Transparent SiO2 thin films were selectively fabricated on Si wafer by 157 nm F-2 laser in N-2/O-2 gas atmosphere. The F-2 laser photochemically produced active O(D-1) atoms from O-2 molecules in the gas atmosphere; strong oxidation reaction could be induced to fabricate SiO2 thin films only on the irradiated areas of Si wafer. The oxidation reaction was sensitive to the single pulse fluence of F-2 laser. The irradiated areas were swelled and the height was approximately 500-1000 nm at the 205-mJ/cm(2) single pulse fluence for 60 min laser irradiation. The fabricated thin films were analytically identified to be SiO2 by the Fourier-transform IR spectroscopy. The SiO2 thin films could be also removed by subsequent chemical etching to fabricate micro-holes 50 nm in depth on Si wafer for microfabrication. (C) 2009 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.