F₂-Laser-Induced Modification of Aluminum Thin Films into Transparent Aluminum Oxide

Abstract

A vacuum–UV F2 laser of 157 nm wavelength induced strong oxidation of 10-nm-thick Al thin films, forming transparent Al2O3 on silica glass. The laser-induced modification occurred at the surface of Al thin films; consequently, the thickness of the formed Al2O3 thin films increased linearly with increasing number of F2 laser photons. The formation of equivalent-phase Al2O3 thin films was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The oxidation reaction in the laser-induced modification of 10-nm-thick Al thin films was slower than that for 20- and 60-nm-thick Al thin films. Morphological changes leading to the crystallization of the Al2O3 thin films were also observed when the thickness of Al thin films increased from 10 to 20 and 60 nm.

F2-laser-induced surface modification of iron thin films to obtain corrosion resistance

“…When we used a 193 nm ArF excimer laser (Coherent COMPexPro 110) for a complimentary experiment, instead of the F 2 laser, the Fe 3 O 4 layer was not formed on iron thin films. The same as in the case of silicone rubber and aluminum thin film, [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29] to produce O( 1 D) atoms by the photodecomposition of O 2 molecules in air with the F 2 laser is essential for the present surface modification of iron thin film.…”

“…Instead of silicone rubber, in recent years, we have also employed aluminum thin films to modify the surface into Al 2 O 3 by the F 2 laser. [27][28][29] In this case, the surface of aluminum thin films was strongly oxidized by F 2 laser photons and shows high chemical resistance to KOH aqueous solution.…”

Ultrathin Aluminum Oxide Films Induced by Rapid Thermal Annealing for Effective Silicon Surface Passivation

“…For the Al 2 p spectra (Figure 3b), the peaks at around 71.9 and 74.6 eV belong to metallic aluminum and aluminum oxide, respectively. [ 38,39 ] Before the RTA treatment, the Al 2 p peaks of the Al metal and Al 2 O 3 coexist, which could result from natural oxidation of the Al metal during storage in the air. After the RTA treatment, the peak of Al metal disappears completely, and only the peak of Al 2 O 3 exists in Al 2 p spectra.…”

Surface modification of iron thin films into corrosion resistant property by F<inf>2</inf> laser

“…Previously, we used the F 2 laser for the surface modification of aluminum thin films into Al 2 O 3 resistant to KOH aqueous solution [1][2][3]. In this work, instead of aluminum, iron (Fe) thin films were photochemically modified into Fe 3 O 4 by the F 2 laser for developing a corrosion resistant Fe thin film.…”