Effect of self-bias voltage on the wettability, chemical functionality and nanomechanical properties of hexamethyldisiloxane films

Copper and silicon substrates were coated by chemical vapor deposition using hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) as the precursor gas. Substrates were placed both at the anode and cathode of a glow discharge reactor, and films were deposited using different self-bias voltages. This study focuses on comparing the differences between the hydrophilicity, polymeric character, chemical structure and nanomechanical properties of HMDSO films produced at the cathode and anode of the reactor at different self-bias voltages. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Raman confocal spectroscopy indicated a significant increase in the content of organic groups when films were deposited at the anode. Analyzing the nanomechanical properties of the cathode and anode films indicated that the penetration depth was higher for samples prepared at the cathode (lower hardness) compared with the samples produced at the anode. The measured contact angles indicated that all samples became hydrophobic with water contact angles close to 100°; however, a different lyophobic character was observed when diiodomethane was used. Films produced at the anode with diiodomethane exhibited higher contact angles than did films produced at the cathode. - Highlights: • Hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) films deposited by CVD on Si and Cu substrates • HMDSO films produced at the anode have greater content of organic SiO₄ groups. • Films produced at the anode are harder than those deposited at the cathode. • HMDSO films produced at the cathode exhibited higher elastic recovery. • All films are hydrophobic (θ close to 100°)