Plasma polymerisation, both gas-phase and surface induced, is a grand issue in the chemistry of active processing plasmas. This paper reviews several aspects of plasma polymerisation under low-pressure conditions. The impact of plasma polymerisation on plasma and surface chemistry is thoroughly discussed, with emphasis on the links between surface and gas phase polymerisation. The consequences of polymerisation, including surface charging and surface reactions, etching performance of the plasma, and in situ formation of dust particles are highlighted using examples from fluorocarbon and silane chemistries. Further, polymerisation schemes involving various precursors are presented. The final part of th is review is devoted to experimental methods to study polymerisation processes; several techniques like infrared absorption and mass spectrometry are discussed in more detail
