Repetition Frequency-Dependent Formation of Oxidized LIPSSs on Amorphous Silicon Films
Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSSs) produced via ultrafast laser-induced oxidation offer a promising route for high-quality nanostructuring, with reduced thermal damage compared to conventional ablation-based methods. However, the influence of laser repetition frequency on the formati...
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MDPI AG
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Photonics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6732/12/7/667 |
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| author | Liye Xu Wei Yan Weicheng Cui Min Qiu |
| author_facet | Liye Xu Wei Yan Weicheng Cui Min Qiu |
| author_sort | Liye Xu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSSs) produced via ultrafast laser-induced oxidation offer a promising route for high-quality nanostructuring, with reduced thermal damage compared to conventional ablation-based methods. However, the influence of laser repetition frequency on the formation and morphology of oxidized LIPSSs remains insufficiently explored. In this study, we systematically investigate the effects of varying the femtosecond laser repetition frequency from 1 kHz to 100 kHz while keeping the total pulse number constant on the oxidation-induced LIPSSs formed on amorphous silicon films. Scanning electron microscopy and Fourier analysis reveal a transition between two morphological regimes with increasing repetition frequency: at low frequencies, the long inter-pulse intervals result in irregular, disordered oxidation patterns; at high frequencies, closely spaced pulses promote the formation of highly ordered, periodic surface structures. Statistical measurements show that the laser-modified area decreases with frequency, while the LIPSS period remains relatively stable and the ridge width exhibits a peak at 10 kHz. Finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) and finite-element simulations suggest that the observed patterns result from a dynamic balance between light-field modulation and oxidation kinetics, rather than thermal accumulation. These findings advance the understanding of oxidation-driven LIPSS formation dynamics and provide guidance for optimizing femtosecond laser parameters for precise surface nanopatterning. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b2ee21e7ba974dc1b8ee0cd3185eecd0 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2304-6732 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Photonics |
| spelling | doaj-art-b2ee21e7ba974dc1b8ee0cd3185eecd02025-08-20T03:56:49ZengMDPI AGPhotonics2304-67322025-07-0112766710.3390/photonics12070667Repetition Frequency-Dependent Formation of Oxidized LIPSSs on Amorphous Silicon FilmsLiye Xu0Wei Yan1Weicheng Cui2Min Qiu3College of Information Science and Electronic Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, ChinaZhejiang Key Laboratory of 3D Micro/Nano Fabrication and Characterization, Department of Electronic and Information Engineering, School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou 310030, ChinaZhejiang Key Laboratory of 3D Micro/Nano Fabrication and Characterization, Department of Electronic and Information Engineering, School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou 310030, ChinaZhejiang Key Laboratory of 3D Micro/Nano Fabrication and Characterization, Department of Electronic and Information Engineering, School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou 310030, ChinaLaser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSSs) produced via ultrafast laser-induced oxidation offer a promising route for high-quality nanostructuring, with reduced thermal damage compared to conventional ablation-based methods. However, the influence of laser repetition frequency on the formation and morphology of oxidized LIPSSs remains insufficiently explored. In this study, we systematically investigate the effects of varying the femtosecond laser repetition frequency from 1 kHz to 100 kHz while keeping the total pulse number constant on the oxidation-induced LIPSSs formed on amorphous silicon films. Scanning electron microscopy and Fourier analysis reveal a transition between two morphological regimes with increasing repetition frequency: at low frequencies, the long inter-pulse intervals result in irregular, disordered oxidation patterns; at high frequencies, closely spaced pulses promote the formation of highly ordered, periodic surface structures. Statistical measurements show that the laser-modified area decreases with frequency, while the LIPSS period remains relatively stable and the ridge width exhibits a peak at 10 kHz. Finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) and finite-element simulations suggest that the observed patterns result from a dynamic balance between light-field modulation and oxidation kinetics, rather than thermal accumulation. These findings advance the understanding of oxidation-driven LIPSS formation dynamics and provide guidance for optimizing femtosecond laser parameters for precise surface nanopatterning.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6732/12/7/667oxidized LIPSSsrepetition frequencyamorphous silicon |
| spellingShingle | Liye Xu Wei Yan Weicheng Cui Min Qiu Repetition Frequency-Dependent Formation of Oxidized LIPSSs on Amorphous Silicon Films Photonics oxidized LIPSSs repetition frequency amorphous silicon |
| title | Repetition Frequency-Dependent Formation of Oxidized LIPSSs on Amorphous Silicon Films |
| title_full | Repetition Frequency-Dependent Formation of Oxidized LIPSSs on Amorphous Silicon Films |
| title_fullStr | Repetition Frequency-Dependent Formation of Oxidized LIPSSs on Amorphous Silicon Films |
| title_full_unstemmed | Repetition Frequency-Dependent Formation of Oxidized LIPSSs on Amorphous Silicon Films |
| title_short | Repetition Frequency-Dependent Formation of Oxidized LIPSSs on Amorphous Silicon Films |
| title_sort | repetition frequency dependent formation of oxidized lipsss on amorphous silicon films |
| topic | oxidized LIPSSs repetition frequency amorphous silicon |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6732/12/7/667 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT liyexu repetitionfrequencydependentformationofoxidizedlipsssonamorphoussiliconfilms AT weiyan repetitionfrequencydependentformationofoxidizedlipsssonamorphoussiliconfilms AT weichengcui repetitionfrequencydependentformationofoxidizedlipsssonamorphoussiliconfilms AT minqiu repetitionfrequencydependentformationofoxidizedlipsssonamorphoussiliconfilms |