Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 February 2011
Photodissociation of trimethylaluminum molecules with a UV lamp is shown to be an effective technique for predisposing the irradiated silicon surface prior to subsequent aluminum film growth via visible laser induced pyrolysis. The Al deposits thus obtained are carbon contamination free. The UV exposure time needed for the onset of Al nucleation and growth is deduced from an in situ laser reflectometry technique. Direct laser writing is obtained using this two-step process and a microscopic analysis of the lines is made in correlation with the experimental procedure.