Structure formation on the surface of indium phosphide irradiated by femtosecond laser pulses

9 pages, 9 figures.Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS; ripples) with different spatial characteristics have been observed after irradiation of single-crystalline indium phosphide (c-InP) with multiple linearly polarized femtosecond pulses (130 fs, 800 nm) in air. With an increasing number of pulses per spot, N, up to 100, a characteristic evolution of two different types of ripples has been observed, i.e., (i) the growth of a grating perpendicular to the polarization vector consisting of nearly wavelength-sized periodic lines and (ii), in a specific pulse number regime (N = 5–30), the additional formation of equally oriented ripples with a spatial period close to half of the laser wavelength. For pulse numbers higher than 50, the formation of micrometer-spaced grooves has been found, which are oriented perpendicular to the ripples. These topographical surface alterations are discussed in the frame of existing LIPSS theories.One of the authors (J.B.) acknowledges the funding of the C.S.I.C. through a contract in the frame of the I3P program (Ref. I3P-PC2002), cofunded by the European Social Fund.Peer reviewe