Raman study of phase transformation of TiO2 rutile single crystal irradiated by infrared femtosecond laser

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) rutile single crystal was irradiated by infrared femtosecond (fs) laser pulses with repetition rate of 250 kHz and phase transformation of rutile TiO2 was observed. Micro-Raman spectra show that the intensity of E-g Raman vibrating mode of rutile phase increases and that of A(1g) Raman vibrating mode decreases apparently within the ablation crater after fs laser irradiation. With increasing of irradiation time, the Raman vibrating modes of anatase phase emerged. Rutile phase of TiO2 single crystal is partly transformed into anatase phase. The anatase phase content transformed from rutile phase increased to a constant with increasing of fs pulse laser irradiation time. The study indicates the more stable rutile phase is transformed into anatase phase by the high pressure produced by fs pulse laser irradiation. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.