Sputter etching mechanism and changes of surface structure of PTFE

Abstract Growth of microscopic cones on PTFE surface by RF sputter etching process are studied. The surface texm changes from initial submicron hillocks to large cones during sputter etching. The height of these cones is 33 to 45 percent of the etching depth calculated from etching rate. The direction of these cones is nearly equal to the ion incident angle. Boundary energy of sputtering and growth of cones are 100 eV and 150 eV, respectively. It is obtained that the redeposition ratio by back diffusion to sputtered molecule is 11 percent from the experiment using collector. It is concluded that redeposition and repolymerization process of sputtered material occurs in parallel with the ion etching process, and cones continue to grow partly during etching.