Application of ESCA to polymer chemistry. XVI. Electron mean free paths as a function of kinetic energy in polymeric films determined by means of ESCA

TLDR: In this article, the authors measured the mean free path of poly(p-xylylene) polymers as a function of the kinetic energy of the poly(poly(p)-polymer.

Abstract: Electron mean free paths as a function of kinetic energy have been measured by the substrate overlayer technique for in situ-polymerized films of poly(p-xylylene) and the monochloro- and monobromo-substituted derivatives. The results are compared with previous estimates of mean free paths available in the literature for organic materials. Comparison is also drawn with corresponding experimental data for typical metals and semiconductors, and it is shown that organic polymers fit into a consistent picture which may be rationalized on the basis of existing theory. For electrons of kinetic energy ∼969 eV, ∼1170 eV, 1202 eV, and 1403 eV, mean free paths of ∼14 A, ∼22 A, ∼23 A, and ∼29 A, respectively, are obtained for the poly(p-xylylene) polymer films studied in this work.