Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 February 2011
Highly hydrophobic fluorocarbon films were prepared by the vapor phase (VP) deposition method in a vacuum chamber using both liquid (3M's FC40, FC722) and solid sources (perfluorodecanoic acid (CF3(CF2)8COOH), perfluorododecane (C12F26)) on Al, Si and oxide coated wafers. The highest static contact angles of water were measured on films deposited on aluminum substrate. But relatively lower contact angles were obtained on the films on Si and oxide wafers. The advancing and receding contact angle analysis using a captive drop method showed a large contact angle hysteresis (ΔH) on the VP deposited fluorocarbon films. AFM study showed poor film coverage on the surface with large hysteresis. FTIR-ATR analysis positively revealed the stretching band of CF2 groups on the VP deposited substrates. The thermal stability of films was measured at 150°C in air and nitrogen atmospheres as a function of time. The rapid decrease of contact angles was observed on VP deposited FC and PFDA films in air. However, no decrease of contact angle on them was observed in N2.