Energy transfer by plasmon mode during macromolecules ion irradiation

Macromolecules can show two widely different behaviours during ion bombardement, in the 100 keV energy range, so long as the ion fluence remains below a classical value of 10¹⁷ ions/cm². The ones are subject to a such important volume contraction that they can completely disappear. That is the case of cellulose nitrate used in microelectronics as self-developing resist for ion lithography. The second category shows no significant shrinkage ; only a small surface sputtering is observed. We find in this case the electroactive polymers.