Nucleation and growth of ZnO on PMMA by low-temperature atomic layer deposition

Abstract

ZnO deposition on metal substrates: Relating fabrication, morphology, and wettability J. Appl. Phys. 113, 184905 (2013) ZnO films were grown by atomic layer deposition at 35 C on poly(methyl methacrylate) substrates using diethylzinc and water precursors. The film growth, morphology, and crystallinity were studied using Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, time-of-flight elastic recoil detection analysis, atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and x-ray diffraction. The uniform film growth was reached after several hundreds of deposition cycles, preceded by the precursor penetration into the porous bulk and island-type growth. After the full surface coverage, the ZnO films were stoichiometric, and consisted of large grains (diameter 30 nm) with a film surface roughness up to 6 nm (RMS). The introduction of Al 2 O 3 seed layer enhanced the initial ZnO growth substantially and changed the surface morphology as well as the crystallinity of the deposited ZnO films. Furthermore, the water contact angles of the ZnO films were measured, and upon ultraviolet illumination, the ZnO films on all the substrates became hydrophilic, independent of the film crystallinity.

Novel synthesis of ZnO/PMMA nanocomposites for photocatalytic applications

“…The idea is that the nucleation of Al 2 O 3 is facilitated by the TMA diffusion into the polymers and the subsequent reaction of the retained TMA with H 2 O (i.e., the second precursor)37. The possibility to grow ZnO films on PMMA substrate (both in the forms of bulk and film) by ALD was after reported in literature39, also confirming the work by Wilson et al 37…”

ALD Grown ZnO on Polymeric Template

“…The sharp ZnO/PS interface in the electron density profile suggests that for the ALD grown ZnO/PS sample, thin ZnO film (∼20 nm) was formed on ∼0.1 μm thick PS template without any reasonable diffusion at the interface. The growth rate calculated (0.2 Å/cycle) on PS substrate is less compared to that found during the previous studies of low‐temperature ALD of ZnO on bare Si substrate . The slow growth rate on PS substrate may be due to the limited adsorption of DEZ on PS.…”

“…In addition, several chemical methods such sol‐gel, hydrothermal, and other solvent chemical routes have been used to deposit ZnO thin films. The growth of ZnO thin films over the flexible substrates is of great benefit because of the inherent advantages of flexible substrates such as robustness, lesser weight, flexibility, easy packaging and the potential to reduce the overall size of components . But the temperature sensitivity of most polymers sets the limit to the surface modification by thin film deposition.…”

Room-temperature plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition of ZnO: Film growth dependence on the PEALD reactor configuration

“…In low-temperature thermal ALD the growth of ZnO depends on substrate material. The initial nucleation of ZnO on polymer substrate has been reported to be delayed at low deposition temperatures [37], due to the lack of reactive sites on the polymer surface [38,39]. To investigate if this significant delay applies also to the room-temperature PEALD of ZnO, the Zn content of the films was measured with Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) from the films deposited on Si, PMMA, and PC substrates.…”