Nanoparticles based laser-induced surface structures formation on mesoporous silicon by picosecond laser beam interaction

Highlights: • Continuous evolution of morphology surface of MeP-Si from random nanoparticles distribution of SiO_x to Nps-based LSFL. • Surface modulation phenomenon including Nps as formation process of LIPSS. • Liquid phase in the vicinity of the LIPSS area. - Abstract: In this study, laser induced periodic surface structures were formed on mesoporous silicon by irradiation of Nd:YAG picosecond pulsed laser beam at 266 nm wavelength at 1 Hz repetition rate and with 42 ps pulse duration. The effects of laser processing parameters as laser beam fluence and laser pulse number on the formation of ripples were investigated. Scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy were used to image the surface morphologies and the cross section of samples after laser irradiation. At relatively low fluence ∼20 mJ/cm², ripples with period close to the laser beam wavelength (266 nm) and with an always controlled orientation (perpendicular to the polarization of ps laser beam) appeared after a large laser pulse number of 12,000. It has been found that an initial random distribution of SiO_x nanoparticles is periodically structured with an increase of the laser pulse number. Finally, it is experimentally demonstrated that we formed a 100 nm liquid phase under the protusion zones including the pores in the picosecond regime.