The need for advanced materials and systems with new functionalities has motivated the development of micro/nanostructures on solid surfaces, which are necessary for the fabrication of functional devices for novel applications. In this talk, we will discuss the development of functional micro/nanostructures, based on laser-processed surfaces. Micro/nanostructured silicon is used for novel electronic and photonic systems with advanced properties. Coating silicon micro/nanostructures with thin metallic films results in plasmonic substrates, which are used for plasmonic optical trapping and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). Combining silicon micro/nanostructures with thin semiconducting films results in electronic heterojunctions with improved optoelectronic performance. We will present recent advances in these fields and discuss future applications.