Epitaxial growth of poly(dimethylsilane) evaporated films on poly(tetrafluoroethylene) layer

Epitaxially grown poly(dimethylsilane) (PDMS) films have been prepared by evaporation on a highly-oriented poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) layer which is formed by means of a mechanical deposition technique. The orientation characteristics of PDMS films are determined using atomic force microscopy, polarizing microscope images, X-ray diffraction patterns and polarized absorption spectra. The oriented regions lie along the grooves (1-5 mu m wide) formed on the PTFE layer. The X-ray diffraction patterns and the polarized absorption spectra indicate that the (110) plane of the crystal structure is parallel to the substrate surface and that the c-axis of the Si-backbone chain is parallel to the grooves on the PTFE-coated Substrate.