Use of a PECVD–PVD process for the deposition of copper containing organosilicon thin films on steel

A low frequency plasma process is used to deposit thin films on steel through simultaneous sputtering and plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD). The deposited material consists in composite copper–organosilicon thin layers where copper is obtained by magnetron sputtering whereas the organosilicon plasma polymer is grown by PECVD from HMDSO (hexamethyldisiloxane). This paper focuses on the important process parameters required to control the quantity of incorporated copper in the layer, particularly the metalorganic concentration and the sputtering current. The dispersion of copper vs. the thin film thickness is found to be homogeneous. The deposited layers show antimicrobial activity for copper contents higher than X = 38%, where X = [Cu]/([Cu] + [Si]).