Thin Films
Plasma treatment is essential for preventing mechanical failure of thin films caused by poor adhesion or the presence of contaminants. Researchers frequently use Harrick Plasma Cleaners to remove nanoscale contaminants from their substrates without changing the substrate morphology. Simultaneously, plasma treatment can introduce functional groups that increase the substrate’s wettability (hydrophilicity). These advantages allow uniform deposition of thin films via atomic layer deposition (ALD), dip-coating, spin-coating, and other methods.
For more information about the use of plasma cleaning for thin film applications, please see the following articles:
Superhydrophobic Surfaces
Plasma treatment can be a beneficial step for creating superhydrophobic surfaces through promoting strong adhesion of a hydrophobic coating, surface roughening, and plasma polymerization.Applications of Superhydrophobicity Hydrophobic surfaces have...
Thin Film Electronics
Thin film electronic devices made using flexible materials, such as plastics, metals, or polymers, are growing in popularity. Their ability to be bent, folded, and rolled as well as being lightweight and durable makes them ideal for a variety of...
Zinc Oxide Films
Creative Commons license. Zinc oxide (ZnO) is an exciting alternative wide bandgap semiconductor that has promising use in sensors and flexible electronics. Plasma treatment can be applied to prepare surfaces for ZnO deposition, improve electrical properties through...
Photoresist: Cleaning, Spinning & Descum
To more effectively coat and pattern substrates such as silicon wafers and glass with photoresist, plasma treatment is used extensively to enhance three crucial steps: Cleaning, Spinning and Descum. An essential first task is to ensure that the...