Magnetic-field assisted laser ablation of silicon

The manipulation of the quality of laser ablation of solids can be of crucial importance from fundamental and industrial perspectives. Here we have studied the effect of an external magnetic field on the micromaterial processing of silicon by ultrashort laser pulses. It was found experimentally that such a field directed along the laser beam improves the quality and efficiency of the material removal. Additionally, we observe that the formation of laser-induced periodic surface structures in a multi-pulse regime is affected by the external magnetic field. Our results open a route toward efficient and controllable ultrafast laser micromachining.