Characterisation of plasma polymers by thermoluminescence

Thin plasma polymer films were deposited using the pulsed plasma mode. These plasma polymers should possess a more regular structure than those produced by the conventional continuous-wave (cw) mode, because of lower monomer fragmentation caused by the plasma pulses and the chemical chain propagation during the plasmaless (free!) periods. The thermoluminescence method was applied to functional groups carrying plasma polymer layers which are used in medical technology. Examples are formation of biocompatible, biosensoric and bioactive coatings or in metal polymer composites such as adhesion-promoting interlayers.In addition to the use of the conventional X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy for thin film characterization, the new method of thermoluminescence was applied to characterize undesired defects and structural specifics produced in the polymer films by pp or cw plasma mode. The main areas of focus were oxygen-containing groups produced by post-plasma oxygen introduction via auto-oxidation, oxidation of implemented unsaturations and trapped radical sites known as typical irregular structures in plasma polymers.