Controlling ultrafast laser writing in silica glass by pulse temporal contrast

Control of laser writing in transparent dielectrics using temporal contrast of light pulses is demonstrated. Anisotropic nanopores in silica glass are produced by high-contrast of 10^7 femtosecond Yb: KGW laser pulses rather than low-contrast of 10^3 Yb fiber laser pulses. Low-contrast pulses are useful for creating lamellar birefringent structures, possibly driven by quadrupole nonlinear current. The difference originates in the fiber laser storing third of its energy in a post-pulse of 200 ps duration. The absorption of this low-intensity fraction of the pulse by laser-induced transient defects with relatively long lifetime and low excitation energy, such as self-trapped holes, drastically changes the kinetics of energy deposition and type of material modification.