<p>Femtosecond (fs) laser processing provides an effective method for micro- and nano-structuring of aluminum (Al). However, its high thermal conductivity, relatively low melting point, and rapid surface oxidation pose significant challenges to precisely controlling the structure formation. In this work, we systematically investigated how the spatial intensity profiles of a fs laser beam under raster scanning conditions influence the formation and vertical growth of fs laser-induced columnar structures (fs-CSs) on ultra-pure Al. Specifically, the chemical, structural, and morphological properties of fs-CSs fabricated using Gaussian and flat-top beam profiles are directly compared. The intrinsic fluence gradient of Gaussian beams induces uniform surface oxidation, leading to non-selective redeposition of oxidized species from the laser plume that limits further fs-CS growth. In contrast, flat-top beams deliver spatially uniform high fluence, promoting preferential redeposition and condensation of the oxidized plume species on highly oxidized fs-CS surfaces. This plume-mediated mechanism, initiated by Al oxide clusters, supports monotonic increases in both the lateral size and height of fs-CSs with increasing fluence and pulse number. These findings demonstrate that beam profile engineering enables deterministic and scalable fabrication of vertically elevated microstructures on Al, effectively mitigating the limitations inherent in conventional recessed fs laser texturing.</p>