Ultrashort pulsed laser induced complex surface structures generated by tailoring the melt hydrodynamics

We present a novel approach for tailoring the laser induced surface topography upon femtosecond(fs)pulsed laser irradiation.The method employs spatially controlled double fs laser pulses to actively regulate the hydrodynamic microfluidic motion of the melted layer that gives rise to the structures formation.The pulse train used,in particular,consists of a previously unexplored spatiotemporal intensity combination including one pulse with Gaussian and another with periodically modulated intensity distribution created by Direct Laser Interference Patterning(DLIP).The interpulse delay is appropriately chosen to reveal the contribution of the microfluidic melt flow,while it is found that the sequence of the Gaussian and DLIP pulses remarkably influences the surface profile attained.Results also demonstrate that both the spatial intensity of the double pulse and the effective number of pulses per irradiation spot can further be modulated to control the formation of complex surface morphologies.The underlying physical processes behind the complex patterns’generation were interpreted in terms of a multiscale model combining electron excitation with melt hydrodynamics.We believe that this work can constitute a significant step forward towards producing laser induced surface structures on demand by tailoring the melt microfluidic phenomena.

Laser direct writing pattern structures on AgInSbTe phase change thin film

Different pattern structures are obtained on the AglnSbTe （AIST） phase change film as induced by laser beam. Atomic force microscopy （AFM） was used to observe and analyze the different pattern structures. The AFM photos clearly show the gradually changing process of pattern structures induced by different threshold effects, such as crystallization threshold, microbump threshold, melting threshold, and ablation threshold. The analysis indicates that the AIST material is very effective in the fabrication of pattern structures and can offer relevant guidance for application of the material in the future.

Does laser surface texturing really have a negative impact on the fatigue lifetime of mechanical components?

Laser surface texturing(LST)has been proven to improve the tribological performance of machine elements.The micro-scale patterns manufactured by LST may act as lubricant reservoirs,thus supplying oil when encountering insufficient lubrication.However,not many studies have investigated the use of LST in the boundary lubrication regime,likely due to concerns of higher contact stresses that can occur with the increasing surface roughness.This study aims to examine the influence of LST on the fatigue lifetime of thrust rolling bearings under boundary lubrication.A series of periodic patterns were produced on the thrust rolling bearings,using two geometrically different designs,namely cross and dimple patterns.Base oil ISO VG 100 mixed with 0.05 wt%P of zinc dialkyldithiophosphate(ZDDP)was supplied.The bearings with cross patterns reduce the wear loss by two orders of magnitude.The patterns not only retain lubricant in the textured pockets but also enhance the formation of an anti-wear tribofilm.The tribofilm generation may be improved by the higher contact stresses that occur when using the textured surface.Therefore,in contrast to the negative concerns,the ball bearings with cross patterns were instead found to increase the fatigue life by a factor of three.

Influence of structural depth of laser-patterned steel surfaces on the solid lubricity of carbon nanoparticle coatings

Carbon nanoparticle coatings on laser-patterned stainless-steel surfaces present a solid lubrication system where the pattern's recessions act as lubricant-retaining reservoirs.This study investigates the influence of the structural depth of line patterns coated with multi-walled carbon nanotubes(CNTs)and carbon onions(COs)on their respective potential to reduce friction and wear.Direct laser interference patterning(DLIP)with a pulse duration of 12 ps is used to create line patterns with three different structural depths at a periodicity of 3.5μm on AISI 304 steel platelets.Subsequently,electrophoretic deposition(EPD)is applied to form homogeneous carbon nanoparticle coatings on the patterned platelets.Tribological ball-on-disc experiments are conducted on the as-described surfaces with an alumina counter body at a load of 100 mN.The results show that the shallower the coated structure,the lower its coefficient of friction(COF),regardless of the particle type.Thereby,with a minimum of just below 0.20,CNTs reach lower COF values than COs over most of the testing period.The resulting wear tracks are characterized by scanning electron microscopy,transmission electron microscopy,and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy.During friction testing,the CNTs remain in contact,and the immediate proximity,whereas the CO coating is largely removed.Regardless of structural depth,no oxidation occurs on CNT-coated surfaces,whereas minor oxidation is detected on CO-coated wear tracks.