Surface and Mechanical Properties of Thin Films

The doctoral thesis deals with the study of morphology and mechanical properties of thin plasma polymer films based on tetravinylsilane monomer and its mixtures with oxygen and argon. Thin films were prepared by plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition on silicon and glass substrates. Atomic force microscopy was used for characterization of thin film surface and for depiction of composite interphase with functional interlayer. Mechanical properties of thin films, namely Young’s modulus and hardness, were studied by cyclic nanoindentation technique. Nanoindentation device was also used to carry out scratch test, which was helpful to describe adhesion of films to substrate. In this thesis the influence of deposition conditions on surface and mechanical properties of thin films prepared in continual and pulse wave on planar substrates is discussed. Also, the suitability of few atomic force microscopy techniques for depiction of composite interphase was reviewed