TABLE OF CONTENTS In this chapter, the use of variable duty cycle pulsed discharges during plasma polymerizations are examined. This review centers on discussion of phenomenological aspects of pulsed plasmas as they relate to film chemistry control during polymer formation. The more physically oriented aspects of pulsed plasma discharges have been treated by others [1], [2]. Likewise, the uses of pulsed discharges simply to minimize substrate heating [3], [4]; or as a means of effecting reactive ion etch rates [5], [6], or to reduce powder formation [7], [8] are not included in this review. Instead our emphasis is on the film formation processes which have recently been shown to be strongly influenced by intermittent operation of plasma discharges [9]. As documented below, the pulsed plasma technique provides an especially convenient route to wide ranging film chemistry controllability during plasma polymerizations. Also, the question of whether pulsed plasma polymerizations can provide unique film compositions, unavailable under continuous wave discharge conditions, is examined.
It is now well established that plasma polymerization represents an unusually convenient and versatile coatings technology. There is obviously much inherent appeal for a one-step, solventless process, which provides uniform, conformable, pinhole free coatings of controllable thickness. Additional attractive features of this approach are that the plasma technique permits use of an exceptionally wide range of...
