Method for using pulsed optical energy to increase the bondability of a surface

A system for improving the bondability of a surface of an organic structure to bond with a material, comprising:

• an optical energy source for generating incoherent, optical energy having wavelength components ranging from 160 to 5000 nanometers;
• a pulse modulator operably coupled to control said optical energy source so that the optical energy generated by the optical energy source may be varied by pulsing the optical energy to have a pulse width of from 1 to 180 microseconds and a pulse rate of from 0.1 to 20 Hz;
• an electrical power supply operably coupled to power said pulse modulator;
• means for irradiating the surface with optical energy generated by the optical energy source so that the intensity of the optical energy at a target area on the surface is within the range of 0.05 to 0.5 J/cm.sup.2 /sec, which energy is sufficient to photodecompose any organic substances on the surface yet is insufficient to etch the surface;
• and
• a source of ionized gas positioned to bath the irradiated target area with an ionized gas as it is irradiated with the pulsed, incoherent, optical energy.

A system for improving the bondability of a metallic surface of a metallic substance comprising:

• precleaning means for dislodging any gross inorganic contaminants present on the metallic surface;
• optical energy source means for generating pulsed, broadband, incoherent, optical energy having wavelength components ranging from 160 to 5000 nanometers;
• a power supply operably coupled to power said pulse modulator;
• and
• irradiating means for directing said pulsed optical energy to irradiate said surface of said metallic surface at an intensity sufficient to photodecompose any organic adventitious substances present on the metallic surface, yet insufficient to etch said metallic surface.