Formation of Slantwise Surface Ripples by Femtosecond Laser Irradiation

We report on the formation of slantwise-oriented periodic subwavelength ripple structures on chromium surfaces irradiated by single-beam femtosecond laser pulses at normal incidence. Unexpectedly, the ripples slanted in opposite directions on each side the laser-scanned area, neither perpendicular nor parallel to the laser polarization. The modulation depth was also found to change from one ripple to the next ripple. A theoretical model is provided to explain our observations, and excellent agreement is shown between the simulations and the experimental results. Moreover, the validity of our theory is also confirmed on bulk chromium surfaces. Our study provides insights for better understanding and control of femtosecond laser nanostructuring.