  Recent results confirm the presence of molecular oxygen proving that
recombination of dissociated silica bonds does not occur. This combined with
the observation of nanopores within the nanograting structure in silica, leads
to a new interpretation of femtosecond processing based on the unusual
characteristics of quenching of tetrahedral silica compared to other glasses.
This new approach suggests very different directions and implications for
devices, including sensors, based on femtosecond laser processing of glasses.
