A survey and comparison of several low pressure plasma-based approaches to fluorocarbon polymer surface modification is reported including "simple" plasma treatment, "grafting to" and "grafting from" plasma activated surfaces, plasma immobilization of predeposited molecules and the adsorption of charged macromolecules on plasma activated surfaces. Examples of each method are discussed in detail based on results from surface analytical experiments using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, ellipsometry, contact angle goniometry, and electrokinetic measurements. All reported examples refer to one and the same experimental setup. This makes the different approaches comparable and helps to exploit a wide range of plasma-based techniques for a particular goal and a given apparatus. (C) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 103: 100-109, 2007