A versatile reactor for ultrahigh vacuum surface modification studies based on a reusable metal sealing system

A versatile reactor is described which enables nonequilibrium plasma and/or vapor phase chemical modification of surfaces in an inert reaction volume, and features sample transfer to a surface analytical chamber through high vacuum. Separate, specialized reaction chambers may be interchanged to optimally perform a wide variety of experiments such as high temperature catalysis or plasma deposition studies. The reactor body and the reaction chamber designed for plasma and chemical surface modification are described, with emphasis on the considerations involved in their design. Data from two types of experiments which demonstrate the capabilities of the reactor, covalent modification of SiO₂ with organosilyl species, and O₂ plasma etching of polystyrene, are presented and interpreted.