The investigations of nanoclusters and micron-sized periodic structures created at the surface of the crystal and amorphous silica by resonant CO2 laser irradiation

Abstract

The creation of nanoclasters and micrometer sized periodical structures at the surface of silica (crystal quartz and fused quartz) by action of pulsed CO2 laser radiation (pulse energy of 1 J, pulse time of 70 ns) have been investigated. The laser action on the surface of samples lead to appearance of two kind of structures – periodical micron-sized structures with the period length close to wave length of CO2 laser irradiation and nanoclusters with size close to 50-100 nanometers. This creation connects with the intensive ablation of matter at the maxima of standing waves which are a results of the interference of falling and surfaces waves. This connects with the resonant absorption of infrared laser radiation by silicate minerals.