E.V. Zavedeev

Delocalization of femtosecond laser radiation in crystalline Si in the mid-IR range

The strong delocalization of the energy of femtosecond pulses in silicon appears to be an essential factor for preventing laser damage inside a crystal and seemingly excludes the possibility of direct laser writing in the bulk, at least in the one- and two-photon absorption (1 PA and 2 PA) wavelength regions. Previously, the prefocal depletion of the pulse energy and laser-induced free-carrier plasma defocusing of the light were considered to be the main causes of the unlocalized dissipation of light energy. Here, we consider whether the delocalization could be significantly reduced by using longer wavelengths, at which the role of 1 PA and 2 PA decreases and higher orders of nonlinearity come into play. We numerically simulate propagation of focused femtosecond pulses at a wavelength of 1.2–5.25 μm. Plasma defocusing was found to be the crucial delocalization mechanism that prevents the enhancement of material excitation, even in the five-photon absorption region.

Laser induced modification of mechanical properties of nanostructures: graphene–water adsorbate–substrate

The possibility of laser induced modification of local mechanical properties of polycrystalline chemical vapor deposition graphene on silicon substrate in air has been demonstrated. Nanosecond laser pulses (wavelength 532 nm) with focal spot diameter ~1 μm were used. Samples were placed and irradiated inside a scanning probe microscope (SPM) that allowed in situ studies of surface morphology and mechanical phase contrast in SPM tapping mode before and after multipulsed laser treatment. It was found that along with local profile transformation of graphene sheet (formation of nanopits and nanobumps), transformation of mechanical properties of graphene on a substrate structure took place. Such laser modified graphene area is larger than (but of the order of) the irradiation spot size. Its appearance is related to laser induced radial extension of an adsorbed water nanolayer intercalated between graphene and substrate. It is shown that the process of water layer lateral migration has a reversible character. This effect is proved by laser spot shift and sequential irradiation.