Experimental study of bromoform plasmas

The insertion of bromine in a polymer chain or in a material surface constitutes an interesting chemical modification. Indeed grafting to the polymeric material of complex molecules or functional groups could be easily performed on brominated surfaces. Plasma bromination is a powerful method to reach such achievement. In particular bromoform is a suitable compound which could be easily, safely and successfully used as process gas, leading to efficient plasma bromination. Since little is known concerning such plasmas, a characterisation of radiofrequency discharges in bromoform was undertaken, by means of on-line mass spectroscopy of neutral and charged species in the plasma gas-phase and optical emission spectroscopy.