Polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon) Films Deposited by Pulsed Electron Deposition Technique for Use in Spintronics Devices

Thin films of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) were deposited by pulsed electron deposition (PED) technique. X‐ray diffraction of the room temperature deposited film shows crystalline nature. The molecules are oriented with chain axis parallel to the substrate surface, and the film had preferential crystal orientation with the (100) plane of the hexagonal structure. At 100°C substrate temperature, the molecules lose parallel orientation and the film becomes amorphous. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) image of the RT fabricated (20 Å thick) film on carbon coated copper grid shows crystalline nature of PTFE. Scanning electron micrograph (SEM) shows smooth and homogeneous films. Infrared spectra shows one to one correspondence between PED ablated film and the PTFE bulk target. The asymmetrical and symmetrical ‐CF₂‐ stretchings are observed at 1220 and 1156 cm⁻¹, respectively. The ‐CF₂‐ wagging and bending modes occur at 644 and 512 cm⁻¹, respectively.

Keywords:

• spintronics
• insulator
• Teflon
• PED

The authors thank Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, India for financial support and Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur for providing instrumental facilities. Financial support from DRDO project No.: CHM/DRDO/20040185 is greatfully acknowledged.