Femtosecond Laser-Induced Ripple Structures in Semiconductor Materials

Femtosecond laser-induced ripple structures were fabricated on semiconductor materials such as silicon and silicon carbide. While a coarse ripple was observed on both materials under the proper irradiation conditions, a fine ripple was observed only on the silicon carbide. The cross-sectional profile of ripple structure was examined by scanning electron microscopy with sliced or tilted samples. Based on the experimental observations, the formation mechanism of the ripple structure was discussed.