Thermal conductivity contrast measurement of fused silica exposed to low-energy femtosecond laser pulses

Femtosecond laser irradiation has various noticeable effects on fused silica. Of particular interest, pulses with energy levels below the ablation threshold can locally increase the refractive index and the material etching selectivity to hydrofluoric acid. The mechanism responsible for these effects is not yet fully understood. In this letter, the authors report on local thermal conductivity mapping of laser-affected zones. It is found that these zones exhibit a lower thermal conductivity at room temperature.