Surface marking of aluminum single crystal is performed with femtosecond laser pulses. X-ray analysis allows to measure thermal and mechanical effects induced by the femtosecond laser pulses. These effects are estimated by comparing the pole figures (crystallinity) and the broadening of the diffraction peaks (mechanical contribution) before and after the laser irradiation. The results show that the femtosecond laser treatment ensures a re-crystallization of the structure and the presence of mechanical residual stresses. The analysis of the pole figures provides the sign of a re-crystallization on smaller volumes compared to initial ones. After the laser irradiation, the crystallization is perfectly oriented like the (110) orientation of the massive sample. Moreover, following the laser treatment, we show that the crystallographic structure is purer than the initial one. We also prove that the laser effect is persistent on a typical scale of 10 mu m beyond the surface. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.