Surface Plasmon Polariton Triggered Generation of 1D-Low Spatial Frequency LIPSS on Fused Silica

We report on the generation of low spatial frequency laser-induced periodic surface structures along straight lines on fused silica by spatially scanning the laser parallel to its polarization direction. The influence of the applied laser fluence and the scanning speed on the periodic surface structures is investigated. The parameter study shows that periodic structures appear in a limited parameter regime of combined fluence and scan speed with periodicities smaller than the laser wavelength. Most strikingly, we observe a perpendicular orientation of the self-assembled periodic structures to the electrical field of the laser, notably a previously unreported result for this dielectric material. This behavior is explained taking into account calculations of surface plasmon polaritons including a Drude model for free carrier excitation within silica by femtosecond laser irradiation.

Download Full-text

Key role of surface plasmon polaritons in generation of periodic surface structures following single-pulse laser irradiation of a gold step edge

Nanophotonics ◽

10.1515/nanoph-2021-0547 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 0 (0) ◽

Author(s):

Pavel N. Terekhin ◽

Jens Oltmanns ◽

Andreas Blumenstein ◽

Dmitry S. Ivanov ◽

Frederick Kleinwort ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Laser Irradiation ◽

Surface Plasmon ◽

Surface Plasmon Polaritons ◽

Single Pulse ◽

Step Edge ◽

Surface Structures ◽

Femtosecond Laser Irradiation ◽

Processing Technologies ◽

Periodic Surface ◽

Plasmon Polaritons

Abstract Understanding the mechanisms and controlling the possibilities of surface nanostructuring is of crucial interest for both fundamental science and application perspectives. Here, we report a direct experimental observation of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) formed near a predesigned gold step edge following single-pulse femtosecond laser irradiation. Simulation results based on a hybrid atomistic-continuum model fully support the experimental observations. We experimentally detect nanosized surface features with a periodicity of ∼300 nm and heights of a few tens of nanometers. We identify two key components of single-pulse LIPSS formation: excitation of surface plasmon polaritons and material reorganization. Our results lay a solid foundation toward simple and efficient usage of light for innovative material processing technologies.

Download Full-text

A microscope image processing method for analyzing TLIPSS structures

Computer Optics ◽

10.18287/2412-6179-2019-43-6-936-945 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 43 (6) ◽

pp. 936-945

Author(s):

D.A. Belousov ◽

A.V. Dostovalov ◽

V.P. Korolkov ◽

S.L. Mikerin

Keyword(s):

Periodic Structures ◽

Scanning Speed ◽

Processing Method ◽

Surface Structures ◽

Beam Power ◽

Relative Area ◽

Gaussian Laser Beam ◽

Periodic Surface ◽

Writing Beam ◽

Chromium Films

The paper describes a method for processing microimages of thermochemical laser-induced periodic surface structures (TLIPSS) to quantify their structural order and defects. Results of its application for the analysis of microimages of periodic structures formed in 30-nm chromium films by an astigmatically focused femtosecond Gaussian laser beam have been presented. Dependences of the relative area of the beam-modified region, the area of defects, and the ordering of the periodic structures on the scanning speed and the writing beam power have been obtained.

Download Full-text