In this work, x-ray photoemission spectroscopy is performed on standard polyphenylquinoxaline surfaces treated by ultraviolet irradiation under oxygen atmosphere and by plasma. Spectra reveal the appearance of oxidized carbon species and of amine, NH+3 or NO groups, indicating that polymer bonds are broken during the treatments. Interaction of chromium with these surfaces is further reported. A solid-state reaction occurs, where the new species produced by the treatments are reduced, and chromium oxide, as well as nitrogen and carbon electron-rich species are formed.

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Kinetic energy influences on the growth mode of metal overlayers on dendrimer mediated substrates J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 21, 234 (2003); 10.1116/1.1531137 Evidence for metal interaction in gold metallized polycarbonate films: An x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy investigationThe very first stages of the chromium/polyphenylquinoxaline interface formation are investigated. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data evidence that new carbon and nitrogen electron-rich species are formed, necessarily implying cycle opening and bond breaking, associated with polymer disruption. Complementary experiments performed on chromium nitride and on chromium deposited on amorphous carbon films show that mostly chromium carbides and nitrides are formed during chromium interaction with the polymer. The outermost topography is studied by ex situ near-field microscopies. Chromium, with its high reactivity towards the polymer, essentially grows in a layer-by-layer mode. However, for chromium coverages higher than 60 Å, a dense network of cracks spontaneously forms, indicating a mixed-mode failure ͑cohesive in the chromium film and adhesive at the interface͒.