Variations in cross-link density with deposition pressure in ultrathin plasma polymerized benzene and octafluorocyclobutane films

Neutron reflectometry (NR) measurements of ultrathin films from octafluorocyclobutane (OFCB) and benzene (B) precursors deposited using Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) at two pressures (0.6 and 0.05 torr) reveal that under both deposition conditions there are a 7 nm-thick surface layer and an approximately 1 nm-thick transition layer next to the substrate which have structures different than those in the middle of the film. NR measurements of films swollen with solvent reveal that the density of cross-linking next to the substrate is lower than that in the middle of the film or the region adjacent to the surface of the film for both precursors. Variations in the cross-link density with processing pressure are much stronger for PP-B films than for PP-OFCB films.