The plasma polymerization replica method and its apparatus have been devised by Tanaka (1-3). We have published several reports on its application: surface replicas of biological and inorganic specimens, replicas of freeze-fractured tissues and metal-extraction replicas with immunocytochemical markers.The apparatus for plasma polymerization consists of a high voltage power supply, a vacuum chamber containing a hydrocarbon gas (naphthalene, methane, ethylene), and electrodes of an anode disk and a cathode of the specimen base. The surface replication by plasma polymerization in negative glow phase on the cathode was carried out by gassing at 0.05-0.1 Torr and glow discharging at 1.5-3 kV D.C. Ionized hydrocarbon molecules diffused into complex surface configurations and deposited as a three-dimensionally polymerized film of 1050 nm in thickness.The resulting film on the complex surface had uniform thickness and showed no granular texture. Since the film was chemically inert, resistant to heat and mecanically strong, it could be treated with almost any organic or inorganic solvents.
