Towards rapid large-scale LIPSS fabrication by 4-beam ps DLIP

• Published in: Optics and laser technology Vol. 133; p. 106532
• Main Authors: Hauschwitz, P., Jochcová, D., Jagdheesh, R., Rostohar, D., Brajer, J., Kopeček, J., Cimrman, M., Smrž, M., Mocek, T., Lucianetti, Antonio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01-01-2021; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Austenitic stainless steels; Direct laser interference patterning; Hydrophobicity; Laser beams; Lasers; LIPSS; Superhydrophobic surfaces; Surface functionalization; Surface functionalization; Direct laser interference patterning; LIPSS; Superhydrophobic surfaces
• ISSN: 0030-3992; 1879-2545
• DOI: 10.1016/j.optlastec.2020.106532

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•Interference area is increased up to 1 mm in diameter to reach higher throughputs.•Parameters for fabrication of LIPSS-structured microcraters are investigated.•Throughputs up to 30400 LSFL spots/s and 203200 HSFL spots/s are achieved.•Superhydrophobicity and structural colours are demonstrated on selected surfaces.
Using four beam direct laser interference patterning (DLIP) Laser Induced Periodic Surface Structures (LIPSS, ripples) are simultaneously generated on surface of AISI 316L steel in more than thousands of spots at once. Both low-spatial frequency LIPSS (LSFL) and high-spatial frequency LIPSS (HFSL) are possible to fabricate with optimized parameters of 1030 nm, 1.7 ps PERLA laser system, developed and operated at HiLASE center. A novel large-beam DLIP technique applied for the redistribution of initial laser energy per pulse results in fabrication of ~1520 spots with LSFL in 50 ms and ~1016 spots with HSFL in 5 ms, thus significantly improving the productivity in comparison with the single beam approach. Efficient production of LIPSS structures over large area, required for applications such as a production of security diffractive elements and surfaces with superhydrophobic properties is also demonstrated. Possible steps for further increase of processing speed are discussed.