Open AccessOrigin of periodicity in nanostructuring on thin film surfaces ablated with femtosecond laser pulses
Author(s) -
Godai Miyaji,
Kenzo Miyazaki
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.16.016265
Subject(s) - materials science , femtosecond , fluence , surface plasmon polariton , optics , nanostructure , laser , diamond , thin film , excitation , surface plasmon , laser ablation , optoelectronics , nanoscopic scale , plasmon , nanotechnology , physics , electrical engineering , engineering , composite material
We report physical processes responsible for the periodic nanostructure formation in femtosecond-laser ablation of thin film surfaces. It has been found that an initial random distribution of nanoscale ablation traces is periodically structured with an increase in superimposed laser pulses or fluence on diamond-like carbon film used as the target. The results show that the formation of periodicity can be attributed to the excitation of surface plasmon polaritons to induce the periodic enhancement of local fields in the surface layer. The estimated field period is in good agreement with the observed size of nanostructures.