Abstract
Highly sensitive detection methods for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are needed in working environment handling the VOCs. The use of a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) is one such method, and many studies have been carried out on the deposition of metallic, inorganic and organic thin films onto QCM surfaces for use as sensors. In this paper, we report on adsorption properties of fluorocarbon thin films deposited onto the QCM electrode by an r.f. sputtering and spin coating for low molecular weight VOCs such as aliphatic alcohols and acetone. Adsorption mass of these VOC molecules in the fluorocarbon thin film deposited by the r.f. sputtering were much higher than that in the thin film deposited by the spin coating. It is known that molecular structures of fluorocarbon thin films sputtered with a Poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) target were quite different from pristine PTFE. It is considered that this is one of reasons why the adsorption mass in the thin film deposited by the r.f. sputtering was higher than that in the thin film deposited by the spin coating.
