Abstract

Femtosecond laser irradiation of thin gold films with laser fluences close to the ablation threshold induces formation of various nanostructures on the film surface [1-3]. These structures are formed due to the laser-induced melting of gold and redistribution of the melted material from the edges into the center of the irradiated region. The shape of the created structures can be controlled by varying the laser intensity distribution on the gold film surface (Fig. la). Size of the produced structures can be below than 100 nm. Analysis of the structural shapes produced with different laser intensity distributions and dynamical reflection measurements allow clarifying mechanisms of the structure formation.

© 2009 IEEE