Electrode materials, sputtering methane plasma

In certain applications of plasma polymerization, the incorporation of electrode material, particularly in a controlled and designed manner, is extremely useful and becomes a great asset in LCVD. For instance, a thin layer of plasma polymer of methane with a tailored gradient of copper has been shown to improve the adhesion of the thin layer to a copper substrate as well as the adhesion of metal to a polymer film [3,4]. In general applications of LCVD, in which the metal contamination should be avoided, it is important to select the electrode material that has low sputtering yield. Titanium has been used successfully in such cases. 

In contrast to argon plasma, in which the sputtering of metal from the electrode is the primary process, the deposition of polymeric materials via plasma polymerization predominantly takes place in methane plasma. In such a polymer-forming plasma, the sputter deposition of electrode materials is considered as a secondary process, and the extent of the sputtering of metal depends on the plasma polymerization conditions, the nature of the electrode material, and the magnetic field strength. 

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