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UNIVERSITY OF BUCHAREST
FACULTY OF PHYSICS Guest
2024-11-24 7:15 |
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Conference: Bucharest University Faculty of Physics 2008 Meeting
Section: Optics, Spectroscopy, Plasma and Lasers
Title:
Perturbation factors influencing the Quartz Crystal Microbalance operation in radiofrequency plasma during polymer-like thin film deposition
Authors:
M. Teodorescu, E.C. Stancu, G. Dinescu
Affiliation:
National Institute for Laser, Plasma and Radiation Physics, 409 Atomistilor Street, Magurele MG-36, RO 77125, Bucharest, Romania
E-mail
dinescug@infim.ro
Keywords:
QCM, plasma polymerization, mass measurements, thin film deposition
Abstract:
The QCM is a mass sensing device with the ability to measure very small mass changes on a quartz crystal resonator in real-time. The sensitivity of the QCM is approximately 100 times higher than an electronic fine balance with a sensitivity of 0.1 mg. This means that QCM´s are capable of measuring mass changes as small as a fraction of a monolayer or single layer of atoms. The high sensitivity and the real-time monitoring of mass changes on the sensor crystal make QCM a very attractive technique for a large range of applications as a sensor.
In our experiments we used the QCM especially for in-situ measurements of deposition (attachment) material during a plasma polymerization or grafting using as precursor acrylic acid. Nevertheless due to its high sensitivity the device is perturbed by many factors the most important being: the gas flow, the induced RF noise, and the gas pressure. In this contribution we present results regarding the investigation of the deposition process and the importance of the perturbation factors. Possible solutions for minimizing the perturbation effects and a correct and reliable data interpretation are discussed.
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