Fabrication of transparent superhydrophobic polytetrafluoroethylene coating

Abstract Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) thin films were successfully deposited on glass substrates using pulsed laser deposition, with deposition times ranging from 30 to 120 minutes (min). The surface roughness of the films increased as deposition time increased, with micro/nanoscale roughness developing when deposition time increased over 60 min. This roughness made the surface superhydrophobic, having a contact angle of about 151.6°±1. UV–vis spectroscopic analysis of the PTFE films revealed that they were highly transparent, up to ∼90% in visible and near-infrared ranges. Furthermore, when the deposition time was increased—which increased the films’ thickness—the films were able to absorb 80–90% of ultraviolet light in the wavelength range