Abstract :
The dependence of the surface morphology on the substrate temperature during film deposition was investigated for polyethylene glycol (PEG)
films by matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE). The surface structure was studied with a combined technique of optical imaging and
AFM measurements. There was a clear difference between the films produced below and above the melting point of PEG. For temperatures above
the melting point, the polymer material was distributed non-uniformly over the substrate with growths areas, where cluster-like structures merge
into large islands of micrometer size. At these temperatures, the islands in the investigated growth areas cover most of the bottom layer which has a
typical height of 50–150 nm.
