Localized microstructures were induced in a germanate glass by irradiation with a focused 800 nm, 250 kHz femtosecond laser pulses. Compared with unirradiated glass, an increase in intensity and a frequency shift of the Raman scattering bands have been observed in a ring-shaped region inside the laser-modified structure. After annealing the sample near the glass transition temperature, the ring-shaped contrast due to enhanced Raman scattering faded away. We propose that the increase in Raman scattering band intensity may be due to local compression of the glass induced by the femtosecond laser pulses irradiation. (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.