Characterization of nickel films deposited by cold remote nitrogen plasma on acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer

Cold remote nitrogen plasma (CRNP) is used to deposit nickel films from Ni(CO)4 on an acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) copolymer at room temperature in a primary vacuum system. An XPS study has been realized ex-situ and in three steps: (1) the analysis of the ABS pre-treatment by CRNP, (2) the analysis of the pre-treatment followed by the metallization and the plasma post-treatment and (3) the influence of the post-treatment on the deposited films. During the ABS pre-treatment, in order to enhance the nickel adhesion, nitrogen from plasma creates functionalities on the polymer surface and the oxygen presence is strengthened on the surface. During the metallization, the plasma decomposes Ni(CO)4 vapor, leading to the nickel deposition on the ABS. The plasma post-treatment cleans the surface of the Ni film. The contaminants rate induced by the process itself is low. The conductive and adhesive properties of this nickel film coated on ABS allow a copper overlayer to be deposited by electrolysis in an acid bath. A structural and morphological observation by SEM, X-ray diffraction in glancing incidence, X-ray reflectometry and atomic force microscopy completes the film description.