Generation of surface electromagnetic waves in semiconductors under the action of femtosecond laser pulses

Abstract

It is demonstrated that intense photoexcitation of the surface of a semiconductor with femtosecond laser pulses can induce fundamental changes in its optical response and ensure conditions for the generation of surface electromagnetic waves of various types. The connection between electronic processes initiated in the surface layer by photoexcitation and the formation of periodic surface microstructures observed in experiments on irradiation of Si targets is considered. The importance of photoemission in the processes taking place under ultrashort excitation is confirmed.