Microstructuring of silicon with femtosecond laser pulses
Publication information:
T. Her, R. J. Finlay, C. Wu, S. Deliwala, and E. Mazur. 1998. “Microstructuring of Silicon With Femtosecond Laser Pulses”. Appl. Phys. Lett., 73, Pp. 1673–1675. doi:10.1016/0030-4018(92)90104-Y
Abstract
We report that silicon surfaces develop an array of sharp conical spikes when irradiated with 500 laser pulses of 100-fs duration, 10-kJ/m2 fluence in 500-torr SF6 or Cl2. The spikes are up to 40-m tall, and taper to about 1-m diameter at the tip. Irradiation of silicon surfaces in N2, Ne, or vacuum creates structured surfaces, but does not create the sharp conical spikes.