Generation of Laser-Induced Periodic Surface Structures on Different Glasses by a Picosecond-Pulsed Laser

Abstract The high cost of sub-picosecond pulsed lasers currently used to produce laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS), also called ripples, on borosilicate and soda-lime glass limits the technique’s industrial and scientific utility. To increase accessibility, we describe here a LIPSS-fabrication process using a less expensive 15 ps-pulsed laser system equipped with a galvanometer scanner system. By carefully considering interpulse effects, we combined novel scanning strategies with optimized laser and scanning parameters to generate the nanostructures over a macroscopic area. The resulting LIPSS’s spatial periods display both metal-like and dielectric-like behaviour. Using different scanning strategies allows for low processing times and highly homogenized surfaces.