Two-photon excitation of surface plasmon and the period-increasing effect of low spatial frequency ripples on a GaP crystal in air/water

We report the period-increasing effect of low spatial frequency ripples on a GaP crystal irradiated by 1 kHz, 50 fs, 800 nm femtosecond laser pulses. Massive free electrons are excited by a two-photon absorption process and surface plasmon is excited. The Drude model is used to estimate the changing of the dielectric constant of the GaP crystal. The period-increasing effects of low spatial frequency laser-induced ripples are theoretically predicted in air/water, and the experimental results agree well. The experimental and theoretical results indicate that surface plasmon excited by two-photon absorption plays a key role in the formation of low spatial frequency ripples.