Chemical surface modification of poly (ethylene terephthalate) by excimer irradiation of high and low intensities

Poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET) was modified by a KrF 248 nm excimer laser with high- (above ablation threshold) and low- (below ablation threshold) fluence. The PET surface develops usually a periodic roughness or ripples with high fluence. The roughness size is in the micron range and the surface shows signs of global melting. However, the ripple size can be reduced to sub-micron level by an irradiation of the sample below the ablation threshold with a polarized beam. The morphology of the irradiated surfaces was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Chemical surface changes of the materials were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The PET modification by high fluence will normally results in the deposition of some yellow to black materials (debris), on the treated surface. The debris are ionized and from carbon rich materials which finally condense forming higher aggregates, resulting in a reduction of O/C ratio. By contrast, modification of PET surfaces by low fluence leads to an oxidation and almost no ablation is detected. The increase of oxygen concentration on low fluence modified surfaces is probably due to a subsequent reaction with atmospheric O-2 during irradiation. Our work suggests that a careful selection of laser parameters for the surface modification of polymer is of primary importance.