Selective display of multiple patterns encoded with different oriented ripples using femtosecond laser

Uniform oriented ripples were induced on stainless steel surface by polarized femtosecond laser. Multiple patterns were successfully encoded with the different oriented ripples on the surface without spatial overlap. Each pattern can be selectively displayed with structural color while the others cannot be in the meantime when white light is irradiated on the surface from different directions. The influence of ripples with different periods for selecting pattern is also investigated. The ripple period is crucial to the color effects. This approach can be used in the fields of color display, identifying codes and anti-counterfeiting patterns.