In this study, porous silica films, which have particle accumulation microstructure, were prepared using the sol–gel method. For comparison, compact silica films were deposited using the electron-beam-heating method. These films were then irradiated using nanosecond-pulsed laser beams with wavelengths of 1064 and 532 nm. Laser-induced damage thresholds were recorded and the film microstructures, as well as damage photographs, were observed using scanning electron microscopy. The experimental results show that different kinds of stripes formed on the surface of the silica films with particle accumulation structure. A kind of subwavelength periodic straight stripe was observed in the case of the 1064 nm wavelength, whereas another kind of annular stripe around the small damage pits was observed in the case of the 532 nm wavelength.

© 2012 OSA

1. J. Perrière, É. Millon, and É. Fogarassy, Recent Advances in Laser Processing of Materials (Elsevier, 2006).
2. G. S. Zhou, P. M. Fauchet, and A. E. Siegman, “Growth of spontaneous periodic surface structures on solids during laser illumination,” Phys. Rev. B26(10), 5366–5381 (1982). [CrossRef]
3. H. M. van Driel, J. E. Sipe, and J. F. Young, “Laser-induced periodic surface structure on solids: a universal phenomenon,” Phys. Rev. Lett.49(26), 1955–1958 (1982). [CrossRef]
4. M. Huang, F. L. Zhao, Y. Cheng, N. S. Xu, and Z. Z. Xu, “Large area uniform nanostructures fabricated by direct femtosecond laser ablation,” Opt. Express16(23), 19354–19365 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
5. M. Huang, A Study on Formation of Subwavelength Periodic Structures Induced by Ultrashort Laser Pulses (Doctoral Dissertation, Sun Yat-sen University, 2009).
6. E. M. Hsua, T. H. R. Crawford, H. F. Tiedje, and H. K. Haugen, “Periodic surface structures on gallium phosphide after irradiation with 150fs-7ns laser pulses at 800nm,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 91, 111102–1~3 (2007).
7. P. Mora, “Plasma expansion into a vacuum,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 90, 185002–1~4 (2003).
8. Z. L. Xia, “New damage behavior induced by nanosecond laser pulses on the surface of silica films,” Opt. Laser Technol.submitted., doi:. [CrossRef]
9. S. Theppakuttai and S. Chen, “Submicron ripple formation on glass surface upon laser-nanosphere interaction,” J. Appl. Phys.95, 5049–5052 (2004). [CrossRef]
10. J. E. Sipe, J. F. Young, J. S. Preston, and H. M. van Driel, “Laser-induced periodic surface structure. I. Theory,” Phys. Rev. B27(2), 1141–1154 (1983). [CrossRef]
11. L. L. Ran, Z. Y. Guo, and S. L. Qu, “Self-organized periodic surface structures on ZnO induced by femtosecond laser,” Appl. Phys., A Mater. Sci. Process.100(2), 517–521 (2010). [CrossRef]
12. T. Q. Jia, H. Chen, M. Huang, F. Zhao, J. Qiu, R. Li, Z. Xu, X. He, J. Zhang, and H. Kuroda, “Nanogratings formation on the surface of ZnSe crystal irradiated by femtosecond laser pulses,” Phys. Rev. B72(12), 125429 (2005). [CrossRef]
13. M. Huang, F. L. Zhao, Y. Cheng, N. S. Xu, and Z. Z. Xu, “Mechanisms of ultrafast laser-induced deep-subwavelength gratings on graphite and diamond,” Phys. Rev. B 79, 125436–1~9 (2009).
14. Y. A. Zhao, T. Wang, D. W. Zhang, J. D. Shao, and Z. X. Fan, “Laser conditioning and multi-shot laser damage accumulation effects of HfO2/SiO2 anti-reflective films,” Appl. Surf. Sci.245(1-4), 335–339 (2005). [CrossRef]
15. M. S. W. Vong and N. J. Bazin, “Chemical modification of silica gels,” Sol-Gel Sci. Technol.8, 499–505 (1997).
16. L. P. Liang, L. Zhang, and Y. G. Sheng, “Studies on the laser-induced damage resistance of sol-gel derived ZrO2-TiO2 composite high refractive index films,” Acta Phys. Sin.56, 3596–3601 (2007).
17. D. Grosso and P. A. Sermon, “Scandia optical coatings for application at 351 nm,” Thin Solid Films368(1), 116–124 (2000). [CrossRef]
18. Y. Shimotsuma, P. G. Kazansky, J. Qiu, and K. Hirao, “Self-organized nanogratings in glass irradiated by ultrashort light pulses,” Phys. Rev. Lett.91(24), 247405 (2003). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
19. Z. L. Xia, Z. X. Fan, and J. D. Shao, “Statistical approach to bulk inclusion initialized damage in films,” Opt. Commun.265(2), 620–627 (2006). [CrossRef]
20. Z. L. Xia, H. Wang, and Q. Xu, “The stress relief mechanism in laser irradiating on porous films,” Opt. Commun.285(1), 70–76 (2012). [CrossRef]
21. D. Du, X. Liu, G. Korn, J. Squier, and G. Mourou, “Laser-induced breakdown by impact ionization in SiO2 with pulse widths from 7 ns to 150 fs,” Appl. Phys. Lett.64(23), 3071–3073 (1994). [CrossRef]
22. H. Raether, Surface Plasmons on Smooth and Rough Surfaces and on Gratings (Springer, 1988).
23. M. Huang, F. L. Zhao, Y. Cheng, N. S. Xu, and Z. Z. Xu, “Origin of laser-induced near-subwavelength ripples: interference between surface plasmons and incident laser,” ACS Nano3(12), 4062–4070 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
24. J. Y. Natoli, L. Gallais, B. Bertussi, A. During, M. Commandré, J. L. Rullier, F. Bonneau, and P. Combis, “Localized pulsed laser interaction with submicronic gold particles embedded in silica: a method for investigating laser damage initiation,” Opt. Express11(7), 824–829 (2003). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
25. M. Jupé, L. Jensen, A. Melninkaitis, V. Sirutkaitis, and D. Ristau, “Calculations and experimental demonstration of multi-photon absorption governing fs laser-induced damage in titania,” Opt. Express17(15), 12269–12278 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
26. X. Z. Zeng, X. L. Mao, S.-B. Wen, R. Greif, and R. E. Russo, “Energy deposition and shock wave propagation during pulsed laser ablation in fused silica cavities,” J. Phys. D Appl. Phys.37(7), 1132–1136 (2004). [CrossRef]

ACS Nano

• M. Huang, F. L. Zhao, Y. Cheng, N. S. Xu, and Z. Z. Xu, “Origin of laser-induced near-subwavelength ripples: interference between surface plasmons and incident laser,” ACS Nano3(12), 4062–4070 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Acta Phys. Sin.

• L. P. Liang, L. Zhang, and Y. G. Sheng, “Studies on the laser-induced damage resistance of sol-gel derived ZrO2-TiO2 composite high refractive index films,” Acta Phys. Sin.56, 3596–3601 (2007).

Appl. Phys. Lett.

• D. Du, X. Liu, G. Korn, J. Squier, and G. Mourou, “Laser-induced breakdown by impact ionization in SiO2 with pulse widths from 7 ns to 150 fs,” Appl. Phys. Lett.64(23), 3071–3073 (1994). [CrossRef]

Appl. Phys., A Mater. Sci. Process.

• L. L. Ran, Z. Y. Guo, and S. L. Qu, “Self-organized periodic surface structures on ZnO induced by femtosecond laser,” Appl. Phys., A Mater. Sci. Process.100(2), 517–521 (2010). [CrossRef]

Appl. Surf. Sci.

• Y. A. Zhao, T. Wang, D. W. Zhang, J. D. Shao, and Z. X. Fan, “Laser conditioning and multi-shot laser damage accumulation effects of HfO2/SiO2 anti-reflective films,” Appl. Surf. Sci.245(1-4), 335–339 (2005). [CrossRef]

J. Appl. Phys.

• S. Theppakuttai and S. Chen, “Submicron ripple formation on glass surface upon laser-nanosphere interaction,” J. Appl. Phys.95, 5049–5052 (2004). [CrossRef]

J. Phys. D Appl. Phys.

• X. Z. Zeng, X. L. Mao, S.-B. Wen, R. Greif, and R. E. Russo, “Energy deposition and shock wave propagation during pulsed laser ablation in fused silica cavities,” J. Phys. D Appl. Phys.37(7), 1132–1136 (2004). [CrossRef]

Opt. Commun.

• Z. L. Xia, Z. X. Fan, and J. D. Shao, “Statistical approach to bulk inclusion initialized damage in films,” Opt. Commun.265(2), 620–627 (2006). [CrossRef]
• Z. L. Xia, H. Wang, and Q. Xu, “The stress relief mechanism in laser irradiating on porous films,” Opt. Commun.285(1), 70–76 (2012). [CrossRef]

Opt. Express

• J. Y. Natoli, L. Gallais, B. Bertussi, A. During, M. Commandré, J. L. Rullier, F. Bonneau, and P. Combis, “Localized pulsed laser interaction with submicronic gold particles embedded in silica: a method for investigating laser damage initiation,” Opt. Express11(7), 824–829 (2003). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• M. Jupé, L. Jensen, A. Melninkaitis, V. Sirutkaitis, and D. Ristau, “Calculations and experimental demonstration of multi-photon absorption governing fs laser-induced damage in titania,” Opt. Express17(15), 12269–12278 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• M. Huang, F. L. Zhao, Y. Cheng, N. S. Xu, and Z. Z. Xu, “Large area uniform nanostructures fabricated by direct femtosecond laser ablation,” Opt. Express16(23), 19354–19365 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Opt. Laser Technol.

• Z. L. Xia, “New damage behavior induced by nanosecond laser pulses on the surface of silica films,” Opt. Laser Technol.submitted., doi:. [CrossRef]

Phys. Rev. B

• G. S. Zhou, P. M. Fauchet, and A. E. Siegman, “Growth of spontaneous periodic surface structures on solids during laser illumination,” Phys. Rev. B26(10), 5366–5381 (1982). [CrossRef]
• J. E. Sipe, J. F. Young, J. S. Preston, and H. M. van Driel, “Laser-induced periodic surface structure. I. Theory,” Phys. Rev. B27(2), 1141–1154 (1983). [CrossRef]
• T. Q. Jia, H. Chen, M. Huang, F. Zhao, J. Qiu, R. Li, Z. Xu, X. He, J. Zhang, and H. Kuroda, “Nanogratings formation on the surface of ZnSe crystal irradiated by femtosecond laser pulses,” Phys. Rev. B72(12), 125429 (2005). [CrossRef]

Phys. Rev. Lett.

• H. M. van Driel, J. E. Sipe, and J. F. Young, “Laser-induced periodic surface structure on solids: a universal phenomenon,” Phys. Rev. Lett.49(26), 1955–1958 (1982). [CrossRef]
• Y. Shimotsuma, P. G. Kazansky, J. Qiu, and K. Hirao, “Self-organized nanogratings in glass irradiated by ultrashort light pulses,” Phys. Rev. Lett.91(24), 247405 (2003). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Sol-Gel Sci. Technol.

• M. S. W. Vong and N. J. Bazin, “Chemical modification of silica gels,” Sol-Gel Sci. Technol.8, 499–505 (1997).

Thin Solid Films

• D. Grosso and P. A. Sermon, “Scandia optical coatings for application at 351 nm,” Thin Solid Films368(1), 116–124 (2000). [CrossRef]

Other

• M. Huang, F. L. Zhao, Y. Cheng, N. S. Xu, and Z. Z. Xu, “Mechanisms of ultrafast laser-induced deep-subwavelength gratings on graphite and diamond,” Phys. Rev. B 79, 125436–1~9 (2009).
• J. Perrière, É. Millon, and É. Fogarassy, Recent Advances in Laser Processing of Materials (Elsevier, 2006).
• M. Huang, A Study on Formation of Subwavelength Periodic Structures Induced by Ultrashort Laser Pulses (Doctoral Dissertation, Sun Yat-sen University, 2009).
• E. M. Hsua, T. H. R. Crawford, H. F. Tiedje, and H. K. Haugen, “Periodic surface structures on gallium phosphide after irradiation with 150fs-7ns laser pulses at 800nm,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 91, 111102–1~3 (2007).
• P. Mora, “Plasma expansion into a vacuum,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 90, 185002–1~4 (2003).
• H. Raether, Surface Plasmons on Smooth and Rough Surfaces and on Gratings (Springer, 1988).

Click here to see a list of articles that cite this paper

Related Journal Articles

• Optical measurement of size and complex index of laser-damage precursors: the inverse problem (JOSAB)
• Employing oxygen-plasma posttreatment to improve the laser-induced damage threshold of ZrO₂ films prepared by the electron-beam evaporation method (OL)
• Comparison of femtosecond and nanosecond laser-induced damage in HfO₂ single-layer film and HfO₂-SiO₂ high reflector (JOSAB)
• Effects of water vapor in high vacuum chamber on the properties of HfO2 films (COL)
• Laser damage resistance of hafnia thin films deposited by electron beam deposition, reactive low voltage ion plating, and dual ion beam sputtering (AO)

Related Conference Papers

• Optical coatings for high power lasers
• Pulsed laser induced damage model of optical coatings with a spherical absorbing inclusion
• The effects of ion cleaning on the roughness of substrates and laser induced damage thresholds of films
• Femtosecond Pulse Laser Damage in Thin Films
• Analysis of Material Modifications in Laser-Damaged HfO² Thin Films