Photo-Chemical Changes of Aluminium Films on Silicon

X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy and Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy with channeling are employed to study surface and interface changes resulting from irradiation of thin Al films on Si-SiO2 substrates using < 6eV visible photons. Results indicati that surface oxidation and bonding rearrangements at the Al-SiO2-Si interface can take place at room temperature under photon bombardment. These changes are correlated with enhanced adhesion and modification of film etch properties which are also a result of photon irradiation.