Modeling and experimental comparison of pulsed plasma deposition of aniline

A model for predicting deposition rates of plasma polymerized aniline films in a pulsed inductively-coupled plasma reactor is presented. The model proposes a two-step deposition mechanism: dissociation of monomer by electron collisions (fast) and subsequent (slow) diffusion of radicals toward the substrate. A free radical mechanism is proposed and the dissociation rate constant is calculated based on the best available cross section information. Results of the model are compared with axial and radial, polyaniline deposition rate profiles measured in the reactor. Plasma parameters such as initial electron temperature, electron density and dissociation cross-section were varied in order to arrive at a good agreement between the model and measured deposition rate data. The effect of these parameters on the model output is described. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.