Electronic desorption of surface species using short-pulse losers

New methods of removing surface contaminants from microelectronic and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices are needed since the decreasing size of their components is reducing the allowable contamination levels. By choosing the pulse duration and fluence to optimize electronic rather than thermal desorption in short-pulse laser processing, surface species can be removed without exceeding maximum temperature constraints. A two-temperature model for short-pulse laser heating of and subsequent desorption from, metal surfaces is presented. A scaling analysis indicates the material properties and laser parameters on which the ratio of electronic to thermal desorption depends. Regimes of predominantly electronic and thermal desorption are identified, and predicted desorption yields from gold films show that electronic desorption is the primary desorption mechanism in, certain short-pulse laser processes.