Pulsed laser processings of polymer and ceramic surfaces.

Abstract

We present here our study on pulsed laser processings, particularly on molecular alignment, the change of microporosity and wettability of polymer and ceramic surfaces. Polarized pulsed laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) of sub-0.25μm size in a large area have been reported with polyimides, poly(ethylene terephthalate) and other polymer films using 4th harmonic Nd:YAG laser[1] and Ar-F excimer laser irradiation.[2] These LIPSS patterns were formed by repeated heating and cooling in polymer surfaces following intensity distribution caused by interference of reflected surface light and incoming polarized laser beam. Because of directional electric field of the polarized laser pulses, polymer functional groups align along the electric field in LIPSS image areas, as reported here for the first time using polarized reflected FT-IR. We also report the change of microporosity and wettability caused by pulsed laser using the fundamental, 2nd and 3rd harmonic irradiation of Nd:YAG laser. We extended our study to ceramic surfaces where electroless metal deposition induced by pulsed laser irradiation were carried out.