Aluminum layer formation on aluminum nitride ceramic by irradiation with a TEA CO2 laser

Recently aluminum nitride (AlN) has become an important material for substrates of high power opto-electronic devices such as laser diodes due to its attractive thermo-physical properties such as high thermal conductivity, high electrical resistivity, and low thermal expansion close to that of silicon. AlN is one of the covalent bonding ceramic and sublimates at high temperature. The irradiation with the TEA CO₂ laser induces the decomposition and leaves the metallic Al layer. In the present work, the variation of morphology and electrical resistivity of the AlN surface irradiated with the TEA CO₂ laser are investigated