Metal/polymer nanocomposite thin films prepared by plasma polymerization and high pressure magnetron sputtering

Recently, there is much interest in nanocomposites consisting of metal nanoparticles dispersed in a dielectric matrix due to their novel functional properties. In many cases the formation of metal clusters is affected by chemical reactions of the metal with the host matrix material during deposition. The integration of a magnetron cluster source into a plasma deposition process allows the pre-formation of clusters in the gas phase and subsequent co-deposition with the matrix material. We chose plasma polymerization of HMDSO as deposition method for the matrix in this case. Here we focus on the composition of the nanocomposites generated by high pressure magnetron sputtering combined with a plasma polymer. The influence of magnetron power, total and HMDSO partial gas pressure on the cluster formation as well as nanocomposite film properties were investigated by ex situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Furthermore optical und morphological properties of the prepared nanocomposites have been characterized.