Optical characteristics of femtosecond laser micromachined periodic structures in Si ⟨100⟩

A frequency doubled Ti:sapphire laser of 400 nm wavelength, 160 fs pulse width, and 1 kHz repetition rate, combined with a high resolution computer-controlled X-Y stage, was used to direct write periodic structures on Si (100). Laser pulses of similar to 130 nJ energy were focused using an objective lens of 0.65 NA. Laser micromachining yielded lines of 700 nm width and ablation depths of 600 nm. One- and two-dimensional periodic structures of 5 and 5 X 5 mu m spacing were fabricated, and the structures were characterized by using optical and atomic force microscopy. The light diffraction characteristics of the periodic 1D and 2D patterns were examined. The diffraction properties of the 1D structures were highly dependent upon the light polarization orientation with respect to the micromachining direction. (c) 2006 Optical Society of America