ABSTRACT Plasma polymerization is a promising technique for synthesizing organic thin films, yet its growth mechanism at the plasma–surface interface remains insufficiently understood. Here, plasma polymerization within a three‐dimensional “undercut” geometry is investigated as a diagnostic tool to evaluate the apparent surface loss probability β of the film‐forming species, closely related to their sticking coefficient. By varying absorbed power and substrate temperature, β is shown to evolve from 0.13 to 0.46, providing new insights regarding the influence of synthesis conditions on 3D film growth and surface reactivity. The latter is significantly influenced by the substrate temperature governing the residence time of the reactive species. Calculated physisorption energies significantly differ between low‐ and high‐power regimes, highlighting the different plasma chemistries.
Dantinne et al. (Mon,) studied this question.