Femtosecond laser-generated stress waves in fused silica

Femtosecond lasers are key tools for 3D processing of transparent materials, but the stress waves they generate can degrade quality and induce cracking. We present a systematic study of stress-wave dynamics in fused silica using 1030-nm, 360-fs pulses with energies from 250 nJ to several μJ. Pump–probe microscope–polariscopy, combined with in situ intensity imaging and multiphysics simulations, enables high-resolution characterization of stress evolution. We find that stress-wave amplitude exhibits a logarithmic dependence on pulse energy, governed by peak-intensity clamping and consistent with simulations. These results establish a quantitative link between localized laser intensity and mechanical response, offering predictive insight for ultrafast laser processing.