Pulsed plasma synthesis of electrically conductive thin films for potential use as environmental sensors and other applications.

摘要

This thesis represents a detailed examination of the feasibility of employing plasma polymerization to synthesize conductive polymers. For this purpose, the plasma polymerization of pyrrole, thiophene, aniline, tetramethyl tin, triphenylamine, and carbazol were studied. The majority of these films were synthesized using an unique high temperature reactor specifically designed and constructed for the present research. A variety of reactor modifications were employed to improve film quality, as well as to facilitate reactor usage.; Among the most significant results obtained were successful synthesis of films having electrical conductivities several orders of magnitude higher than polymers generated in other laboratories. These high conductivity films were achieved using relatively low duty cycle pulsed plasma deposition conditions. Spectroscopic analysis of the films reveals a correlation between polymer structure and film conductivities.; The utility of the conductive polymeric films were examined with respect to several applications of environmental significance. These applications include potential use as sensors, as well as construction of the first hybrid silicon/conducting polymer photovoltaic solar cell in which the polymer is generated by plasma synthesis.