Femtosecond laser-induced mesoporous structures on silicon surface

By femtosecond laser line-by-line scanning irradiating, large-scale microstructures were formed on the surface of silicon with dimensions of 1 × 1 mm2. Scanning electron microscope investigations exhibited that homogeneous surface microstructures, such as directional-arranged bacilliform mesoporous structures, have been successfully prepared. The dependence of the surface morphology on laser pulse energy was analyzed, and the results indicated that the bacilliform mesoporous structures only can be textured within a certain energy range. The optical reflective spectrum measurement revealed that the presence of bacilliform mesoporous structures can significantly enhance the absorptivity of silicon at visible light range. This work would help to control the formation of surface micro/nanostructures on silicon and other materials, which has potential applications in solar energy, photoelectronics, biology and material science.