Evolution of femtosecond laser-induced periodic structures formed on amorphous silicon surface

Abstract

The laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) with period close to the femtosecond laser radiation wavelength (1.25 μm) were formed on amorphous hydrogenated silicon films (a-Si:H). The ripple ridges direction relative to laser radiation polarization was changed from perpendicular to parallel with increasing number of pulses from 50 to 1000. The experimentally observed LIPSS evolution is in a good agreement with the model proposed by J.E. Sipe where so-called efficacy factor depends on the real and imaginary parts of the dielectric constant and defines the LIPSS wave vector on the irradiated surface. In turn, the dielectric constant complex value is varied due to concentration change for the nonequilibrium electrons excited by different number of high-power femtosecond laser pulses. According to the theoretical modelling, the excited nonequilibrium electron concentration required for turning the LIPSS direction is equal to 8.2·1021 cm−3.