Periodic grating structures self-formed on a metal surface under the irradiation of a femtosecond laser pulse are characterized by grating spaces which are shorter than the laser wavelength, as well as by dependence on the laser fluence. This Brief Report presents a different interpretation of these features in terms of the process of parametric decay of laser light to surface plasma waves. Depending on the electron density, grating spaces with lengths of 680 nm to as short as 400 nm can be produced for 800 nm laser wavelength as a result of the interaction of laser pulses with laser-produced surface plasma.

• Received 4 November 2008

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.79.033409