Outgassing rates of aluminium samples coated with Al, Fe, and B were studied as a function of the surface composition at and near room temperature. The surface was changed by diffusion processes caused by-heating in argon at atmospheric pressure and in vacuum. Achieved effects of these preparations were studied by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy depth profiling, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy measurements. It can be shown that the outgassing rate is independent on the atomic concentration of O, C, Al, Fe, and B in the nanometer range for many 10(5) s, when the samples were prepared in this way. The samples coated and heated at 500 degrees C in vacuum and the aluminum surface cleaned with ethanol have nearly the same outgassing behavior after air exposure. Therefore it can be concluded that the short time outgassing is only controlled by contamination and desorption.