Pulsed laser ablation and deposition of fluorocarbon polymers

Thin films of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) have been formed by the pulsed-laser deposition technique. The structure of the PTFE films depends upon the substrate temperature during deposition. At substrate temperatures from room temperature to 200°C the films were determined to be amorphous. Films formed at higher substrate temperatures contain both amorphous and crystalline components. Transmission IR spectroscopy indicates that the amorphous and the semi-crystalline variants of PTFE are chemically equivalent. The PVDF films were found to be amorphous for all substrate temperatures studied in the range 25°C to 200°C. For both materials it was found that the use of higher substrate temperatures results in the formation of smoother films.