Abstract

We report experimental and theoretical work which offers a universal explanation for the occurrence of periodic surface structures on a wide class of solid and liquid following pulsed laser irradiation. This phenomenon,¹ which occurs as the result of inhomogeneous energy deposition because of the interference of the incident beam with surface-induced electromagnetic field structures, has attracted attention in laser material processing including laser annealing and surface-enhanced laser photodeposition. We have observed permanent patterns on a wide variety of solid metals, semiconductors, and dielectrics as well as transient structures on liquid Ge and Hg.

© 1983 Optical Society of America