Pulsed laser-assisted surface structuring with optical near-field enhanced effects

The effects of optical resonance and near field in the interaction of transparent particles on a substrate with laser light have been examined experimentally and theoretically. It is found that pits can be created at the contacting point between the particle and the metallic surface by laser irradiation (KrF,lambda=248 nm) with a single pulse. The influence of the particle size and the laser fluence on the structuring of the surface has been investigated. The size of the particle ranges from 1.0 mum to 140 nm in diameter. The morphologies of the holes created have been characterized by an atomic force microscope and a scanning electron microscope. For constant laser fluence, the created hole is sensitive to the particle size. For higher-laser fluence, the corresponding hole becomes larger and deeper. With a low fluence of 300 mJ/cm2 and for 140 nm particles, the lateral dimensions of created pits can be down to 30 nm. With a high fluence of 750 mJ/cm2 and 1.0 mum particles, the diameter and the depth of created holes are about 350 and 100 nm, respectively. Theoretical calculations and an accurate solution of a boundary problem indicate that incident light could excite some resonance modes inside the particle and produce enhanced light intensities on the contacting area (substrate surface). The light intensity on the contacting area is nonuniform and sensitive to the particle size parameter. Experimental results are explained and are very consistent with those of theoretical calculations. The experimental results also provide direct evidence of the optical resonance and near-field effects in the interaction of transparent particles on the substrate with laser light. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics.