LASER-ASSISTED CHEMICAL ETCHING OF ALUMINUM IN A CHLORINE ENVIRONMENT.

Abstract

Summary form only given. The authors report that Al can be rapidly etched in Cl//2 by using a pulsed excimer laser at 308 nm with etch rates up to 0. 3 mu m/sec. The etching mechanism is a chemical reaction of Al and Cl//2 to form aluminum chloride followed by thermal ablation of the chloride with laser pulses. No photolytic effects were observed. The high reactivity of Al with Cl and the high volatility of AlCl//3 are responsible for the fast Al etch rates.