Periodically aligned submicron Si lines were fabricated on a silicon dioxide (SiO2) film by only irradiating a linearly polarized Nd:YAG pulse laser beam to an amorphous Si (a-Si) thin film deposited on the SiO2 film. The interference between an incident beam and a scattered surface wave leads to the spatial periodicity of beam energy density distribution on the surface of the irradiated samples. A 10-nm-thick a-Si thin film was melted using a laser beam, and the molten thin film was separated and condensed owing to its surface tensile according to the periodic energy density distribution. Eventually, the submicron polycrystalline Si lines were formed periodically on the SiO2 film. Moreover, we applied this technique to a Ni thin film, and the periodically aligned submicron Ni lines were obtained on the SiO2 film. The differences between the Si and Ni lines were discussed on the basis of the surface tensile of liquid materials on the SiO2 film.