Fabrication of highly uniform laser-induced periodic structures on polycarbonate via UV femtosecond pulses

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Hauptverfasser: Vlahou, Matina, Protopapa, Nektaria, Maragkaki, Stella, Tsibidis, George D., Stratakis, Emmanuel
Format: Preprint
Veröffentlicht: 2025
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author Vlahou, Matina
Protopapa, Nektaria
Maragkaki, Stella
Tsibidis, George D.
Stratakis, Emmanuel
author_facet Vlahou, Matina
Protopapa, Nektaria
Maragkaki, Stella
Tsibidis, George D.
Stratakis, Emmanuel
contents In this work, we focus on the fabrication of highly uniform laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) on bulk polycarbonate (PC) using 258 nm femtosecond laser pulses. A systematic approach was pursued to investigate the influence of various laser parameters such as fluence, effective number of pulses, energy dose and polarisation on the features of the generated LIPSS. Experimental results showed that linearly polarized beams produce LIPSS with period comparable to the laser wavelength. Moreover, it was observed that the orientation of LIPSS is either parallel or perpendicular to the laser polarization, depending on the excitation level. These features are similar to the LIPSS formed on dielectrics, despite the considerably higher absorption and larger extinction coefficient (~10-2) of polycarbonate at 258 nm. The orientation and features of the patterns at different excitation levels are explained using Sipe's theory, while the excitation and induced carrier densities were quantified through the application of a theoretical physical model that describes ultrafast dynamics in polymers. Furthermore, observations revealed that low excitation levels with linearly polarized enhance the uniformity of LIPSS, whereas irradiating PC targets with circularly polarized beams leads to the formation of microscale topographies decorated with protruding nanosphered-like structures, with their size varying based on the laser conditions. A detailed analysis of the impact of the induced topographies on their wetting and optical properties demonstrated a steady increase in hydrophilicity over time, in contrast to a modest increase in optical absorbance. The results regarding the morphological features and properties of the induced topographies on PC are anticipated to support future efforts in creating patterned surfaces on polymeric materials for potential applications.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2505_02477
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Fabrication of highly uniform laser-induced periodic structures on polycarbonate via UV femtosecond pulses
Vlahou, Matina
Protopapa, Nektaria
Maragkaki, Stella
Tsibidis, George D.
Stratakis, Emmanuel
Optics
Materials Science
Applied Physics
In this work, we focus on the fabrication of highly uniform laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) on bulk polycarbonate (PC) using 258 nm femtosecond laser pulses. A systematic approach was pursued to investigate the influence of various laser parameters such as fluence, effective number of pulses, energy dose and polarisation on the features of the generated LIPSS. Experimental results showed that linearly polarized beams produce LIPSS with period comparable to the laser wavelength. Moreover, it was observed that the orientation of LIPSS is either parallel or perpendicular to the laser polarization, depending on the excitation level. These features are similar to the LIPSS formed on dielectrics, despite the considerably higher absorption and larger extinction coefficient (~10-2) of polycarbonate at 258 nm. The orientation and features of the patterns at different excitation levels are explained using Sipe's theory, while the excitation and induced carrier densities were quantified through the application of a theoretical physical model that describes ultrafast dynamics in polymers. Furthermore, observations revealed that low excitation levels with linearly polarized enhance the uniformity of LIPSS, whereas irradiating PC targets with circularly polarized beams leads to the formation of microscale topographies decorated with protruding nanosphered-like structures, with their size varying based on the laser conditions. A detailed analysis of the impact of the induced topographies on their wetting and optical properties demonstrated a steady increase in hydrophilicity over time, in contrast to a modest increase in optical absorbance. The results regarding the morphological features and properties of the induced topographies on PC are anticipated to support future efforts in creating patterned surfaces on polymeric materials for potential applications.
title Fabrication of highly uniform laser-induced periodic structures on polycarbonate via UV femtosecond pulses
topic Optics
Materials Science
Applied Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.02477