Femtosecond laser-induced blazed periodic grooves on metals

In this Letter, we generate laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSSs) on platinum following femtosecond laser pulse irradiation. For the first time to our knowledge, we study the morphological profile of LIPSSs over a broad incident angular range, and find that the morphological profile of LIPSSs depends significantly on the incident angle of the laser beam. We show that LIPSS grooves become more asymmetric at a larger incident angle, and the morphological profile of LIPSSs formed at an incident angle over 55° eventually resembles that of a blazed grating. Our study suggests that the formation of the blazed groove structures is attributed to the selective ablation of grooves through the asymmetric periodic surface heating following femtosecond pulse irradiation. The blazed grooves are useful for controlling the diffraction efficiency of LIPSSs.     

Effects of nanostructure-covered femtosecond laser-induced periodic surface structures on optical absorptance of metals

In this paper, we find, for the first time, that optical absorptance of metals can be significantly enhanced by a new type of surface structures following femtosecond laser ablation, namely nanostructure-covered periodic surface structures. Especially, the effect of the nanostructure-covered periodic structures on optical absorptance of metals has a clear polarization dependence that suggests a more controllable way to modify material optical properties with femtosecond laser processing. PACS 81.40.Wx; 78.20.Ci; 81.07.-b; 61.80.-x     

Femtosecond laser induced periodic large-scale surface structures on metals

The periodic ripple structures on wolfram and titanium surfaces are induced experimentally by linear polarized femtosecond laser pulses at small incident angles. The structural features show a material difference in the s- and p-polarized laser irradiation. The interspace between the ripples increases significantly for p-polarized laser irradiation when it exceeds a threshold angle, and the ripples' periodicities are larger than the wavelength of the incident p-polarized femtosecond laser; however, no significant change in the period of the ripples is observed with increasing incident angle for s-polarized laser irradiation. To explain these phenomena we propose a resonant absorption mechanism, by which the experimental observations can be interpreted.     

Femtosecond laser-induced damage in reflector

We have investigated the damage for ZrO₂/SiO₂ 800 nm 45° high-reflection mirror with femtosecond pulses. The damage morphologies and the evolution of ablation crater depths with laser fluences are dramatically different from that with pulse longer than a few tens of picoseconds. The ablation in multilayers occurs layer by layer, and not continuously as in the case of bulk single crystalline or amorphous materials. The weak point in damage is the interface between two layers. We also report its single-short damage thresholds for pulse durations ranging from 50 to 900 fs, which departs from the diffusion-dominated scaling. A developed avalanche model, including the production of conduction band electrons (CBE) and laser energy deposition, is applied to study the damage mechanisms. The theoretical results agree well with our measurements.     

Femtosecond laser-induced formation of spikes on silicon

We find that silicon surfaces develop arrays of sharp conical spikes when irradiated with 500-fs laser pulses in SF₆. The height of the spikes decreases with increasing pulse duration or decreasing laser fluence, and scales nonlinearly with the average separation between spikes. The spikes have the same crystallographic orientation as bulk silicon and always point along the incident direction of laser pulses. The base of the spikes has an asymmetric shape and its orientation is determined by the laser polarization. Our data suggest that both laser ablation and laser-induced chemical etching of silicon are involved in the formation of the spikes. Received: 10 September 1999 / Accepted: 7 January 2000 / Published online: 8 March 2000     

Femtosecond laser-induced mesoporous structures on silicon surface

By femtosecond laser line-by-line scanning irradiating, large-scale microstructures were formed on the surface of silicon with dimensions of 1 × 1 mm². Scanning electron microscope investigations exhibited that homogeneous surface microstructures, such as directional-arranged bacilliform mesoporous structures, have been successfully prepared. The dependence of the surface morphology on laser pulse energy was analyzed, and the results indicated that the bacilliform mesoporous structures only can be textured within a certain energy range. The optical reflective spectrum measurement revealed that the presence of bacilliform mesoporous structures can significantly enhance the absorptivity of silicon at visible light range. This work would help to control the formation of surface micro/nanostructures on silicon and other materials, which has potential applications in solar energy, photoelectronics, biology and material science.     

Femtosecond laser-induced surface structures to significantly improve the thermal emission of light from metals

Extraordinary thermal emission properties of the metallic surface microstructures induced by femtosecond lasers are investigated in both experiment and theory. Within the spectral range of 4–17 μm, the measured maximum thermal emissivities at different temperatures enhance significantly to about 100%. Especially for the coral-like surface structure, the improved thermal emission behaviors can extend largely over the whole spectrum rather than happening at some distinctive wavelengths. Moreover, the enhancement factor of the thermal emissivity is observed to depend on the wavelength and the idiographic morphology of the microstructures. This phenomenon can be understood well by equivalent recognizing the SPP field coupling assisted transmission of blackbody radiation through the microstructured interfaces, and the finite-difference time-domain simulations elucidate the underlying physical pictures.     

Femtosecond laser-induced damage of gold films

Single- and multi-shot ablation thresholds of gold films in the thickness range of 31-1400 nm were determined employing a Ti:sapphire laser delivering pulses of 28 fs duration, 793 nm center wavelength at 1 kHz repetition rate. The gold layers were deposited on BK7 glass by an electron beam evaporation process and characterized by atomic force microscopy and ellipsometry. A linear dependence of the ablation threshold fluence F_th on the layer thickness d was found for d ≤ 180 nm. If a film thickness of about 180 nm was reached, the damage threshold remained constant at its bulk value. For different numbers of pulses per spot (N-on-1), bulk damage thresholds of ∼0.7 J cm⁻² (1-on-1), 0.5 J cm⁻² (10-on-1), 0.4 J cm⁻² (100-on-1), 0.25 J cm⁻² (1000-on-1), and 0.2 J cm⁻² (10000-on-1) were obtained experimentally indicating an incubation behavior. A characteristic layer thickness of L_c ≈ 180 nm can be defined which is a measure for the heat penetration depth within the electron gas before electron-phonon relaxation occurs. L_c is by more than an order of magnitude larger than the optical absorption length of α⁻¹ ≈ 12 nm at 793 nm wavelength.     

Femtosecond laser-induced microstructure in Foturan glass

We report on the microstructure formation in Foturan glass, induced by 1~kHz, 120 femtosecond laser irradiation. It is found that the line-shaped filamentation, not void array tends to be formed in this glass. This is different from our previous experimental results in fused silica and BK7 glasses. A possible mechanism Ag$^+$ captures the free electrons generated by laser, is proposed to explain the observed phenomena.     

Femtosecond laser-induced concentric ring microstructures on Zr-based metallic glass

Surface morphological evolution of Zr-based metallic glass ablated by femtosecond lasers is investigated in atmosphere condition. Three types of permanent ring structures with micro-level spacing are observed for different laser shots and fluences. In the case of low laser fluences, the generation of annular patterns with nonthermal features is observed on the rippled structure with the subwavelength scale, and the ring spacing shows a decrease tendency from the center to the margin. While in the case of high laser fluences, the concentric rings formation within the laser spot is found to have evident molten traces and display the increasing ring spacing along the radial direction. Moreover, when the laser shots accumulation becomes large, the above two types of ring microstructures begin to develop into the common ablation craters. Analysis and discussion suggests that the stress-induced condensation of ablation vapors and the frozen thermocapillary waves on the molten surfaces should be responsible for the formation of two different types of concentric ring structures, respectively. Eventually, a processing window for each resulting surface microstructure type is obtained experimentally and indicates the possibility to control the morphological transitions among different types.     

飞秒激光诱导有机薄膜自组装微结构

通过改变辐照激光脉冲数、激光的平均功率、显微镜物镜倍数/数值孔径等研究微皇冠结构形成与加工条件的关系,并借鉴激光熔池形成和液滴溅射的模型对其进行理论分析。当激光脉冲数达到一定数量后,烧蚀区域会出现微皇冠结构。烧蚀区域尺寸的改变是由于形成的液体区域中热毛细作用和化学毛细作用共同所致;微皇冠结构溅射个数的改变是由于形成的气体因多光子吸收体积迅速膨胀所致。     

飞秒激光诱导有机薄膜自组装微结构

通过改变辐照激光脉冲数、激光的平均功率、显微镜物镜倍数/数值孔径等研究微皇冠结构形成与加工条件的关系,并借鉴激光熔池形成和液滴溅射的模型对其进行理论分析。当激光脉冲数达到一定数量后,烧蚀区域会出现微皇冠结构。烧蚀区域尺寸的改变是由于形成的液体区域中热毛细作用和化学毛细作用共同所致;微皇冠结构溅射个数的改变是由于形成的气体因多光子吸收体积迅速膨胀所致。     

飞秒激光诱导水光学击穿阈值

为了研究飞秒激光诱导水光学击穿阈值随激光脉冲参数的变化关系,采用四阶Runge-Kutta方法对飞秒激光诱导水光学击穿的椭球体模型进行了不同脉宽（40~540 fs）、波长(400~1 200 nm)和光斑尺寸（0~200 μm）下的数值模拟。通过控制变量法得出阈值光强与这些激光脉冲参数的关系曲线图,据此定性分析了阈值光强与激光脉冲参数的变化特征趋势。应用光强与功率、能量、辐照曝光量和电场强度之间的关系,得到了它们随激光脉冲参数脉宽、波长和光斑尺寸的动态关系,这为进一步研究飞秒激光与水和含水介质的相互作用提供了理论依据。     

飞秒激光诱导水光学击穿阈值

为了研究飞秒激光诱导水光学击穿阈值随激光脉冲参数的变化关系,采用四阶RungeKutta方法对飞秒激光诱导水光学击穿的椭球体模型进行了不同脉宽(40～540fs)、波长(400～1200nm)和光斑尺寸(0～200μm)下的数值模拟。通过控制变量法得出阈值光强与这些激光脉冲参数的关系曲线图,据此定性分析了阈值光强与激光脉冲参数的变化特征趋势。应用光强与功率、能量、辐照曝光量和电场强度之间的关系,得到了它们随激光脉冲参数脉宽、波长和光斑尺寸的动态关系,这为进一步研究飞秒激光与水和含水介质的相互作用提供了理论依据。     

Femtosecond magneto-optical processes in metals

Ultrafast magneto-optical techniques, using femtosecond laser pulses, are a powerful tool for investigating the magnetization dynamics in metallic materials. We review some recent developments in this field, which allow progress in the understanding of the fundamental mechanisms that govern the magnetization changes in ferromagnetic structures. Some fundamental aspects of the magneto-optical response in the frequency and time domain are first considered. Then, we analyze the dynamics of the charges and spins following the optical excitation of quasiparticles in different ferromagnetic thin films. This dynamics is discussed by considering the processes that are involved in the ultrafast magneto-optical response.     

飞秒激光诱导硒化锌晶体表面自组织生长纳米结构

 以250 kHz高重复频率钛宝石飞秒激光聚焦到硒化锌晶体表面,利用扫描电子显微镜观测飞秒激光辐照后晶体的表面结构。发现线偏振激光辐照的区域形成了自组织周期性纳米结构,其周期为160 nm左右,并且可以通过改变激光的偏振方向调节纳米光栅结构的取向;当晶体相对于激光光束以10 mm/s速度移动,经激光扫描后,在晶体表面形成了长程类布拉格光栅。当飞秒激光光束为圆偏振光时,辐照区域形成均匀的纳米颗粒。     

Femtosecond pulsed laser-induced periodic surface structures on GaN/sapphire

Femtosecond pulsed laser-induced periodic surface structure on GaN/sapphire is reported in this paper. It was found that the period of the laser-induced ripples was much dependent on the incident laser fluence. Through finely adjusting laser fluence and pulse number, uniform ripples could be formed on the sapphire surface. We attributed the formation of such periodic two-dimensional structures to optical interference of the incident laser light with scattered waves from a surface disturbance. Also, it was found that the GaN capping layer played a very important role in forming the periodic structures on the sapphire surface.     

Femtosecond laser-induced breakdown of multilayers and gold film

We report single-shot damage threshold as a function of pulse duration (50 - 900 fs) for MgF2/ZnS 800-nm omnidirectional-reflection film, interference filter, and gold film. The results indicate that the damage with ultrashort pulse is nonthermal, which is different from that with long pulse. Additionally,the ablation crater depths of 45° high-reflection film and interference filter are presented. A logarithmic relation between the ablation depth and pulse fluence, which is similar to that of transparent materials, is found.     

Femtosecond laser-induced heating of electron gas in aluminium

The distribution function of free electrons in metal is calculated for irradiation of aluminium with an ultrashort laser pulse of moderate intensity. We consider inverse Bremsstrahlung absorption, electron-electron and electron-phonon interaction. Our theoretical model is based on Boltzmann equations and describes each considered process by a corresponding collision integral. The results show the excitation and relaxation of the free electron gas. Energy transfer to the phonon gas is calculated. Our model predicts linear absorption for intensities up to damage threshold. The calculated absorbed energy compares very well with known absorption characteristics.     

Femtosecond laser-induced crystallization of protein in gel medium

We succeeded in generating femtosecond laser-induced crystallization of hen egg-white lysozyme (HEWL) in the irradiated area by suppressing convection of the solution using a highly concentrated gel. When a laser pulse, whose energy was above the threshold energy for bubble formation, was focused along with a linear scanning of the stage, HEWL crystallization was enhanced at the surface of bubbles on the irradiated line. The relation between the bubble formation process and the crystallization is discussed.