Surface modification of polymethylmethacrylate irradiated with 60 fs single laser pulses

An ablation by a femtosecond laser pulses of polymethylmethacrylate was investigated in the near-infrared region. The morphological changes due to increasing laser fluency were examined. The size and shape as well as morphological forms occurring in the resulted craters were analyzed as a function of irradiation fluency. Various forms of surface modifications in ablated crater i.e. cracks and smaller features like honey-comb-like structures, and ripples with an average period of 800 nm were observed. The threshold fluency for observable changes of the sample surface, the ablation threshold and the threshold fluency for creation of the structure in the centre of the cavity were determined for 60 fs laser pulse. Obtained data were compared with available literature data.