TY - CONF A1 - Bonse, Jörn T1 - Laser-induced periodic surface structures: mechanisms, applications, and unsolved problems N2 - Laser-induced Periodic Surface Structures (LIPSS, ripples) are a universal phenomenon and can be generated in a contactless, single-step process on almost any type of solid upon irradiation with intense laser pulses. They represent a (quasi-)periodic modulation of the surface topography in the form of a linear grating and are typically formed in a “self-ordered” way in the focus of a laser beam. Thus, they are often accompanying laser material processing applications. The structural sizes of LIPSS typically range from several micrometers down to less than 100 nanometers – far beyond the optical diffraction limit – while their orientations exhibit a clear correlation with the local polarization direction of the laser radiation. From a theoretical point of view, a controversial debate has emerged during the last decades, whether LIPSS originate from electromagnetic effects (seeded already during the laser irradiation) – or whether they emerge from matter-reorganization processes (distinctly after the laser irradiation). From a practical point of view, however, LIPSS represent a simple and robust way for the nanostructuring of solids that allows creating a wide range of different surface functionalities featuring applications in optics, tribology, medicine, energy technologies, etc. This presentation reviews the currently existent theories of LIPSS. A focus is laid on the historic development of the fundamental ideas behind the LIPSS, their corresponding mathematical descriptions and numerical implementations, along with a comparison and critical assessment of the different approaches. Fourth generation light sources, namely short wavelength, short pulse free electron lasers (FELs) are offering new and fascinating possibilities to resolve laser-induced structure formation at surfaces on the sub-micrometer to nanometer length scale and in temporal regimes ranging from picoseconds to several nanoseconds with sub-picosecond resolution. This unique spatio-temporal resolution allows to reveal early signatures of coherent/plasmonic electromagnetic scattering effects followed by the excitation of hydrodynamic capillary waves – providing new insights to the above-mentioned debate. Finally, some unsolved scientific problems related to LIPSS are identified and the pending technological limitations are discussed. While the currently available laser and scanner technology already allows large area surface processing with rates at the m2/min level, industrial applications of LIPSS are sometimes limited by the complex interplay between the nanoscale surface topography and the specific surface chemistry. This typically manifests in difficulties to control the processing of LIPSS and in limitations to ensure the long-term stability of the created surface functions. Strategies for overcoming such limitations are outlined. T2 - Institutskolloquium des Leibniz-Instituts für Oberflächenmodifizierung CY - Leipzig, Germany DA - 02.02.2023 KW - Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) KW - Surface functionalization KW - Industrial applications KW - Femtosecond laser PY - 2023 AN - OPUS4-56949 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -