On the physics of self-organized nanostructure formation upon femtosecond laser ablation

We present new results on femtosecond LIPSS on silicon, fostering the dynamic model of self-organized structure formation. The first set of experiments demonstrates LIPSS formation by irradiation with a femtosecond white light continuum. The ripples are, as usual, perpendicular to the light polarization with a fluence-dependent wavelength between 500 and 700 nm. At higher dose (fluence × number of shots), the LIPSS turn to much coarser structures. The second set of experiments displays the dose dependence of pattern evolution at about threshold fluence. In contrast to the general case of multi-pulse LIPSS, where a strong dependence of the structures on the laser polarization is observed, single-shot exposition of silicon at about the ablation threshold results in a concentric pattern of very regular sub-wavelength ripples following the oval shape of the irradiated spot, without any reference to the laser polarization. When increasing the number of pulses, the usual, typical ripples develop and then coalesce into broader perpendicular structures, interlaced with remnants of the first, finer ripples.