mechanical properties of ITO-coated polyimide films increased substantially until the undercut cavities fully penetrated the film.     

Characterization and modification of polymer blend films

Films of immiscible blends of (PS) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) were characterized by contact-angle measurements with sessile drop and atomic force microscopy (AFM). These blends showed a linear dependence of the contact angles on the composition, as predicted by Cassie's equation for ideal surfaces. The surface structure investigated by AFM showed low roughness and phase-separation features. The ratio between the drop radius and the roughness amounted to the order of 10⁴–10⁵. This magnitude seemed to be sufficient to put the PS/PMMA films close to ideality. Upon sulfonation, the wettability and the microscopic surface roughness of the PS/PMMA blends increased. The treatment with sulfuric acid yielded sulfonated PS domains on the surface, causing an increase in the surface wettability. The SO₃ ⁻ groups were evidenced by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The sulfonation of the PS/PMMA blends enables the formation of multiphase surfaces with hydrophobic, charged and polar domains. Received: 11 December 2000 Accepted: 6 April 2001     

采用XPS与接触角法研究氟聚合物表面结构与性能

本文采用接触角和变角XPS方法对FA共聚物的表面能、 表面微相结构做了进一步的研究.     

Surface characterization of poly(2,2,3,3,3-pentafluoropropyl methacrylate) by inverse gas chromatography and contact angle measurements

A fluorinated methacrylic homopolymer, poly(2,2,3,3,3-pentafluoropropyl methacrylate) (PPFPMA) was synthesized by a free radical polymerization reaction. The dispersive component of the surface energy () of PPFPMA was determined by contact angle measurements and inverse gas chromatography (IGC). An extensive surface characterization was conducted by means of IGC. Surface characterization demonstrated that PPFPMA has low value, even at 35 °C and is a Lewis amphoteric polymer with predominantly basic character, as confirmed by the Lewis acidity and basicity constants K_A and K_B, respectively. The values of obtained by IGC are slightly higher than those obtained by the contact angle method. This trend can be attributed to the fact that IGC evaluates, primarily, high energy sites of a surface.     

Looking at the micro-topography of polished and blasted Ti-based biomaterials using atomic force microscopy and contact angle goniometry

Surface topography of polished and blasted samples of a Ti6Al4V biomaterial has been studied using an atomic force microscope. Surface RMS roughness and surface area have been measured at different scales, from 1 to 50 μm, while at distances below 10 μm the surface RMS roughness in both kinds of samples is not very different, this difference becomes significant at larger scanning sizes. This means that the surface roughness scale that could have a main role in cell adhesion varies depending on the size, shape and flexibility of participating cells. This consideration suggests that in cell–material interaction studies, surface roughness should not be considered as an absolute and independent property of the material, but should be measured at scales in the order of the cell sizes, at least if a microscopic interpretation of the influence of roughness on the adhesion is intended. The microscopic information is contrasted with that coming from a macroscopic approach obtained by contact angle measurements for polar and non-polar liquids whose surface tension is comprised in a broad range. Despite the very large differences of contact angles among liquids for each surface condition, a similar increase for the blasted surface with respect to the polished has been found. Interpretation of these results are in accordance with the microscopic analysis done through the use of a functional roughness parameter, namely the valley fluid retention index, evaluated from the AFM images, which has been shown not to correlate with the RMS roughness, one of the most commonly used roughness parameter.     

Looking at the micro-topography of polished and blasted Ti-based biomaterials using atomic force microscopy and contact angle goniometry

Surface topography of polished and blasted samples of a Ti6Al4V biomaterial has been studied using an atomic force microscope. Surface RMS roughness and surface area have been measured at different scales, from 1 to 50 μm, while at distances below 10 μm the surface RMS roughness in both kinds of samples is not very different, this difference becomes significant at larger scanning sizes. This means that the surface roughness scale that could have a main role in cell adhesion varies depending on the size, shape and flexibility of participating cells. This consideration suggests that in cell–material interaction studies, surface roughness should not be considered as an absolute and independent property of the material, but should be measured at scales in the order of the cell sizes, at least if a microscopic interpretation of the influence of roughness on the adhesion is intended. The microscopic information is contrasted with that coming from a macroscopic approach obtained by contact angle measurements for polar and non-polar liquids whose surface tension is comprised in a broad range. Despite the very large differences of contact angles among liquids for each surface condition, a similar increase for the blasted surface with respect to the polished has been found. Interpretation of these results are in accordance with the microscopic analysis done through the use of a functional roughness parameter, namely the valley fluid retention index, evaluated from the AFM images, which has been shown not to correlate with the RMS roughness, one of the most commonly used roughness parameter.     

Phospholipid foam films studied by contact angle measurements and fluorescence microscopy

 Foam films drawn from suspensions of the phospholipid 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphorylcholine (DMPC) in water/ethanol mixtures were used for the investigation of the relation between the properties of the monolayers and the interaction between the film surfaces. The film thickness and the contact angle between the film and the meniscus were measured as a function of the temperature in a range around the temperature of the main phase transition for the lipid. Additionally, fluorescence microscopy was applied to investigate the distribution of a fluorescent lipidlike dye in the surface of the film and the meniscus. From the contact angle the free energy of film formation was calculated. At the temperature of the chain-melting phase transition the film thickness decreases by 0.7 nm. This can be related to a decrease in the thickness of the hydrocarbon layers of the lipid monolayers at this temperature. The decrease in the film thickness leads to a reduction in the free energy by increasing the van der Waals attraction between the film surfaces. No structures were observed in the monolayers of the film in the fluorescence investigation. However, on formation of the very thin equilibrium film the dye was expelled from the film area, indicating an increase in the packing density of the lipid, if the monolayers are in adhesive contact in the film. Received: 31 January 2000 Accepted: 25 February 2000     

Characteristics and durability of fluoropolymer thin films

The use of plasma-polymerised fluoropolymer (CF_xO_y) thin films in the manufacture of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices is well-established, being employed in the passivation step of the deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) process, for example. This paper presents an investigation of the effect of exposure to organic and aqueous liquid media on plasma-polymerised CF_xO_y thin films. Atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), ellipsometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and dynamic wetting measurements were all employed as characterisation techniques. Highly basic aqueous solutions, including known silicon etchants, were found to cause delamination via degradation of the countersurface below the CF_xO_y thin film. Films were found to be stable in organic solvents, acidic aqueous solutions and slightly basic aqueous solutions.     

Determination of solid surface tension from particle-substrate pull-off forces measured with the atomic force microscope

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is capable of solid surface characterization at the microscopic and submicroscopic scales. It can also be used for the determination of surface tension of solids (gamma) from pull-off force (F) measurements, followed by analysis of the measured F values using contact mechanics theoretical models. Although a majority of the literature gamma results was obtained using either Johnson-Kendall-Roberts (JKR) or Derjaguin-Muller-Toporov (DMT) models, re-analysis of the published experimental data presented in this paper indicates that these models are regularly misused. Additional complication in determination of gamma values using the AFM technique is that the measured pull-off forces have poor reproducibility. Reproducible and meaningful F values can be obtained with strict control over AFM experimental conditions during the pull-off force measurements (low humidity level, controlled and known loads) for high quality substrates and probes (surfaces should be free of heterogeneity, roughness, and contamination). Any probe or substrate imperfections complicate the interpretation of experimental results and often reduce the quality of the generated data. In this review, surface imperfection in terms of roughness and heterogeneity that influence the pull-off force are analyzed based upon the contact mechanics models. Simple correlations are proposed that could guide in selection and preparation of AFM probes and substrates for gamma determination and selection of loading conditions during the pull-off force measurements. Finally, the possibility of AFM measurements of solid surface tension using materials with rough surfaces is discussed.     

Plasma and beam facility atomic oxygen erosion of a transition metal complex

Glassy residues of the complex bis(N,N-disalicylidene-1,2-phenylenediamino)zirconium(IV), Zr(dsp)₂, on glass slides were exposed to atomic oxygen in a plasma asher or an atomic beam facility for various amounts of lime in order to study the erosion process, determine the rate of erosion, and learn the chemical identity of the residue. The exposed films were characterized by weight loss, optical photography, profilometry, diffuse reflectance and total transmittance spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with wavelength dispersive X-ray spectrometry (WDS), X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Results indicate that these films erode much more slowly polyimide (Kapton) film under identical conditions, that the erosion is very nonuniform, and that zirconium dioxide is the predominant product after extended exposure. This complex is currently being evaluated as a polymer additive.     

微胶囊膜表面化学组成的XPS分析

采用XPS表面表征技术对生物微胶囊膜表面化学组成进行了分析。结果表明,海藻酸钠_壳聚糖_海藻酸钠(ACA)微胶囊表面带负电荷的含C基团与带正电荷的含N基团的相对百分含量分别为30·6%与60·4%,而海藻酸钠_聚赖氨酸_海藻酸钠(APA)微胶囊分别为42·3%与30·0%,因此ACA微胶囊表面比APA微胶囊带更多的正电荷,更有利于蛋白质吸附与细胞粘附。为深入了解生物微胶囊表面引起的机体反应过程、改进微胶囊性能,提供了理论依据。     

Surface charge properties of oxides and hydroxides formed on metal substrates determined by contact angle titration

Interactions of naturally oxidized or chemically treated flat metal surfaces with the environment, such as the atmosphere or a polymer coating are extremely important for the practical applications. These interactions are governed by the surface chemistry defined by the number and ionization constants of the surface hydroxyl groups along with the surface charge properties. In the present study, a robust methodology was developed to characterize the chemistry of flat surfaces using the contact angle titration procedure. The point of zero charge on the surface of a series of metal oxides and hydroxides, determined using the proposed methodology, showed consistent correlation with the corresponding values for oxides and hydroxides studied in the powder form. A new model based on the concept of polar and disperse components of the work of adhesion and a simplified version of the triple layer was proposed to explain the evolution of the contact angle with pH. This model covers the wide range of pH and ionic strengths of the test solutions and directly accounts for the adsorption process and speciation on the surface. The adhesion of polymer coatings to the chemically treated metal substrates was also explored. It was shown that there is a linear correlation between the point of zero charge on the surface and the strength of adhesion determined by means of the feathering test. This finding emphasizes the significance of the surface charge properties for predicting the adhesion of coatings.     

利用X射线光电子能谱研究马家塔煤显微组分中氧的赋存形态

煤中氧的赋存形态是煤结构研究的重要内容,煤炭加工转化（如煤的热解、直接加氢液化等）也需要确实详尽的煤中氧赋存形态的数据信息。x射线光电子能谱法（x—ray Photoelectron Speetroscopy,XPS）是近年来新出现的最有效的元素分析方法之一,目前,已在化学、物理、生物等各个领域中得到广泛应用。1974年,XPS分析方法首次用于煤的研究,近年来,XPS成为研究煤中硫和氮存在形态的有效方法之一。许多学者在煤中无机矿物中碳、氧、硫的存在形态及XPS直接测定煤中有机硫等方面做过较多研究工作,但由于煤结构的复杂性、实验条件不尽相同以及煤中矿物的干扰等,以往的研究结果并不完全相同。     

Analysis of PPMMA films from oxygen plasma using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

Plasma polymerized methyl methacrylate (PPMMA) films have been synthesised on silicon substrates in RF glow discharge using oxygen plasma. The electron beam delineation sensitivity of the PPMMA films has been studied systematically by varying oxygen and monomer flow rates. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis clearly illustrates how C/O ratio in the films determines the properties of PPMMA films as electron beam resist. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Surface free energy of a solid from contact angle hysteresis

Nature of contact angle hysteresis is discussed basing on the literature data (Colloids Surf. A 189 (2001) 265) of dynamic advancing and receding contact angles of n-alkanes and n-alcohols on a very smooth surface of 1,1,2,-trichloro-1,2,2,-trifluoroethane (FC-732) film deposited on a silicon plate. The authors considered the liquid absorption and/or retention (swelling) processes responsible for the observed hysteresis. In this paper hysteresis is considered to be due to the liquid film left behind the drop during retreating of its contact line. Using the contact angle hysteresis an approach is suggested for evaluation of the solid surface free energy. Molecular spacing and the film structure are discussed to explain the difference in n-alkanes and n-alcohols behaviour as well as to explain the difference between dispersion free energy gamma(s)(d) and total surface free energy gamma(s)(tot) of FC-732, as determined from the advancing contact angles and the hysteresis, respectively.     

Surface forces and friction tuned by thermo-responsive polymer films

Thermo-responsive polymer films have enabled the development of various functional surfaces with switchable interfacial properties. Assessing the surface forces and friction on such films is of paramount importance. On the one hand, it allows us to extract a great deal of information on the interfacial properties of the films, e.g., adhesiveness and lubricity, and how they could be tuned using different stimuli. On the other hand, surface force measurements complement other thin-film analysis methods, e.g., ellipsometry, to better perceive the correlation between the molecular properties of the polymer chains and the interfacial properties of the film. On this basis, we will, herein, provide a concise review of some recent studies on surface forces and friction tuned by thermo-responsive polymer films. This outline comprises a summary of several research works addressing the effects of temperature, solvent composition, and salts on surface forces and friction. In the end, we briefly discuss a few select studies in which the regulation of surface forces by thermo-responsive polymers is examined with an emphasis on the potential applications.     

低温等离子体处理聚酯(PET)表面润湿性与表面结构的研究

研究了O₂、N₂、He、Ar、H₂和CH₄气体低温等离子体改性聚酯(PET)的表面润湿性与表面结构的关系.用已知表面张力的液体测定接触角,作Zisman曲线,求得试样的临界表面张力γ_c;并按扩展的Fowkes式计算试样的表面张力γ_s及其三组分值γ_s^a(色散力)、γ_s^c(偶极矩力)和γ(氢键力),发现经O₂、N₂、He和Ar等离子体短时间处理的聚酯表面自由能显著增大,表面润湿性增强,主要是聚酯表面张力的氢键力成分的贡献,X射线光电子能谱分析表明,这是由于聚酯表面含氧或含氮极性基团增加所致.     

The influence of aging on surface free energy of corona treated packaging films

In packaging, plastic films are very often applied as overprinting materials. The printing properties of plastic films depend on the value of the surface free energy. Usually, during storage but before printing, the surface free energy is decreasing as a result of ageing. The aim of this study was to analyse the influence of elevated temperature and UV radiation on ageing properties and variation of the free surface energy for three commercially available plastic films: polyethylene, polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate. The investigation was done experimentally, and the surface free energy was calculated using two approaches, Owens-Wendt and van Oss-Chaudhury-Good. The time change of polar fractions was also analysed. The calculation results were compared and it was concluded that UV radiation causes more changes in surface free energy than elevated temperature. In some cases, surface free energy values calculated with the applied methods show similar trends.