Laser scribing of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) is a crucial step in the fabrication of thin film photovoltaic modules. During such process, inherent thermo-mechanical effects associated to laser ablation mechanisms lead to thermal damages. In that sense, the state of the material remaining in the vicinity of the ablated area has a critical influence on the electrical properties of the final devices. In this work, a comprehensive analysis of refractive index variations for the material surrounding the ablated area by means of Infrared-Visible Fourier transform spectrometry is proposed. Besides, in order to evaluate the material microstructure, Raman spectroscopy is employed as a complimentary technique. It was seen that the refractive index variation decreased as the distance from the center of the ablated groove was increased. Likewise, a clear transition from highly crystalline to amorphous material could be also observed as a function of the distance from the groove. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.