Nature developed numerous solutions to solve various technical problems related to material surfaces by combining the physico-chemical properties of a material with periodically aligned micro/nanostructures in a sophisticated manner. The utilization of ultra-short pulsed lasers allows mimicking numerous of these features by generating laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS). In this review paper, we describe the physical background of LIPSS generation as well as the physical principles of surface related phenomena like wettability, reflectivity, and friction. Then we introduce several biological examples including e.g., lotus leafs, springtails, dessert beetles, moth eyes, butterfly wings, weevils, sharks, pangolins, and snakes to illustrate how nature solves technical problems, and we give a comprehensive overview of recent achievements related to the utilization of LIPSS to generate superhydrophobic, anti-reflective, colored, and drag resistant surfaces. Finally, we conclude with some future developments and perspectives related to forthcoming applications of LIPSS-based surfaces.

The formation and properties of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) was investigated on different technically relevant glasses including fused silica, borosilicate glass, and soda-lime-silicate glass under irradiation of fs-laser pulses characterized by a pulse duration τ = 300 fs and a laser wavelength λ = 1025 nm. For this purpose, LIPSS were fabricated in an air environment at normal incidence with different laser peak fluence, pulse number, and repetition frequency. The generated structures were characterized by using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, focused ion beam preparation and Fast-Fourier transformation. The results reveal the formation of LIPSS on all investigated glasses. LIPSS formation on soda-lime-silicate glass is determined by remarkable melt-formation as an intra-pulse effect. Differences between the different glasses concerning the appearing structures, their spatial period and their morphology were discussed based on the non-linear absorption behavior and the temperature-dependent viscosity. The findings facilitate the fabrication of tailored LIPSS-based surface structures on different technically relevant glasses that could be of particular interest for various applications.

The formation and properties of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) were investigated upon fs-laser irradiation of fused silica at different initial substrate temperatures, T_S. For substrate heating between room temperature, T_RT, and T_S = 1200 °C, a continuous wave CO₂ laser was used as the radiation source. The surface structures generated in the air environment at normal incidence with five successive fs-laser pulses (pulse duration, τ = 300 fs, laser wavelength, λ = 1025 nm, repetition frequency, f_rep = 1 kHz) were characterized by using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and 2D-Fourier transform analysis. The threshold fluence of fused silica was systematically investigated as a function of T_S. It was shown that the threshold fluence for the formation of low-spatial frequency LIPSS (LSFL) decreases with increasing T_S. The results reveal that the initial spatial period observed at T_RT is notably increased by increasing T_S, finally leading to the formation of supra-wavelength LIPSS. The findings are discussed in the framework of the electromagnetic interference theory, supplemented with an analysis based on thermo-convective instability occurring in the laser-induced molten layer. Our findings provide qualitative insights into the formation mechanisms of LIPSS, which allow improvements of the control of nanostructure formation to be made for corresponding applications of dielectric materials in the future.

Besides the optimization of the laser and processing parameters, the adaptation of the focal intensity distribution offers great potential for a well-defined control of laser processing and for improving the processing results. In this paper, different tailored intensity distributions were discussed with respect to their suitability for femtosecond laser material processing on the micro- and nanoscale such as cutting, marking, and the generation of laser-induced periodic surface structures. It was shown by means of laser processing of stainless steel that the numerical simulations for the beam shaping unit are in good agreement with the experimental results. Also, the suitability of the beam shaping device to work with a scanner and an F-theta lens as commonly used for material processing was demonstrated. In this context, the improvement of the machining results was shown experimentally, and a significant reduction of the machining time was achieved.