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Der Vortrag gibt einen Überblick über die vielfältigen Möglichkeiten der Oberflächenfunktionalisierung mittels Mikro- und Nanostrukturierung durch Ultrakurzpuls-Lasermaterialbeabeitung. Dies schließt eine Diskussion des Phänomens der Laser-induzierten periodischen Oberflächenstrukturen (LIPSS, engl.: Laser-induced Periodic Surface Structures, Ripples), sowie deren Klassifikation und Bildungsmechanismen mit ein. Ein Schwerpunkt der Präsentation liegt auf der Diskussion verschiedener Anwendungsmöglichkeiten der LIPSS in Bereichen der Optik, Fluidik, Tribologie und Medizin, sowie auf einem Ausblick auf die industrielle Skalierbarkeit der LIPSS-Technologie.
A corrosion study is performed on six variations of titanium grade 5 (Ti6Al4V) samples. Samples are prepared in different conditions by variation of preanodization, postanodization, and picosecond-laser (ps-laser) surface treatment, while polished and anodized samples serve as reference. Microcones and nanosized periodic surface features are successfully produced on Ti6Al4V samples. The morphology and topography of the structures are visualized by scanning electron microscopy and white light interference microscopy. Furthermore, the relative electrochemically active surface area (ECSA) is determined for the ps-laser-treated samples. It is determined that the preanodized and laser-treated sample has 3.5 times larger ECSA than a polished sample, and that the laser-treated sample has 4.1 times larger area. Moreover, Tafel analysis is performed to determine the corrosion properties of the samples. It is shown that the corrosion resistance improves for both laser-structured samples after the anodization. To further study the surface of the samples, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements are conducted. The study indicates that the ps-laser-treated and anodized Ti6Al4V is suitable to be used for the fabrication of bone screws and plates due to its improved corrosion resistance as compared to nonanodized samples.
Bakterielle Biofilme stellen in medizinischen und industriellen Bereichen ein ernsthaftes Problem dar. Eine der größten gesellschaftlichen Herausforderungen liegt in der zunehmenden Resistenz von Bakterien gegen Biozide, die bei antimikrobiellen Behandlungen eingesetzt werden, z.B. durch übermäßigen Einsatz in Medizin, Industrie und Landwirtschaft oder durch Reinigung und Desinfektion in Privathaushalten. Daher sind neue effiziente bakterienabweisende Strategien, die den Einsatz von Bioziden vermeiden, dringend erforderlich.
Ein vielversprechender Weg zur Erzielung bakterienabweisender Oberflächen liegt in der berührungslosen und aseptischen großflächigen Laserbearbeitung von technischen Oberflächen. Maßgeschneiderte Oberflächentexturen, ermöglicht durch verschiedene Laserbearbeitungsstrategien, die zu topographischen Skalen im Bereich von Nanometern bis Mikrometern führen, können eine Lösung für diese Herausforderung darstellen.
In dem Vortrag wird ein Überblick über den aktuellen Stand der Technik bei der subtraktiven Texturierung von Laseroberflächen zur Kontrolle der Biofilmbildung bei verschiedenen Bakterienstämmen und in unterschiedlichen Umgebungen gegeben. Auf der Grundlage spezifischer Eigenschaften von Bakterien und laserbearbeiteten Oberflächen werden die Herausforderungen antimikrobieller Oberflächendesigns erörtert und zukünftige Richtungen aufgezeigt.
Der Vortrag gibt einen Überblick über die Erzeugung und Charakterisierung anisotroper Nanostrukturen mittels ultrakurzgepulster Laserstrahlung. Besonderes Augenmerk liegt dabei auf dem Phänomen der sogenannten Laser-induzierten periodischen Oberflächen-Nanostrukturen auf dielektrischen Werkstoffen und ihrer zeitlichen Dynamik. Weitere Beispiele von Volumen-Nanostrukturen aus der Literatur werden diskutiert.
Advances in ultrafast laser manufacturing: nanostructures, thin films, and scaling perspectives
(2024)
Advanced ultrafast laser technology is a rapidly growing field that currently enables many new industrial and scientific applications. During the last decades, this has been significantly driven by the availability of high-repetition-rate laser sources and novel beam delivery concepts. At the laser side, Moore’s law equally manifests for ultrafast laser technologies, since the average output power of such lasers doubles approximately every two years. This development is mainly driven by the increase of the pulse repetition rates of energetic laser pulses, currently enforcing the development of smart beam control and novel scanning strategies for preventing heat-accumulation and plasma-shielding effects during laser-based materials processing. This keynote presentation addresses the advantages, recent developments, and perspectives of laser processing with ultrashort laser pulses. A special focus is laid on the tailored structuring of thin films as well as the manufacturing and probing of sub-diffraction surface nanostructures – an ongoing race to extreme scales. Current limitations are identified and an outlook to future scaling perspectives will be provided.
Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) enable a large variety of different surface functionalizations for applications in the fields of optics, fluidics, tribology, or medicine. Moreover, high spatial frequency LIPSS (HSFL) provide an appealing and straightforward way for the generation of surface nanostructures featuring spatial periods even below 100 nm – far beyond the optical diffraction limit. However, the imposed surface functionalities are usually caused by both, topographic and chemical surface alterations. For exploring these effects in detail, multi-method characterization was performed here for HSFL processed on Ti-6Al-4V alloy upon irradiation with near-infrared ps-laser pulses (1030 nm wavelength, ~1 ps pulse duration, 1 – 400 kHz pulse repetition rate) under different scan processing conditions. The subsequent sample characterization involved morphological and topographical investigations by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), stylus profilometry (SP), as well as near-surface chemical analyses by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES) and depth-profiling time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS). The results allow to qualify the laser ablation depth, the geometrical HSFL characteristics and provide detailed insights into the depth extent and the nature of the ps-laser-induced near-surface oxidation arising from the laser-processing in ambient air and into the relevance of heat-accumulation effects at high pulse repetition rates. Moreover, the direct comparison of the HAXPES and XPS data reveals the role of surface-covering organic contaminants adsorbed from the ambient atmosphere without ion-sputter depth profiling. Furthermore, reduction of the oxides by sputtering can be avoided.
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.
The performance of titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V) surfaces was investigated in lubricated reciprocating sliding tribological tests (RSTT). Special emphasis was laid on the effect of surface nanostructures in area of contact on the respective friction and wear behaviour. These so-called laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS, ripples) were produced on the titanium alloy surface upon scan processing in air by an ultrashort pulsed femtosecond (fs) laser. As lubricant served two types of base oils, a pure polyalcylene-glycol, and an SAE 0W30 oil containing only antioxidants and temperature stabilizers. Tribological tests were carried out on polished as well as LIPSS covered areas using both types of base oil. A test metrics was established, combining the additive 2-ethylhexyl-zincdithiophosphate (ZDDP) or the ionic liquid [P6,6,6,14] [DEHP] (98% purity) with the respective base oils. The test metrics also considered the orientation of motion with respect to the orientation of the structures formed on the surface. Results are presented which show that the interplay between LIPSS and the local chemistry formed by the respective additives is beneficial for the tribological behaviour of the titanium alloy. Certain combinations of base oil, additive and LIPSS reduced friction and wear significantly in the tribological contact.
Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) have gained remarkable attention as they represent a universal phenomenon that is often accompanying laser-processing. Such LIPSS enable a large variety of different surface functionalizations for applications in the fields of optics, fluidics, tribology, or medicine. Moreover, so-called “high spatial frequency LIPSS” (HSFL) provide an appealing and straightforward way for surface nanostructuring featuring spatial periods even below 100 nm – far beyond the optical diffraction limit. However, the imposed surface functionalities are usually caused by both, topographic and chemical surface alterations. For exploring these effects in detail, multi-method characterizations were performed here for HSFL on processed Ti- 6Al- 4V alloy upon irradiation with near-infrared ps-laser pulses (1030 nm wavelength, ~1 ps pulse duration, 1 – 400 kHz pulse repetition rate) under different laser and scan processing conditions. The sample characterization involved morphological and topographical investigations by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), stylus profilometry (SP), and white light interference microscopy (WLIM), as well as near-surface chemical analyses by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES) and depth-profiling time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS). The results allow to qualify the laser ablation depth, the geometrical HSFL characteristics and provide detailed insights into the depth extent and the nature of the ps-laser-induced near-surface oxidation. Significance for medical applications will be outlined.
Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) and their combination with self-ordered microstructures forming hierarchical Spikes enable a large variety of different surface functionalizations for applications in the fields of optics, fluidics, tribology, or medicine. Moreover, high spatial frequency LIPSS (HSFL) provide an appealing and straightforward way for surface nanostructuring featuring spatial periods even below 100 nm – far beyond the optical diffraction limit. However, the imposed surface functionalities are usually caused by both, topographic and chemical surface alterations. For exploring these effects in detail, multi-method characterizations were performed here for HSFL and hierarchical Spikes processed on Ti-6Al-4V alloy upon irradiation with near-infrared ps-laser pulses (1030 nm wavelength, ~1 ps pulse duration, 1 – 400 kHz pulse repetition rate) under different laser and scan processing conditions. The following sample characterization involved morphological and topographical investigations by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), stylus profilometry (SP), and white light interference microscopy (WLIM), as well as near-surface chemical analyses by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES) and depth-profiling time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS). The results allow to qualify the laser ablation depth, the geometrical HSFL/Spikes characteristics and provide detailed insights into the depth extent and the nature of the ps-laser-induced near-surface oxidation arising from the laser-processing in ambient air and into the relevance of heat-accumulation effects at high pulse repetition rates. Moreover, the direct comparison of the HAXPES and XPS data reveals the role of surface-covering organic contaminants adsorbed from the ambient atmosphere without the uncertainties and potential sputter reduction potentially caused by ion-sputter depth profiling.
Surfaces of metallic copper and copper alloys effectively inactivate microorganisms and viruses. However, the exact inactivation mode is still under debate. Main factors are assumed to include direct contact with the metallic surface, influx of Cu(I)/Cu(II) ions and the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) are frequently reported to act antibacterial, mainly by prevention of bacterial adhesion due to a limited number of possible adhesion points or by increasing the overall surface of intrinsically antibacterial materials. In time-kill experiments with E. coli and S. aureus we analyzed the impact of LIPSS on the toxicity of metallic copper and brass. We also conducted ROS accumulation assays and conclude that the application of LIPSS is not generally straight forward to obtain or improve antibacterial surfaces. Thus, the antibacterial effects of LIPPS.
Irradiation of solid surfaces with intense ultrashort laser pulses represents a unique way of depositing energy into materials. It allows to realize states of extreme electronic excitation and/or very high temperature and pressure and to drive materials close to and beyond fundamental stability limits. As a consequence, structural changes and phase transitions often occur along unusual pathways and under strongly nonequilibrium conditions. Due to the inherent multiscale nature — both temporally and spatially—of these irreversible processes, their direct experimental observation requires techniques that combine high temporal resolution with the appropriate spatial resolution and the capability to obtain good quality data on a single pulse/event basis. In this respect, fourth-generation light sources, namely, short wavelength and short pulse free electron lasers (FELs), are offering new and fascinating possibilities. As an example, this talk will discuss the results of scattering experiments carried out at the FLASH free electron laser at DESY (Hamburg, Germany), which allowed us to resolve laser-induced structure formation at surfaces on the nanometer to submicron length scale and in temporal regimes ranging from picoseconds to several nanoseconds with sub-picosecond resolution. The current status and future perspectives in this field via exploiting the unique possibilities of these 4th-generation light sources will be discussed.
Unwanted X-ray emission in ultrashort pulse laser processing: From metallic to biological materials
(2023)
X-rays can be generated as an unwanted side effect during ultrashort pulse laser material processing of technical work pieces and even biological samples with laser intensities above 10^13 W/cm^2. First studies demonstrate the need to address this effect in industrial as well as in medical applications. This secondary hazard should be considered in work safety and risk assessment.
Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) have gained remarkable attention as they represent a universal phenomenon that is often accompanying laser-processing. Such LIPSS enable a plethora of different surface functionalizations for applications in the fields of optics, fluidics, tribology, or medicine. Due to the inherent multiscale nature of processes involved in LIPSS formation, their in-situ observation requires experimental techniques that combine high temporal resolution with the appropriate spatial resolution. In this respect fourth generation light sources, namely short wavelength, short pulse free electron lasers (FELs) are offering new and fascinating possibilities. This work contribution will discuss the results of scattering experiments carried at the FLASH free electron laser at DESY (Hamburg, Germany), which allowed us to resolve laser-induced structure formation at surfaces on the nm to sub-µm length scale and in temporal regimes ranging from ps to several ns with sub-ps resolution. A ps-optical pump / fs-XUV scattering probe scheme was employed to 100 nm thick laser-excited silicon films, while recording snapshots of the transmitted XUV scattering patterns at various delay times after the laser pulse impact. On timescales ranging from hundred ps until several ns almost quantitative agreement was observed between certain features of the recorded scattering patterns and predictions of the first-principles theory of J.E. Sipe and coworkers. Other scattering features appearing with a delay of ~100 ps and lasting for ~1 ns are attributed to capillary surface waves being excited at the laser-melted film material while ablation proceeds. Our superior spatio-temporal resolution experiments allow to uniquely reveal and distinguish early signatures of coherent/plasmonic electromagnetic scattering effects, separately followed by hydrodynamic matter reorganization.
Long seen as “a solution seeking a problem,” laser pulses are nowadays – more than 60 years after their first practical demonstration – paramount in shaping and structuring matter. Harnessing their capabilities to direct intense beams of light, the number of scientific and technological developments and daily-life applications is continuously increasing. Today, the presence of lasers is ubiquitous in all sites of scientific and technological interest, from the most advanced research laboratories to industrial factories and medical hospitals.
The directionality of the laser beam determines equally a local character on lightmatter interaction and as such a local modification to a material target. Furthermore, the coherence of laser radiation enables near-field or far-field scattering and interference effects that widen significantly the capabilities of controlling and tracking laser-matter interactions in space and time. Already with the advent of lasers, powerful beams of light have been directed at solid materials for a variety of purposes, making this application as old as the laser itself. The roots of the major applications for laser structuring were developed already in the 1960s, setting the base of both theoretical and experimental studies on laser ablation, with the number of publications expanding explosively during the next decades.
Within this dynamic context, laser processing of materials experienced an impressive development over the years. Laser processing means specifically the capability to structure and tailor a material on its surface or even within its volume, rendering new functions and properties that are impacting the mechanical, electrical, or optical characteristics of the material. These properties are scaledependent, generating thus over the years an equally impressive quest for spatial or temporal resolution. Therefore, the developments in laser engineering with major breakthroughs, notably in pulse duration and power, always closely accompanied the efforts in material structuring with two milestones in sight: (1) yield and (2) resolution. Every step in shrinking the laser pulse duration led to a subsequent strong-impact development in process precision – particularly when the ultrashort pulse durations surpassed the fundamental electron-phonon relaxation times. Thus, minimizing heat diffusion, the advent of pulses with duration smaller than molecular or lattice vibration times has managed to confine the spatial resolution to the optical diffraction limit and sometimes even beyond. The nanoscale was already in sight at the turn of the millennium. An important question may be raised now; is there any fundamental limit in the processing resolution, a barrier defined by the intrinsic properties of light and matter? The answer has an inherently multidisciplinary nature, following the conversion of free-propagating electromagnetic radiation into
material-confined energy potentially usable to drive or transform matter, and will be the focus of the present book.
Relying on the experience and expertise of the leading researchers in the field, the present book intends to explore the current efforts in achieving laser processing resolution beyond the diffraction limit, laying down a perspective towards extreme laser nanostructuring. Following the most recent advances and developments, it puts forward a concept of extreme processing scales enabled by optical pulses that are able to bypass diffraction limits and achieve structuring characteristic scales beyond 100 nm. This objective can be achieved by a comprehensive understanding on how light can change matter and how, in turn, matter can change light, allowing jointly for actively controlling light and material processes. In order to give an extended perspective on the current state-of-the-art in the field of precision laser structuring, the book is divided into three main parts.
The first part of the book (Part I: Fundamental Processes) offers a perspective into the fundamentals of laser-matter interaction on extreme spatial scales, with a description of the most advanced modeling efforts in understanding energy deposition in matter, a plethora of material-relaxation pathways, as well as advanced concepts for probing and observing matter in motion. Roadmaps for energy localization will be developed, and the atomistic perspective of laser ablation visualized. Theoretical modelling enables in-depth insights on ultrafast quantum processes at the nanoscale. Laser-driven self-organization at surfaces will be dissected regarding the question of how light drives material periodic patterns down to the nanoscale, explored and transmitted to its ultimate limits of an atomic printer, and immediately complemented by the unprecedented capabilities of ultrafast in-situ observation approaches for tracking the laser-induced material response with extreme spatial and temporal resolution.
In the second part of the book (Part II: Concepts of Extreme Nanostructuring), distinct concepts will be developed and explored that allow confinement of light and harnessing of a material response restricted to nano- or mesoscopic scales at surfaces or in the volume of irradiated materials. A special focus will be on optical near-field related approaches for localizing light on scales even below the optical diffraction limit and plasmonic printing. Spatial and temporal beam-shaping and tailored interference techniques are discussed in the context of ultrashort laser pulses, and insights into some extreme states of matter realized by the tight confinement of laser energy are presented. The ultimate limits of writing waveguides in the bulk of dielectrics and for manifesting 3D-nanolithography are elucidated. Plasma-based surface treatments can significantly enhance the vertical precision of surface processing through etching processes.
Finally, the third part of the book (Part III: Applications) leads us to a number of resuming applications, unveiling the tremendous capabilities of surface functionalization through laser micro- and nanostructuring, assessing the 3D-writing of waveguides in the bulk of dielectrics or semiconductors for enabling new branches of integrated photonics, and summarizing related applications ranging from nanophotonics to nanofluidics and from optical sensing to biomedical applications, including the latest capabilities of refractive eye surgery. This part will analyze the applications’ compatibility in yield and reproducibility with current industrial requirements, costs, and intellectual property aspects. It expands the involved spatial scales by more than eight orders of magnitude, when extending extremely small structures featuring sizes of few tens of nanometers to larger dimensions in the meter range.
Thus, from surfaces to the bulk, from subtractive to additive manufacturing approaches, from advanced theoretical frames to practical technological processes – we invite the readers here to an exciting journey into the varicolored landscape of extreme laser nanostructuring.
The idea of this book project was seeded in early 2020. We were delighted about the numerous and extremely positive responses from the laser-processing community, quickly receiving commitments for more than 30 individual book chapters. About 2500 communications later, the book is published. We would like to thank all authors of this book project for their insightful and detailed chapters, reviewing and reporting on this fascinating topic of the pursuit of extreme scales in ultrafast laser nanostructuring. Moreover, we would like to acknowledge the professional help and guidance of the staff of Springer Nature. Finally, we hope you will enjoy reading this book as much as we have enjoyed putting it together.
Saint Etienne, France Razvan Stoian
Berlin, Germany Jörn Bonse
December 2022
Surface nanostructures provide the possibility to create and tailor surface functionalities mainly via controlling their topography along with other chemical and physical material properties. One of the most appealing technologies for surface functionalization via micro- and nanostructuring is based on laser processing. This can be done either via direct contour-shaping of the irradiated material using a tightly focused laser beam or in a self-ordered way that allows employing larger laser beam diameters along with areal scanning to create a variety of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS). For the latter approach, particularly ultrashort pulsed lasers have recently pushed the borders across long-lasting limitations regarding the minimum achievable feature sizes and additionally boosted up the production times. This chapter reviews the plethora of recently investigated applications of LIPSS—for example, via imposing diffractive or plasmonic structural colors, the management of liquids and surface wetting properties, biomedical and bioinspired functionalities, beneficial effects in tribology for reducing friction and wear, the manipulation of optical scattering and absorption in photovoltaics, or the modification of magnetic or superconducting surface properties in other energy applications. The footprint of the LIPSS-based technology is explored in detail regarding the current state of industrialization, including an analysis of the market and associated LIPSS production costs.
Irradiation of solid surfaces with intense ultrashort laser pulses represents a unique way of depositing energy into materials. It allows to realize states of extreme electronic excitation and/or very high temperature and pressure and to drive materials close to and beyond fundamental stability limits. As a consequence, structural changes and phase transitions often occur along unusual pathways and under strongly nonequilibrium conditions. Due to the inherent multiscale nature—both temporally and spatially—of these irreversible processes, their direct experimental observation requires techniques that combine high temporal resolution with the appropriate spatial resolution and the capability to obtain good quality data on a single pulse/event basis. In this respect, fourth-generation light sources, namely, short wavelength and short pulse free electron lasers (FELs), are offering new and fascinating possibilities. As an example, this chapter will discuss the results of scattering experiments carried out at the FLASH free electron laser at DESY (Hamburg, Germany), which allowed us to resolve laser-induced structure formation at surfaces on the nanometer to submicron length scale and in temporal regimes ranging from picoseconds to several nanoseconds with sub-picosecond resolution.
Titanium and its alloys are known to allow the straightforward laser-based manufacturing of ordered surface nanostructures, so-called high spatial frequency laser-induced periodic surface structures (HSFL). These structures exhibit sub-100 nm spatial periods – far below the optical diffraction limit. The resulting surface functionalities are usually enabled by both, topographic and chemical alterations of the nanostructured surfaces. For exploring these effects, multi-method characterizations were performed here for HSFL processed on Ti–6Al–4V alloy upon irradiation with near-infrared ps-laser pulses (1030 nm, ≈1 ps pulse duration, 1–400 kHz) under different laser scan processing conditions, i.e., by systematically varying the pulse repetition frequency and the number of laser irradiation passes. The sample characterization involved morphological and topographical investigations by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), tactile stylus profilometry, as well as near-surface chemical analyses hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES) and depth-profiling time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS). This provides a quantification of the laser ablation depth, the geometrical HSFL characteristics and enables new insights into the depth extent and the nature of the non-ablative laser-induced near-surface oxidation accompanying these nanostructures. This allows to answer the questions how the processing of HSFL can be industrially scaled up, and whether the latter is limited by heat-accumulation effects.
This 6 minute long MP4-video presents some key results of the European research project "BioCombs4Nanofibers" to the broader public. Inspired by nature, some concepts of certain types of spiders are transferred to technology in order to develop bacteria-repellent surfaces through laser surface nanostructuring.
Funding notice: This study was funded by the European Union's research and innovation program under the FET Open grant agreement No. 862016 (BioCombs4Nanofibers, http://biocombs4nanofibers.eu).
The processing of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) represents a simple and robust way for the nanostructuring of solids that allows creating a wide range of surface functionalities featuring applications in optics, tribology, medicine, energy technologies, etc. While the currently available laser and scanner technology already allows surface processing rates at the m2/min level, industrial applications of LIPSS are sometimes hampered 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. This presentation aims to identify some unsolved scientific problems related to LIPSS, discusses the pending technological limitations, and sketches the current state of theoretical modelling. Hereby, it is intended to stimulate further research and developments in the field of LIPSS for overcoming these limitations and for supporting the transfer of the LIPSS technology into industry.
Due to its large strength-to-weight ratio and excellent biocompatibility, titanium materials are of paramount importance for medical applications, e.g. as implant material for protheses. In this work, the evolution of various types of laser-induced micro- and nanostructures emerging on titanium or titanium alloys upon irradiation by near-infrared ultrashort laser pulses (925 fs, 1030 nm) in air environment is studied for various laser fluence levels, effective number of pulses and at different pulse repetition rates (1 – 400 kHz). The morphologies of the processed surfaces were systematically characterized by optical and scanning electron microscopy (OM, SEM). Complementary white-light interference microscopy (WLIM) revealed the corresponding surface topographies. Chemical and structural changes were analysed through depth-profiling time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. The results point towards a remarkable influence of the laser processing parameters on the surface topography, while simultaneously altering the near-surface chemistry via laser-induced oxidation effects. Consequences for medical applications are outlined.
Die Reduktion von Reibung und Verschleiß in technischen Systemen bietet ein großes Potenzial zur Reduktion von CO2-Emissionen. Dieser Beitrag diskutiert die Erzeugung und tribologische Charakterisierung von Ultrakurzpuls-generierten Nano- und Mikrostrukturen auf Metallen (Stahl, Titan). Besonderes Augenmerk wird dabei auf die Rolle der laserinduzierten Oxidschicht im Zusammenspiel mit verschleißreduzierenden Additiven in ölbasierten Schmiermitteln gerichtet.
Laser-Induced Periodic Surface Structures (LIPSS, ripples) are a universal phenomenon and can be generated in a contactless, single-step process on almost any material upon irradiation of solids with intense laser radiation. Nowadays, processing rates of up to m^2/min are enabling new industrial applications in medicine, optics, tribology, biology, etc. Depending on the specific type of LIPSS, their structural sizes 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, however, a controversial and vivid debate has emerged during the last two decades, whether LIPSS originate from electromagnetic effects (seeded already during the laser irradiation) – or whether they emerge from matter reorganization processes, i.e. distinctly after the laser irradiation. This presentation reviews the currently existent theories of LIPSS. A focus is laid on the historic development of the fundamental ideas, their corresponding mathematical descriptions and numerical implementations, along with a comparison and critical assessment of the different approaches.
The presentation reviews the BAM activities in the field of surface processing by ultrashort laser pulses. A focus is laid on the generation of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) which allow various surface functionalizations for applications in optics, tribology, liquid management, and medicine.
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. While the currently available laser and scanner technology already allows surface processing rates at the m^2/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. 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. Moreover, some unsolved scientific problems related to LIPSS are identified and the pending technological limitations are discussed. Hereby, it is intended to stimulate further research and developments in the field of LIPSS for overcoming these limitations and for supporting the transfer of the LIPSS technology into industry.
Laser-induced Periodic Surface Structures (LIPSS): Mechanisms, Applications, and unsolved Problems
(2022)
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. While the currently available laser and scanner technology already allows surface processing rates at the m^2/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. 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. Moreover, some unsolved scientific problems related to LIPSS are identified and the pending technological limitations are discussed. Hereby, it is intended to stimulate further research and developments in the field of LIPSS for overcoming these limitations and for supporting the transfer of the LIPSS technology into industry
Antibiotic resistance is a growing global problem which poses a massive threat to human health. Although human activity contributes to the acceleration of the process, bacteria have a self-driven stabilisation mechanism to protect themselves from such and other external threats: biofilm formation. Nonetheless, it is the adhesion of a single bacterial cell to a surface that triggers the formation of such network of biomolecules and microorganisms, as well as its hazardous consequences. The main objective of this work was to quantify the adhesion force of a single E. coli cell on a Ti substrate via the AFM-related single-cell force spectroscopy, with both the cell and the substrate material being of high clinical relevance. A set of 25 x 25 force displacement curves was acquired with a maximum force of 3.2 nN without dwell time, yielding a topography map and an adhesion force map that showed to be correlated. A mean adhesion force of 0.85 ± 0.175 nN was measured and the presence of cell appendages on the bacterial cell wall was verified through individual force-displacement curves. Bacterial viability was assessed after the measurements via live/dead staining.
Ultrashort pulse laser materials processing can be accompanied by the production of X-rays. Small doses per laser pulse can accumulate to significant dose rates at high laser pulse repetition rates which may exceed the permitted X-ray limits for human exposure. Consequently, a proper radiation shielding must be considered in laser machining. A brief overview of the current state of the art in the field of undesired generation of X-ray radiation during ultrashort pulse laser material processing in air is presented.
Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) are a universal phenomenon and can be generated on almost any material by irradiation with linearly polarized radiation. This chapter reviews the current state in the field of LIPSS, which are formed in a “self-ordered” way and are often accompanying materials processing applications. LIPSS can be produced in a single-stage process and enable surface nanostructuring and, in turn, adaption of optical, mechanical, and chemical surface properties. Typically, they feature a structural size ranging from several micrometers down to less than 100 nm and show a clear correlation with the polarization direction of the light used for their generation. Various types of LIPSS are classified, relevant control parameters are identified, and their material-specific formation mechanisms are analyzed for different types of inorganic solids, i.e., metals, semiconductors, and dielectrics. Finally, technological applications featuring surface functionalization in the fields of optics, fluidics, medicine, and tribology are discussed.
Different types of laser-generated surface structures, i.e., Laser-induced Periodic Surface Structures (LIPSS, ripples), Grooves, and Spikes are generated on titanium and Ti6Al4V surfaces by means of femtosecond (fs) laser scan processing (790 nm, 30 fs, 1 kHz) in ambient air. Morphological, chemical and structural properties of the different surface structures are characterized by various surface analytical techniques, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy (GD-OES), and depth-profiling Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). It is revealed that the formation of near-wavelength sized LIPSS is accompanied by the formation of a graded oxide extending several tens to a few hundreds of nanometers into depth. GD-OES performed on other superficial fs-laser generated structures produced at higher fluences and effective number of pulses per spot area such as periodic Grooves and irregular Spikes indicate even thicker graded oxide layers. These graded layers may be suitable for applications in prosthetics or tribology.
The role of electromagnetic scattering in the formation of laser-induced periodic surface structures
(2021)
Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) are a universal phenomenon that is accompanying laser materials processing. These surface nanostructures pave a simple way for surface functionalization with numerous applications in optics, fluidics, tribology, medicine, etc. During the last decade remarkable experimental and theoretical improvements in understanding of their formation mechanisms were obtained - all pointing toward polarization-dependent energy deposition by absorption of optical radiation that is scattered at the surface roughness and interfering with the laser beam. This contribution reviews the current state-of-the-art on the role of electromagnetic scattering in the formation of LIPSS by ultrashort laser pulses. Special attention is drawn to recent finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) calculations that allow to visualize the radiation patterns formed in the vicinity of the sample surface and to the impact of a thin superficial laser-induced oxidation layer.
Laser-induced Periodic Surface Structures (LIPSS, ripples) are a universal phenomenon and can be generated in a contactless, single-step process on almost any material upon irradiation of solids with intense laser radiation. Nowadays processing rates of up to m^2/min are enabling new industrial applications in medicine, optics, tribology, biology, etc. Depending on the specific type of LIPSS, their structural sizes 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, however, a vivid, controversial, and long-lasting debate has emerged during the last two 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). This presentation reviews the currently existent theories of LIPSS. A focus is laid on the historic development of the fundamental ideas, their corresponding mathematical descriptions and numerical implementations, along with a comparison and critical assessment of the different approaches.
Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) are a universal phenomenon and can be generated on almost any material by irradiation with linearly polarized radiation. This chapter reviews the current state in the field of LIPSS, which are formed in a “self-ordered” way and are often accompanying materials processing applications. LIPSS can be produced in a single-stage process and enable surface nanostructuring and, in turn, adaption of optical, mechanical, and chemical surface properties. Typically, they feature a structural size ranging from several micrometers down to less than 100 nm and show a clear correlation with the polarization direction of the light used for their generation. Various types of LIPSS are classified, relevant control parameters are identified, and their material-specific formation mechanisms are analyzed for different types of inorganic solids, i.e., metals, semiconductors, and dielectrics. Finally, technological applications featuring surface functionalization in the fields of optics, fluidics, medicine, and tribology are discussed.
Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) are a universal phenomenon and can be generated on almost any material by irradiation with linearly polarized radiation. This chapter reviews the current state in the field of LIPSS, which are formed in a “self-ordered” way and are often accompanying materials processing applications. LIPSS can be produced in a single-stage process and enable surface nanostructuring and, in turn, adaption of optical, mechanical, and chemical surface properties. Typically, they feature a structural size ranging from several micrometers down to less than 100 nm and show a clear correlation with the polarization direction of the light used for their generation. Various types of LIPSS are classified, relevant control parameters are identified, and their material-specific formation mechanisms are analyzed for different types of inorganic solids, i.e., metals, semiconductors, and dielectrics. Finally, technological applications featuring surface functionalization in the fields of optics, fluidics, medicine, and tribology are discussed.
The invention of new miniaturized and smart medical implants continues in all medical fields, including miniaturized heart pacemakers. These implants often come with a titanium (Ti) casing, which may have to be removed after several months or years and shall therefore not be completely overgrown by cells or scar tissue after implantation. Scar tissue is mainly formed by fibroblast cells and extracellular matrix proteins like collagen produced by them. Suppression of fibroblast growth at Ti surfaces could be achieved by 800 nm femtosecond laser-ablation creating self-organized sharp spikes with dimensions in the 10 μm-range which are superposed by fine sub-μm parallel ripples. On flat Ti control samples, the best results regarding suppression of cell growth were obtained on spike-structures which were additionally electrochemically anodized under acidic conditions. When Ti cylinders with a diameter of 8 mm (similar as the pacemakers) were placed upright in a culture of murine fibroblasts, a multi-layer cell growth up to a height of at least 1.5 mm occurred within 19–22 days. We have demonstrated that a laser-structured and anodized ring around the Ti cylinder surface is an effective way to create a barrier that murine fibroblasts were not able to overgrow within this time.
Laser material processing is an emerging technology that generates surface functionalities on the basis of optical, mechanical, or chemical properties. In the form of laser surface texturing (LST), it has attracted a remarkable amount of research to tailor surface properties towards various tribological applications. The main advantages of this single-step, laser-based technology are the contactless machining, featuring a high flexibility, efficiency, and speed, along with the excellent quality of the processed products. LST can be applied precisely localized to sub-micrometric areas, but, via laser beam scanning, it is also feasible for structuring large surface areas at the square meter size.
This Special Issue focuses on the latest developments concerning the tribological performance of laser-generated periodic surface nano- and microstructures and their applications. This includes the laser-based processing of different surface patterns, such as “self-organized” laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS, ripples), grooves, micro-spikes, hierarchical hybrid nano-/micro-structures, microfeatures generated by direct laser interference patterning (DLIP), or even dimples or other topographic geometries shaped by direct laser modification or ablation. The applications of these periodically nano- and micro-patterned surfaces may improve the lubricated or non-lubricated tribological performance of surfaces in conformal and even non-conformal contact through a reduction of wear, a variation of the coefficient of friction, altered load carrying capacity, etc., resulting in energy saving, improved reliability, increased lifetimes as well as durability, leading in turn to extended maintenance intervals/reduced down-time. This can be beneficial in terms of bearings, gears, engines, seals, cutting tools, or other tribological components. Fundamental aspects addressed may involve the investigation of the relevant physical and chemical effects accompanying the laser-generated nano- and microscale topographies, such as alterations of the material structures, the hardness, superficial oxidation, the role of additives contained in lubricants, surface wettability, micro-hydrodynamic effects, etc.
For this Special Issue we aim to attract both academic and industrial researchers and would like to provide a bridge between research in the fields of tribology and laser material processing in order to foster the current knowledge and present new ideas for future applications and new technologies.
Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) are a universal phenomenon that is accompanying laser materials processing. These surface nanostructures pave a simple way for surface functionalization with numerous applications in optics, fluidics, tribology, medicine, etc. This contribution reviews the current view on the role of electromagnetic scattering in the formation of LIPSS.
Chemical effects during the formation of femtosecond laser-induced periodic surface structures
(2019)
The processing of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS, ripples) on metals and semiconductors in ambient air is usually accompanied by superficial oxidation effects – a fact that is widely neglected in the current literature. In this contribution, chemical, structural, and mechanical alterations in the formation of femtosecond LIPSS are characterized by a variety of surface analytical techniques, including energy dispersive X-ray analyses (EDX), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), micro Raman spectroscopy (µ-RS), and depth-profiling Auger electron microscopy (AEM). Alternative routes of electrochemical and thermal oxidation allow to qualify the relevance of superficial oxidation effects on the tribological performance in oil lubricated reciprocating sliding tribological tests (RSTT). It is revealed that the fs-laser processing of near-wavelength sized LIPSS on metals leads to the formation of a few hundreds of nanometers thick graded oxide layers, consisting mainly of amorphous oxides. Regardless of reduced hardness and limited thickness, this nanostructured surface layer efficiently prevents a direct metal-to-metal contact in the RSTT and may also act as an anchor layer for specific wear-reducing additives contained in the used engine oil.
Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS, ripples) are a universal phenomenon that can be observed on almost any material after the irradiation by linearly polarized laser beams, particularly when using ultrashort laser pulses with durations in the femtosecond to picosecond range.
During the past few years significantly increasing research activities have been reported in the field of LIPSS, since their generation in a single-step process provides a simple way of nanostructuring and surface functionalization towards the control of optical, mechanical, biological, or chemical surface properties. In this contribution the mechanisms of formation and current applications of LIPSS are reviewed, including the colorization of technical surfaces, the control of surface wetting properties, the mimicry of the natural texture of animal integuments, the tailoring of surface colonization by bacterial biofilms, the advancement of medical pacemakers, and the improvement of the tribological performance of nanostructured metal surfaces.
Femtosecond laser-induced periodic surface structures: from light localization to applications
(2019)
This presentation reviews the current state in the field of Laser-induced Periodic Surface Structures (LIPSS). These surface nanostructures are a universal phenomenon and can be generated on almost any material by irradiation with intense linearly polarized laser radiation. LIPSS are formed in a “self-ordered” way and are often accompanying material processing applications. They can be produced following a single-step process and enable surface functionalization through the adaption of optical, mechanical and chemical surface properties. Their structural sizes typically range from several micrometers down to less than 100 nanometers exhibiting a clear correlation with the polarization direction of the laser radiation. Various types of surface structures are classified, relevant control parameters are identified, and their material specific formation mechanisms are analyzed for different types of inorganic solids, i.e., metals, semiconductors, and dielectrics, through time-resolved optical experiments and theoretical simulations. Finally, technological applications featuring surface functionalization in the fields of optics, fluidics, medicine, and tribology are discussed.
In recent years, the improved understanding of the formation of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) has led to an emerging variety of applications that modify the optical, mechanical and chemical properties of many materials. Such structures strongly depend on the laser beam polarization and are formed usually after irradiation with ultrashort linearly polarized laser pulses. The most accepted explanation for the origin of the structures is based on the interference of the incident laser radiation with electromagnetic surface waves that propagate or scatter at the surface of the irradiated materials. This leads to an intensity modulation that is finally responsible for the selective ablation in the form of parallel structures with periods ranging from hundreds of nanometers up to some micrometers. The versatility when forming such structures is based on the high reproducibility with different wavelength, pulse duration and repetition rate laser sources, customized micro- and nanometric spatial resolutions, and the compatibility with industrially relevant processing speeds when combined with fast scanning devices. In this contribution, we review the latest applications in the rapidly emerging field of surface functionalization through LIPSS, including biomimetic functionalities on fluid transport, control of the wetting properties, specific optical responses in technical materials, improvement of tribological performance on metallic surfaces and bacterial and cell growth for medical devices, among many others.
Laser-induced periodic surface structures: from nanoscaled light localization to applications
(2019)
In this contribution the current state in the field of Laser-Induced Periodic Surface Structures (LIPSS) is reviewed. This includes the mechanisms of formation and current applications, particularly the colorization of technical surfaces, the control of surface wetting properties, the tailoring of surface colonization by bacterial biofilms, and the improvement of the tribological performance of nanostructured metal surfaces.
Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS, ripples) with ~500–700 nm period were produced on titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V) surfaces upon scan processing in air by a Ti:sapphire femtosecond laser. The tribological performance of the surfaces were qualified in linear reciprocating sliding tribological tests against balls made of different materials using different oilbased lubricants. Extending our previous work, we studied the admixture of the additive 2-ethylhexyl-zinc-dithiophosphate to a base oil containing only anti-oxidants and temperature stabilizers. The presence of this additive along with the variation of the chemical composition of the counterbodies allows us to explore the synergy of the additive with the laseroxidized nanostructures.
This presentation reviews the current state in the field of Laser-induced Periodic Surface Structures (LIPSS). These surface nanostructures are a universal phenomenon and can be generated on almost any material by irradiation with intense linearly polarized radiation. LIPSS are formed in a “self-ordered” way and are often accompanying material processing applications. They can be produced in a single-step process and enable surface functionalization through the adaption of optical, mechanical and chemical surface properties. Their structural sizes typically range from several micrometers down to less than 100 nanometers and show a clear correlation with the polarization direction of the laser radiation. Various types of surface structures are classified, relevant control parameters are identified, and their material specific formation mechanisms are analyzed for different types of inorganic solids, i.e., metals, semiconductors, and dielectrics, through time-resolved optical experiments and theoretical simulations. Finally, technological applications featuring surface functionalization in the fields of optics, fluidics, medicine, and tribology are discussed.
Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS, ripples) are a universal phenomenon that can be observed on almost any material after the irradiation by linearly polarized laser beams, particularly when using ultrashort laser pulses with durations in the femtosecond to picosecond range. During the past years significantly increasing industrial and research activities have been reported in the field of LIPSS, since their generation in a single-step process provides a simple way of nanostructuring and surface functionalization towards the control of optical, mechanical or chemical surface properties. In this contribution the mechanisms of formation and current trends and applications of LIPSS are reviewed, including the colorization of technical surfaces, the control of surface wetting properties, the mimicry of the natural texture of animals, the tailoring of surface colonization by bacterial biofilms, the advancement of leadless medical pacemakers, and the improvement of the tribological performance of nanostructured metal surfaces.
Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS, ripples) are a universal phenomenon that can be observed on almost any material after the irradiation by linearly polarized laser beams, particularly when using ultrashort laser pulses with durations in the femtosecond to picosecond range. During the past years significantly increasing industrial and research activities have been reported in the field of LIPSS, since their generation in a single-step process provides a simple way of nanostructuring and surface functionalization towards the control of optical, mechanical, biological, or chemical surface properties. In this contribution the mechanisms of formation and current trends and applications of LIPSS are reviewed, including the colorization of technical surfaces, the control of surface wetting properties, the mimicry of the natural texture of animals, the tailoring of surface colonization by bacterial biofilms, the advancement of leadless medical pacemakers, and the improvement of the tribological performance of nanostructured metal surfaces.
This presentation reviews current and expected developments in the field of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS, ripples). These surface nanostructures are a universal phenomenon and can be generated on almost any material by irradiation with intense linearly polarized radiation. LIPSS are formed in a “self-ordered” way and are often accompanying laser material processing applications. The structures can be produced in a single-step process and enable surface functionalization through the adaption of optical, mechanical and chemical surface properties. Their spatial periods typically range from several micrometers down to less than 100 nanometers, exhibiting a clear correlation with the polarization direction of the laser radiation used. Various types of LIPSS have been classified, relevant control parameters were identified, and material specific formation mechanisms are analyzed for different types of inorganic solids, i.e., metals, semiconductors, and dielectrics, through time-resolved optical experiments and theoretical simulations. Special attention will be paid to a comparison of the currently available formation theories for LIPSS with a discussion of their respective strengths and weaknesses. Currrently explored applications featuring surface functionalization in the fields of optics, surface wetting, medicine, and tribology will be discussed.
This presentation reviews the current state in the field of Laser-induced Periodic Surface Structures (LIPSS). These surface nanostructures are a universal phenomenon and can be generated on almost any material by irradiation with intense linearly polarized laser radiation. LIPSS are formed in a “self-ordered” way and are often accompanying material processing applications. They can be produced following a single-step process and enable surface functionalization through the adaption of optical, mechanical and chemical surface properties. Their structural sizes typically range from several micrometers down to less than 100 nanometers exhibiting a clear correlation with the polarization direction of the laser radiation. Various types of surface structures are classified, relevant control parameters are identified, and their material specific formation mechanisms are analyzed for different types of inorganic solids, i.e., metals, semiconductors, and dielectrics, through time-resolved optical experiments and theoretical simulations. Finally, technological applications featuring surface functionalization in the fields of optics, fluidics, medicine, and tribology are discussed.
Ultrashort laser pulse micromachining features a high precision. By increasing the repetition rate of the applied laser to several 100 kHz, laser processing becomes quick and cost-effective and make this method attractive for industrial applications. Upon exceeding a critical laser intensity, hard X-ray radiation is generated as a side effect. Even if the emitted X-ray dose per pulse is low, the accumulated X-ray dose becomes significant for high-repetition-rate laser systems so that radiation safety must be considered.
During the past few years significantly increasing research activities in the field of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS, ripples) have been reported since the generation of LIPSS in a single-step process provides a simple way of surface nanostructuring towards a control of optical, mechanical or chemical surface properties. In this contribution the current research state in this field is reviewed. The formation of LIPSS upon irradiation of metals, semiconductors and dielectrics by multiple linearly polarized Ti:sapphire fs-laser pulses (30-150 fs) is studied experimentally and theoretically. Different types of LIPSS with periods even below 100 nm can be generated. Their dynamics and formation mechanisms are analyzed and identified in ultrafast optical experiments. Complementing theoretical calculations of the laser-induced carrier dynamics address transient changes of the optical properties of the irradiated materials and reveal the importance of surface plasmon polaritons in the early stage of LIPSS formation. Various applications of these nanostructures are outlined.
A laser-based bottom-up technique for the fabrication of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGSe) micro solar cells is presented.
We use femtosecond laser-induced forward transfer (LIFT) to transport a metallic precursor composed of copper, indium, and gallium onto a molybdenum back contact layer on a glass substrate. A CIGSe absorber forms by subsequent selenization. An array of micro absorbers with defined spacing is fabricated to solar cells and characterized under concentrated light illumination. The solar cell array exhibited a conversion efficiency of 1.4‰ at 1 sun as well as a significant efficiency enhancement of 68% rel. under 20-fold concentration. This work demonstrates the possibility of directly grown micrometer-sized solar cells based on chalcogenide absorber layers, enabling effective material usage.
Lasermaterialbearbeitung ist eine sich schnell entwickelnde Technologie, um eine Vielzahl von Oberflächenfunktionalitäten auf Basis optischer, mechanischer oder chemischer Eigenschaften zu realisieren. Die Verwendung ultrakurzer Laserimpulse mit Dauern im Femtosekundenbereich ermöglicht dabei neben einer herausragenden Bearbeitungs-präzision auch die selbstorganisierte Erzeugung verschiedener charakteristischer Ober-flächenstrukturen mit Größenskalen im Mikrometer- bis hinunter in den sub-100-nm-Bereich, z.B. sogenannte Ripples („Laser-Induced Periodic Surface Structures“, LIPSS), Grooves, oder Spikes.
In dem Vortrag wird ein Überblick über die in den vergangenen Jahren in Zusammenarbeit mit dem BAM Fachbereich 6.3 durchgeführten tribologischen Experimente gegeben. Besonderes Augenmerk liegt dabei auf den tribologischen Eigenschaften (Reibung und Verschleiß) der unterschiedlichen Femtosekunden-Laser-generierten Oberflächen-morphologien auf gängigen Metallen (z.B. Stahl, Titan). Einflüsse durch die Veränderungen der Härte des Werkstoffs infolge Laser-induzierter Oxidation, der Dicke und Struktur der Oxidschicht, und die Wirksamkeit unterschiedlicher Schmiermittel (z.B. additiviertes Motoröl) werden diskutiert.
In this contribution the mechanisms of formation and current applications of LIPSS are reviewed, including the colorization of technical surfaces, the control of surface wetting properties, the mimicry of the natural texture of animal integuments, the tailoring of surface colonization by bacterial biofilms, and the improvement of the tribological performance of nanostructured metal surfaces.
Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS, ripples) are a universal phenomenon that can be observed on almost any material after the irradiation by linearly polarized laser beams, particularly when using ultrashort laser pulses with durations in the femtosecond to picosecond range.
During the past few years significantly increasing research activities have been reported in the field of LIPSS, since their generation in a single-step process provides a simple way of nanostructuring and surface functionalization towards the control of optical, mechanical, biological, or chemical surface properties. In this contribution the mechanisms of formation and current applications of LIPSS are reviewed, including the colorization of technical surfaces, the control of surface wetting properties, the mimicry of the natural texture of animal integuments, the tailoring of surface colonization by bacterial biofilms, the advancement of medical pacemakers, and the improvement of the tribological performance of nanostructured metal surfaces.
Ultrashort laser pulse micromachining features a high precision. By increasing the repetition rate of the applied laser to several 100 kHz, laser processing becomes quick and cost-effective and make
this method attractive for industrial applications. Upon exceeding a critical laser intensity, hard X-ray radiation is generated as a side effect. Even if the emitted X-ray dose per pulse is low, the accumulated X-ray dose becomes significant for high-repetition-rate laser systems so that radiation
safety must be considered.
The processing of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS, ripples) on metals and semiconductors in ambient air is usually accompanied by superficial oxidation effects - widely neglected in the current literature. In this contribution, chemical, structural, and mechanical alterations in the formation of femtosecond LIPSS are characterized by a variety of surface analytical techniques, including energy dispersive X-ray analyses (EDX), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), micro Raman spectroscopy (µ-RS), and depth-profiling Auger electron microscopy (AEM). Alternative routes of electrochemical and thermal oxidation allow to qualify the relevance of superficial oxidation effects on the tribological performance in oil lubricated reciprocating sliding tribological tests (RSTT). It is revealed that the fs-laser processing of near-wavelength sized LIPSS on metals leads to the formation of a few hundreds of nanometer thick graded oxide layer, consisting mainly of amorphous oxides.
Regardless of its reduced hardness and limited thickness, this nanostructured surface layer can effciently prevent a direct metal-metal contact in the RSTT and may also act as an anchor layer for specific wear-reducing additives contained in the engine oil involved
Given their unique properties, ultrashort laser pulses with durations in the femtosecond to picosecond range currently open new avenues in the field of laser materials processing, resulting in groundbreaking new applications based on laser-induced surface functionalization. This article reviews the usability of temporally distributed energy deposition via double-pulse irradiation in applications based on laser ablation. This includes simple new techniques for surface nanostructuring and improved sensitivities in spectroscopic material analyses.
A promising technology in photovoltaics is based on micro-concentrator solar cells, where the photovoltaic active area is realized as an array of sub-millimeter sized cells onto which the incident light is focused via microlenses. This approach allows to increase the cell efficiency and to realize much more compact modules compared to macroscopic concentrator devices. At the same time, expensive raw materials can be saved, which is of interest, for example, with respect to indium in the case of copper-indium-gallium-diselenide (CIGSe) thin film solar cells. Two methods to produce micro-sized precursors of CIGSe absorbers on molybdenum are presented using 30-fs laser pulses at 790 nm wavelength. On the one hand, a multi pulse surface structuring of the molybdenum film or the underlying glass substrate and a subsequent physical vapor deposition were used for a site-selective aggregation of indium droplets. On the other hand, a single pulse laser-induced forward transfer was utilized to selectively deposit combined copper-indium precursor pixels on the molybdenum back contact of the solar cell. Post-processing (selenization, isolation, contacting) of the laser-generated micro-sized precursors results in functional CIGSe solar cells.
The wetting behavior of material surfaces can be controlled by surface structures. We functionalized case-hardened alloyed carbon steel to modify the wetting behavior using ultrashort laser pulses (fs- to ps-range). The laser processing was performed by scanning the laser beam across the surface of initially polished flat sample material. An experimental study of the laser processing parameters (peak fluence, scan velocity, line overlap) rendered an assignment of different regimes associated with characteristic surface morphologies (laser-induced periodic surface structures, grooves, micro cones, etc.) possible. Analyzing the surface using optical as well as scanning electron microscopy allowed the identification of morphologies providing the optimum similarity to the natural skin of non-moisture havesting lizards. For mimicking skin structures of moisture-harvesting lizards, additionally a two-step laser processing strategy was established for realizing hierarchical microstructures. In this approach, micrometer-scaled capillaries (step 1) were superimposed by a laser-generated regular array of small dimples (step 2). Optical focus variation imaging measurements finally revealed the three dimensional topography of the laser processed surfaces derived from lizard skin structures. The functionality of these surfaces was analyzed in view of wetting and directional fluid transport properties. The results suggest possible applications of the laser-structured surfaces.
Der Vortrag gibt einen Überblick zu aktuellen Projekt- und Publikationsaktivitäten im BAM-Fachbereich 6.4 Technologien mit Nanowerkstoffen zum Thema “Laser-induzierte periodische Oberflächenstrukturen”. Die Herstellung solcher Mikro- und Nanostrukturen mittels ultrakurzer Laserpulse wird beschrieben, wodurch optische, chemische, mechanische oder biologische Oberflächenfunktionalsierungen vorgenommen werden können. Beispiele aus den Bereichen der Farbwirkung, der Benetzbarkeit mit Flüssigkeiten und der Reibungs- und Verschleissminderung werden erläutert.
Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS, ripples) are a universal phenomenon that can be observed on almost any material after the irradiation by linearly polarized laser beams, particularly when using ultrashort laser pulses with durations in the picosecond to femtosecond range. During the past few years significantly increasing research activities have been reported in the field of LIPSS, since their generation in a single-step process provides a simple way of nanostructuring and surface functionalization towards the control of optical, mechanical or chemical properties. In this contribution current applications of LIPSS are reviewed, including the colorization of technical surfaces, the control of surface wetting, the mimicry of the natural texture of animal integuments, the tailoring of surface colonization by bacterial biofilms, and the improvement of the tribological performance of nanostructured metal surfaces.
A procedure to fabricate CuInSe2 (CISe) micro-absorbers and solar cells for concentrator applications is presented. The micro-absorbers are developed from indium precursor islands, which are deposited on a molybdenum coated glass substrate (back contact), followed by deposition of copper on top and subsequent selenization as well as selective etching of copper selenides. In order to compare the properties of the locally grown absorbers to those of conventional large area CISe films, we systematically examine the compositional and morphological homogeneity of the micro absorbers and carry out photoluminescence measurements. Preliminary devices for micro-concentrator solar cell applications are fabricated by optimizing the copper to indium ratio and the size of the indium precursor islands. The resulting micro solar cells provide a characteristic I–V curve under standard illumination conditions (1 sun).
Commercial grade-1 titanium samples (Ti, 99.5% purity) were treated using three alternative methods, i.e., fs-laser processing in air, thermal heat treatment in an oven, or anodization in an electrochemical bath, all resulting in the formation of differently conditioned superficial oxide layers. The laser processing was carried out by a Ti:sapphire laser (pulse duration 30 fs, central wavelength 790 nm, pulse repetition rate 1 kHz) in a regime of generating laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS). The experimental conditions (laser fluence, spatial spot overlap) were optimized in a sample-scanning geometry for the processing of several square-millimetres large surface areas covered homogeneously by these nanostructures. The thermal processing in the oven was done at two different temperatures, while the electrochemical anodization was performed at room temperature, aiming to generate different polymorphs of titanium oxide at similar oxide layer thickness. The irradiated surface regions were characterized by optical and scanning electron microscopy, and micro Raman spectroscopy. The tribological performance of the differently treated titanium surfaces was characterized in the regime of mixed friction by reciprocating sliding tests against a sphere of hardened steel in un-additivated paraffin oil and fully formulated engine oil as lubricants. The specific tribological performance of the differently treated surfaces is discussed on the basis of possible physical and chemical mechanisms.
The current state in the field of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS, ripples) is reviewed. Their formation mechanisms are analyzed in ultrafast experiments (time-resolved diffraction and polarization controlled double-pulse experiments) and technological applications are demonstrated.
We discuss the dynamics of ultrashort pulsed laser excitation in bulk optical silica-based glasses (fused silica and borosilicate BK7) well-above the permanent modification threshold. We indicate subsequent structural and thermomechanical energy relaxation paths that translate into positive and negative refractive index changes, compression and rarefaction zones. If fast electronic decay occurs at low excitation levels in fused silica via self-trapping of excitons, for carrier densities in the vicinity of the critical value at the incident wavelength, persistent long-living absorptive states indicate the achievement of low viscosity matter states manifesting pressure relaxation, rarefaction, void opening and compaction in the neighboring domains. An intermediate ps-long excited carrier dynamics is observed for BK7 in the range corresponding to structural expansion and rarefaction. The amount of excitation and the strength of the subsequent hydrodynamic evolution is critically dependent on the pulse time envelope, indicative of potential optimization schemes.
The wetting behavior of material surfaces can be controlled by surface structures. We functionalized inorganic material surfaces, such as steel, titanium alloy and silicon, to modify the wetting behavior using ultrashort laser pulses (fs- to ps-range). The laser processing was performed by scanning the laser beam across the surface of initially polished flat sample material. A combined experimental and theoretical study of the laser processing parameters (peak fluence, scan velocity, line overlap) allowed the identification of different regimes associated with characteristic surface morphologies (laser-induced periodic surface structures, grooves, micro cones, dimples, etc.). Analyses of the surface using optical as well as scanning electron microscopy allowed the identification of morphologies providing the optimum similarity to the natural skin of lizards. For mimicking skin structures of moisture-harvesting lizards towards an optimization of the surface wetting behavior, additionally, a two-step laser processing strategy was established for realizing hierarchical micro- and nanostructures. In this approach, a laser-generated regular array of small dimples was superimposed (step 2) to the micron-scaled capillaries processed before (step 1). Optical focus variation imaging measurements finally revealed the three dimensional topography of the laser processed surfaces derived from lizard skin structures. The functionality of these surfaces was analyzed in view of wetting properties.
Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS, ripples) were generated on steel and titanium surfaces upon irradiation with multiple linear polarized femtosecond laser pulses (pulse duration 30 fs, central wavelength 790 nm). The experimental conditions (laser fluence, spatial spot overlap) were optimized in a sample-scanning geometry for the processing of large surface areas covered homogeneously by the nanostructures. The irradiated surface regions were subjected to optical microscopy (OM), white light interference microscopy (WLIM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealing sub-wavelength spatial periods. The nanostructured surfaces were tribologically tested under reciprocal sliding conditions against a sphere of hardened 100Cr6 steel at 1 Hz using paraffin oil and engine oil as lubricants. After 1000 sliding cycles at a load of 1.0 N, the corresponding wear tracks were characterized by OM and SEM. For specific conditions the laser-generated nanostructures endured the tribological treatment. Simultaneously, a significant reduction of the friction coefficient was observed in the laser-irradiated (LIPSS-covered) areas when compared to the non-irradiated surface, indicating the potential benefit of laser surface structuring for tribological applications.
In this work, glasses with systematically varied compositions were manufactured and irradiated by single Ti:sapphire fs-laserpulses (800 nm, 120 fs), focused at the surface and into the bulk of the glass materials. The samples were tested for their ablation threshold fluence as well as for structural changes using µ-Raman-spectroscopy. Correlations between the glass composition, the material-ablation on the glass surface and the permanent changes of the refractive index inside the glass volume after the irradiation by fs-laser pulses were obtained. The results show, that the structural modifications found at the surface of the glasses and inside its volume are closely related. However, while the ablation threshold fluence of the glass surface primarily depends on the glass dissociation energy, the permanent refractive index change inside the volume is rather determined by its ability for absorbing the fs-laser pulses and the subsequent relaxation processes. The results of this work provide some guidance on how the glass composition can be varied in order to optimize the fs-laser induced modification of dielectrics.
Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) were generated on two types of steel (100Cr6, X30CrMoN15-1) and two types of titanium (Ti, Ti6A14V) surfaces upon irradiation with multiple linear polarized femtosecond laser pulses in air environment (pulse duration 30 fs, central wavelength 790 nm, pulse repetition rate 1 kHz, Gaussian beam shape). Teh conditions (laser fluence, spatial spot overlap) were optimized in a sample-scanning geometry for the processing of large surface areas covered homogeneously by two different types of LIPSS - either near wavelength or sub-100 nm structures. The tribological performance of the nanostructured surfaces was characterized under reciprocating sliding at 1 Hz against a ball of hardened steel using different lubricants and normal forces. After 1000 cycles the corresponding wear tracks were characterized by optical and scanning electron microscopy. For specific conditions, the wear was strongly reduced and laser-generated nanostructures endured the tribological treatment. Simultaneously, a significant reduction of the friction coefficient was observed in the laser-irradiated LIPSS-covered areas, indicating the benefit of laser surface structuring for tribological applications. The spatially Gaussian shaped beam used for the laser processing was transformed via beam shaping into a top hat distribution at the surface of the samples for optimization. The tribological performance of the laser-induced nanostructures is discussed on the basis of different physical and chemical mechanisms.
The formation of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) on different materials (silicon, fused silica, quartz) with linearly polarized fs-laser irradiation is studied experimentally. In dielectrics, the importance of transient excitation stages in the LIPSS formation is demonstrated by using (multiple) cross-polarized double-fs-laser-pulse irradiation sequences. A characteristic decrease of the spatial LIPSS periods is observed for double-pulse delays of less than 2 ps along with a characteristic 90°-rotation of the LIPSS orientation.
Tribological performance of femtosecond laser-induced periodic surface structures on titanium
(2015)
Structural phenomena in multicomponent silicate glasses after femtosecond laser pulse irradiation
(2014)
Over the past years, many applications based on laser-induced refractive index changes in the volume of transparent materials have been demonstrated. Ultrashort pulse lasers offer the possibility to process bulky transparent materials in three dimensions, suggesting that direct laser writing will play a decisive role in the development of integrated micro-optics. At the present time, applications such as 3D long term data storage or embedded laser marking are already into the phase of industrial development. However, a quantitative estimate of the laser-induced refractive index change is still very challenging to obtain. On another hand, several microscopy techniques have been recently developed to characterize bulk refractive index changes in-situ. They have been mostly applied to biological purposes. Among those, spatial light interference microscopy (SLIM), offers a very good robustness with minimal post acquisition data processing. In this paper, we report on using SLIM to measure fs-laser induced refractive index changes in different common glassy materials, such as fused silica and borofloat glass (B33). The advantages of SLIM over classical phase-contrast microscopy are discussed.