Fabrication of metal mesh flexible transparent electrodes and heaters by a cost-effective method based on ultrafast laser direct writing

•Laser direct writing was used to fabricate completely embedded metal mesh on PET.•Laser-etched grooves with small widths were obtained by optimizing laser parameters.•The silver mesh transparent electrode (TE) had excellent photoelectric properties.•The TE-based flexible transparent heater (FTH) showed stable heating performance.