Nanosecond Laser-Induced Highly-Uniform Periodic Structures on Nickel Based on Two-Beam Interference

Laser fabrication of large-area uniform periodic surface structures has attracted increasing attention for its process flexibility, material universality, and environmental friendliness. Herein, based on two-beam interference (TBI), a low-cost nanosecond laser processing scheme for fabrication of large-area highly-uniform periodic structures, in particular laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS), is proposed towards nickle (Ni). In general, through controlling laser processing parameters including laser fluence and effective pulse number, three different regular periodic structures of LIPSS, TBI gratings (TBIG), and TBIG-LIPSS hybrid structures can be fabricated on demand. Slightly unexpected, for the formation mechanism of LIPSS, the classic scattered wave model can achieve good descriptions of LIPSS periods. Concerning the highly-uniform LIPSS evolution, a phenomenological model in terms of thermodynamics and hydrodynamics is adopted to explain growth of LIPSS and extension from short-range ordered LIPSS to long-range ones. Thus, via setting appropriate scanning interval, large-area periodic structures can be achieved with vivid anisotropic structural colors for applications in decoration, anti-counterfeiting, and information encryption. Moreover, formed micro/nano-structures can be transferred from structured Ni templates with good corrosion and abrasion resistance to PDMS with excellent elastic deformability, which may provide an effective and low-cost way for mechano-responsive sensor fabrication.