Chlorine surface interaction and laser-induced surface etching reactions

Surface reaction and radiation-enhanced desorption of product species are basic surface processes in laser-induced chemical etching of solids. These processes have been studied in Cl2-Si and a number of metal systems which depending on the reaction behavior are divided into three classes, namely, the spontaneous etching, the passive, and the diffusive reaction systems. Various gaseous and surface analyses including XPS, AES, time-resolved mass spectrometry, and quartz-crystal microbalance measurements are performed in conjunction with surface irradiation by UV and visible laser pulses. The surface chlorination reactions and the effects of laser irradiation, in particular, the nonthermal radiation effects are discussed.