6 Materialchemie
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- 2020 (39) (entfernen)
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- 6.2 Material- und Oberflächentechnologien (39) (entfernen)
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We describe and demonstrate a novel experimental approach to measure broadband, amplitude- and phase-resolved scattering spectra of single nanoparticles with 10-nm spatial resolution. Nanofocusing of Surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) propagating along the shaft of a conical gold taper is used to create a spatially isolated, spectrally broad nanoscale light source at ist very apex. The interference between these incident SPPs and SPPs that are backpropagating from the apex leads to the formation of an inherently phase-stable interferogram, which we detect in the far field by partially scattering SPPs off a small protrusion on the taper shaft. We show that these interferograms allow the reconstruction of both the amplitude and phase of the local optical near fields around individual nanoparticles optically coupled to the taper apex. We extract local light scattering spectra of particles and quantify line broadenings and spectral shifts induced by tip-sample coupling. Our experimental findings are supported by corresponding finite-difference time-domain and coupled dipole simulations and Show that, in the limit of weak tip-sample coupling, the measurements directly probe the projected local density of optical states of the plasmonic system. The combination of a highly stable inline interferometer with the inherent optical background suppression through nanofocusing makes it a promising tool for the locally resolved study of the spectral and temporal optical response of coupled hybrid nanosystems.
Nature has continuously inspired science when practical problems need to be solved in a functional and efficient way. The challenge for researchers usually consists in the transfer of such biological functionalities to diverse types of technical materials with the available processing technologies. In this regard, femtosecond laser-based approaches offer a large flexibility to modify virtually any material (metals, semiconductors and dielectrics), provide the ability to work under different environment conditions (air, vacuum or reactive atmospheres) and when combined with the proper optics, they offer exceptional spatial resolutions that could be used to mimic effectively very complex functionalities. In the particular case of surface processing, lasers have been proven feasible to functionalize materials by customizing its optical properties, chemical composition and surface morphology in a controllable way and in some cases at industrially relevant speeds. In this work, we present a selection of technical applications based on surface modifications in the form of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) to tailor the material properties for utilization in optics, fluid transport, wetting control and tribology.
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.
The irradiation of solids with high-intensity laser pulses can excite materials into extreme conditions, which then return to equilibrium via various structural and topographical relaxation mechanisms. Thus, ultrafast laser processing can manifest in various morphological surface transformations, ranging from direct contour shaping to large-area-surface functionalization through the generation of self-organized nano- and microstructures. The interaction mechanisms between semiconductors and metals with ultrashort laser pulses have been extensively studied using femtosecond laser sources, generating a general understanding of the main interaction mechanisms present during the processing of those materials. In the specific case of nanometer-scaled laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS), however, the general explanation that fits all the experimental outcomes is still to be completed. The most accepted explanation consists in the interference of the incoming laser pulse with light scattered at the rough surface, e.g. via surface plasmon polaritons. Such scattering and interference effects generate a spatially modulated pattern of the absorbed optical energy featuring maxima and minima with periods very close to the laser irradiation wavelength, λ. One general criterion that allows to classify LIPSS in terms of their spatial periodicity (Λ) for normally incident radiation is the following: low spatial frequency for Λ≈λ, and high spatial frequency for Λ≪λ. In this way, the right combination of irradiation parameters (laser fluence, number of pulses per spot area unit and repetition rate) could be used to cover a wide size range that can ultimately be exploited for different applications in optics, biology, fluidics and tribology among others.
Effects of laser-induced periodic surface structures on the superconducting properties of Niobium
(2020)
It is well known that the use of ultrashort (fs) pulsed lasers can induce the generation of (quasi-) periodic nanostructures (LIPSS, ripples) on the surface of many materials. Such nanostructures have also been observed in sample’s surfaces irradiated with UV lasers with a pulse duration of 300 ps. In this work, we compare the characteristics of these nanostructures on 1-mm and on 25-μm thick niobium sheets induced by 30 fs n-IR and 300 ps UV pulsed lasers. In addition to conventional continuous or burst mode processing configurations, two-dimensional laser beam and line scanning modes have been investigated in this work. The latter allows the processing of large areas with a more uniform distribution of nanostructures at the surface. The influence of the generated nanostructures on the superconducting properties of niobium has also been explored. For this aim, magnetic hysteresis loops have been measured at different cryogenic temperatures to analyse how these laser treatments affect the flux pinning behaviour and, in consequence, the superconductor’s critical current values. It was observed that laser treatments are able to modify the superconducting properties of niobium samples.
Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) are often present when processing solid targets with linearly polarized ultrashort laser pulses. The different irradiation parameters to produce them on metals, semiconductors and dielectrics have been studied extensively, identifying suitable regimes to tailor its properties for applications in the fields of optics, medicine, fluidics and tribology, to name a few. One important parameter widely present when exposing the samples to the high intensities provided by these laser pulses in air environment, that generally is not considered, is the formation of a superficial laser-induced oxide layer. In this paper, we fabricate LIPSS on a layer of the oxidation prone hard-coating material chromium nitride in order to investigate the impact of the laser-induced oxide layer on its formation. A variety of complementary surface analytic techniques were employed, revealing morphological, chemical and structural characteristics of well-known high-spatial frequency LIPSS (HSFL) together with a new type of low-spatial frequency LIPSS (LSFL) with an anomalous orientation parallel to the laser polarization. Based on this input, we performed finite-difference time-domain calculations considering a layered system resembling the geometry of the HSFL along with the presence of a laser-induced oxide layer. The simulations support a scenario that the new type of LSFL is formed at the interface between the laser-induced oxide layer and the non-altered material underneath. These findings suggest that LSFL structures parallel to the polarization can be easily induced in materials that are prone to oxidation.
The impact of femtosecond (fs) laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) on tribological properties was investigated for metal-reinforced ceramic composites (Al2O3-ZrO2-Nb). For this purpose, the metallic niobium (Nb) phase was selectively structured with LIPSS in an air environment with different values of the fs-laser peak fluence by near-infrared fs-laser radiation (λ = 1025 nm, τ = 300 fs, frep = 1 kHz), taking advantage of the different light absorption behavior of ceramic and metal. The tribological performance was evaluated by reciprocating sliding tests in a ball-on-disc configuration using Ringer's solution as lubricant. The surfaces were characterized before and after laser irradiation by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and by measuring the contact angle with Ringer's solution. The LIPSS formation resulted in an increased wetting of the surface with the lubricant. Moreover, the selectively structured composite surfaces revealed a coefficient of friction significantly reduced by a factor of ~3 when compared to the non-irradiated surface. Furthermore, the formation of a laser-induced oxidation layer was detected with NbO as the most prominent oxidation state. Selectively structured composites with outstanding mechanical properties and enhanced tribological performance are of particular interest for biomedical applications.