SURFACE PROPERTIES OF FLUOROCARBON COATINGS PRODUCED BY LOW-FREQUENCY PLASMATRON AT ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE

Abstract

This paper presents the results of studies conducted on coatings based on thin fluorocarbon films obtained by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition using low-frequency plasmatron and low-temperature plasma at atmospheric pressure. The possibility of forming thin fluorocarbon layers by supplying a cyclohexane/carbon tetrafluoride gas mixture to substrates made of polymeric materials (polyethylene terephthalate and polystyrene) has been demonstrated and the main technological modes of deposition process have been established. The absorption spectra of the obtained coatings were studied, the influence of the gas discharge energy contribution on the concentration of fluorocarbon compounds was established, and the band gap was calculated using the Tauc method. The surface relief of the obtained structures was considered using atomic force microscopy and the root-mean-square deviation of the surface roughness was calculated, which reached a maximum of 36 ± 3 nm. Using the Oliver-Pharr method, the nanohardness and Young's modulus of elasticity of the obtained coatings were calculated, which amounted to 0.447 ± 0.025 and 6.10 ± 0.39 GPa, respectively.