TY - JOUR

T1 - Real-space observation of surface structuring induced by ultra-fast-laser illumination far below the melting threshold

AU - Zaum, Ch

AU - Osterloh, N.

AU - Darkins, R.

AU - Duffy, D. M.

AU - Morgenstern, K.

N1 - Funding Information: The authors thank A.L. Shluger, UCL, for fruitful discussions. NO and KM thank the German Science Foundation (DFG) for financial support through MO 960/25-1. RD and DMD acknowledge funding from the Leverhulme Trust under Grant No. RPG-2013-331. Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL.

PY - 2021/12

Y1 - 2021/12

N2 - Intense short laser pulses are an intriguing tool for tailoring surface properties via ultra-fast melting of the surface layer of an irradiated target. Despite extensive studies on the interaction of femto-second laser interaction with matter, the initial steps of the morphological changes are not yet fully understood. Here, we reveal that substantial surface structure changes occur at energy densities far below the melting threshold. By using low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy we resolve atomic-scale changes, i.e. the creation of nanosized adatom and vacancy clusters. The two cluster types have distinct non-linear fluence-dependencies. A theoretical analysis reveals their creation and motion to be non-thermal in nature. The formation of these atomistic changes, individually resolved here for the first time, recast our understanding of how surfaces respond to low-intensity ultra-short laser illumination. A visualization and control of the initial morphological changes upon laser illumination are not only of fundamental interest, but pave the way for the designing material properties through surface structuring.

AB - Intense short laser pulses are an intriguing tool for tailoring surface properties via ultra-fast melting of the surface layer of an irradiated target. Despite extensive studies on the interaction of femto-second laser interaction with matter, the initial steps of the morphological changes are not yet fully understood. Here, we reveal that substantial surface structure changes occur at energy densities far below the melting threshold. By using low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy we resolve atomic-scale changes, i.e. the creation of nanosized adatom and vacancy clusters. The two cluster types have distinct non-linear fluence-dependencies. A theoretical analysis reveals their creation and motion to be non-thermal in nature. The formation of these atomistic changes, individually resolved here for the first time, recast our understanding of how surfaces respond to low-intensity ultra-short laser illumination. A visualization and control of the initial morphological changes upon laser illumination are not only of fundamental interest, but pave the way for the designing material properties through surface structuring.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85108679150&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1038/s41598-021-91894-w

DO - 10.1038/s41598-021-91894-w

M3 - Article

C2 - 34168174

AN - SCOPUS:85108679150

VL - 11

JO - Scientific reports

JF - Scientific reports

SN - 2045-2322

IS - 1

M1 - 13269

ER -