Surface nano-structuring produced by spallation of metal irradiated by an ultrashort laser pulse

Inogamov, N. A.*; Zhakhovsky, V. V.*; Ashitkov, S. I.*; Emirov, Y. N.*; Faenov, A. Y.*; Pikuz, T. A.*; Ishino, Masahiko; Kando, Masaki; Hasegawa, Noboru; Nishikino, Masaharu; Kawachi, Tetsuya; Agranat, M. B.*; Andriash, A. V.*; Kuratov, S. E.*; Oleynik, I. I.*

The mechanism of formation and geometry of surface structures are discussed for the case of single pulse acting on a well-polished metal surface. We demonstrate that the complex surface nano-structures are formed after laser irradiation due to the thermomechanical spallation of ultrathin surface layer of melt. Spallation is accompanied by a strong foaming of melt followed by breaking of the foam. After several nanoseconds the foam remnants freeze up with formation of complex nano-structures on a target surface.