Micro-spikes formed on mesoporous silicon by UV picosecond laser irradiation

Conical spikes with sizes ranging between 0.2 and 5 mu m were formed on a mesoporous silicon surface under ultraviolet picosecond laser irradiation in ambient air. Scanning electron microscopy was employed to visualize the successive steps in the formation of the spikes. On increasing the number of shots (up to 1000) at a fluence of 400 mJ/cm(2), an increase in the size and an enhancement in the distribution of spikes were observed. The experimental observations revealed that the formation and the growth of these structures were mainly due to material ablation and removal mechanisms. FTIR analysis on several large (5 x 5 mm(2)) irradiated zones showed an enhancement in the absorption coefficient mainly in the IR range from 1 to 8 mu m versus the size of the microstructures.