Properties of High-Frequency Sub-Wavelength Ripples on Stainless Steel 304L under Ultra Short Pulse Laser Irradiation

The paper concentrates on surface texturing on sub-micro meter scale with ultra short laser pulses that has several applications, e.g. changing the hydrophilic/hydrophobic performance, optical or tribological properties of materials. In general, the formations of wavy structures, or ripples on a surface irradiated by short pulse lasers has been observed experimentally since 1965, and are usually referred to as Laser Induced Periodic Surface Structures (LIPSS). Generally Low Spatial Frequency LIPSS (LSFL) and High Spatial Frequency LIPSS (HSFL) are observed. The existing theoretical models do not describe the origin, nor growth of the ripples satisfactorily. That is why the experimental approach still plays a leading role in the investigation of ripple formation. In this paper we study the development of HSFL and LSFL as a result of picosecond laser pulses on a surface of stainless steel. Influences of number of pulses and pulse overlap on ripples growth were examined.