Photochemical surface modification and characterization of double-decker-shaped polysilsesquioxane hybrid thin films

The surface modification of a double-decker-shaped polysilsesquioxane (DDPSQ) film by deep ultraviolet (UV) irradiation (λ = 185 and 254 nm) was studied in the presence of atmospheric oxygen at room temperature. The change in the surface structure of a DDPSQ hybrid film was observed by means of contact angle measurements, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Exposure to deep UV light was found to convert the surface of DDPSQ film from hydrophobic to hydrophilic due to the formation of silanol groups (Si–OH) on the DDPSQ film. Measurements of FT-IR and XPS indicate that the Si–O–Si cage structure of DDPSQ was converted to the Si–O–Si network structure of SiO2 through cleavage of the Si–O–Si cage with deep UV irradiation. The irradiated DDPSQ film surface is very smooth with a root-mean-square (RMS) roughness of 0.34 nm. Moreover, to demonstrate the effect of surface modification of a DDPSQ film on the adhesion of metals, we fabricated silver (Ag) micropatterns on the deep UV modified DDPSQ film by laser-induced pyrolysis of a film prepared from liquid-dispersed Ag nanoparticles. The Ag micropatterns show an excellent adhesion to the modified DDPSQ surface as assessed by the Scotch tape test.