Chapter 2
Ultrafast Laser Enabling Versatile
Fabrication of Surface Micro-nano
Structures
Minlin Zhong and Peixun Fan
Abstract Surface micro-nano structures play an important role in realizing various
functions at solid surfaces and interfaces. Ultrafast lasers, especially the newgeneration high-repetition rate high-power ultrafast lasers, have been proven to be
powerful and versatile tools in enabling the fabrication of surface micro-nano structures. Taking the antireflection property as the key and cut-in point, this chapter
presents a brief overview on the state-of-the-art and current challenges on the
fabrication of surface micro-nano structures. Special focus will be placed on our
achievements in the recent years in developing ultrafast laser-based approaches
for the general, scalable, and controllable construction of surface micro-nano functional structures, including nanoscale structures, micro-nano dual-scale structures,
and macro-micronano-nanowire multiscale structures, and the unique antireflection
performances realized by these surface micro-nano structures. This chapter intends
to offer readers an integrated tour of ultrafast laser fabrication techniques for surface
micro-nano structures and an outlook on their great application potentials.
2.1 Introduction
The research on surface micro-nano structures (SMNSs) on solids is an important
route for extending surface engineering studies towards micro-nano scales and also
an indispensable branch of the international frontier research of nano science and
technology. Investigations of SMNS originate from the observance of fascinating
structural properties in nature as well as the research efforts devoted to understanding
the mechanisms behind them. Through billions of years of evolution, biological
systems routinely produce micro-nano structured surfaces with useful properties [1–
4], such as the self-cleaning effect of lotus leaves by micropapillae and branch-like
nanostructure [5], the structural colors of butterfly wings by periodic hierarchical
M. Zhong (B) · P. Fan
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Laser Materials Processing Research Center,
Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
e-mail: zhml@tsinghua.edu.cn
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
A. Hu (ed.), Laser Micro-Nano-Manufacturing and 3D Microprinting, Springer Series
in Materials Science 309, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-59313-1_2
75
Ultrafast Laser Enabling Versatile
Fabrication of Surface Micro-nano
Structures
Minlin Zhong and Peixun Fan
Abstract Surface micro-nano structures play an important role in realizing various
functions at solid surfaces and interfaces. Ultrafast lasers, especially the newgeneration high-repetition rate high-power ultrafast lasers, have been proven to be
powerful and versatile tools in enabling the fabrication of surface micro-nano structures. Taking the antireflection property as the key and cut-in point, this chapter
presents a brief overview on the state-of-the-art and current challenges on the
fabrication of surface micro-nano structures. Special focus will be placed on our
achievements in the recent years in developing ultrafast laser-based approaches
for the general, scalable, and controllable construction of surface micro-nano functional structures, including nanoscale structures, micro-nano dual-scale structures,
and macro-micronano-nanowire multiscale structures, and the unique antireflection
performances realized by these surface micro-nano structures. This chapter intends
to offer readers an integrated tour of ultrafast laser fabrication techniques for surface
micro-nano structures and an outlook on their great application potentials.
2.1 Introduction
The research on surface micro-nano structures (SMNSs) on solids is an important
route for extending surface engineering studies towards micro-nano scales and also
an indispensable branch of the international frontier research of nano science and
technology. Investigations of SMNS originate from the observance of fascinating
structural properties in nature as well as the research efforts devoted to understanding
the mechanisms behind them. Through billions of years of evolution, biological
systems routinely produce micro-nano structured surfaces with useful properties [1–
4], such as the self-cleaning effect of lotus leaves by micropapillae and branch-like
nanostructure [5], the structural colors of butterfly wings by periodic hierarchical
M. Zhong (B) · P. Fan
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Laser Materials Processing Research Center,
Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
e-mail: zhml@tsinghua.edu.cn
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
A. Hu (ed.), Laser Micro-Nano-Manufacturing and 3D Microprinting, Springer Series
in Materials Science 309, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-59313-1_2
75