Oxygen incorporation in polyethylene and polypropylene implanted with F+, As+ and I+ ions at high dose

Samples of PolyPropylene (PP) and PolyEthylene (PE) implanted with 150 keV F⁺, As⁺ and I⁺ ions with a dose of 1×10¹⁵ cm^–2 were studied using standard Rutherford Back Scattering (RBS) technique. No fluorine atoms above the present RBS detection limit were observed in the ion-implanted polymers. The measured depth profiles of As and I atoms are significantly broader than those predicted by the TRIM code for pristine polymers. The differences can be explained by stepwise polymer degradation due to ion bombardment. Massive oxidation of the ion-implanted polymers is observed. The oxidation rate and the resulting oxygen depth profile depend strongly on the polymer type and implanted ion mass. In the samples implanted with F⁺ ions, an uniformly oxidized layer is built up with a mean oxygen concentration of 15 at.%. In the samples implanted with As⁺ and I⁺ ions, a non-uniform oxygen depth distribution is observed with two concentration maxima on the sample surface and in a depth correlated with implanted ion range.