Surface ripple changes during Cr film ablation with a double ultrashort laser pulse

Surface modification is investigated experimentally by varying the time separation of double fermtosecond laser radiation and surface ripples by varying the time separation and polarization direction of double pulses train. Nanometer-sized particles are formed during resolidification of the molten region when the second pulse arrives within 10ps and the molten material is ejected much after 10ps. The ripple in the outer region remains oblique to the sum of the vector direction of the two pulses when the time delay is zero. With time delay ranging from 0.5 to 10ps and different polarization directions of the laser radiation, the ripple generally aligned perpendicular to the polarization direction of the electric field with multiple pulses in the vicinity of ablation threshold is effectively eliminated without fragments at the edge. Furthermore, remnant ripples on irradiated area at higher energies with the same polarization direction are removed by irradiation at a lower energy with each different polarization direction of double pulse. Based on morphological observations for different time delays, possible mechanisms of ripple formations and eliminations are suggested. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.