Fabrication and Mechanical Measurements of Micro- and Nano-textured Surfaces Induced by Laser Processing
H-F. Yang, L. Liu, Y-Q. Wang, L. Fang and S-R. Ge
Laser fabrication and mechanical properties of several kinds of micro- and nano-textured surfaces are investigated. Textures containing uniform nano-dots, submicron-scale ripples with different periods, micron-scale ripples and composite structure with double-scale ripples are realized on an AISI 316L type austenitic stainless steel surface via laser processing technique. Experimental results testified that laser power affect the formation of micron-scale ripple structure, and scan velocity affect the size and period of submicron-scale ripple structure seriously. After tribological tests of different micro- and nano-textured using a nano-indenter we find that submicron-scale ripple structure has the best friction properties because it reduced the contact area between indenter and the stainless steel surface effectively. The preliminary results obtained in this work induce an important impulse for the future development of low friction devices by femtosecond laser processing technique.
Keywords: Ti:sapphire laser, laser processing, micro-texture, nano-texture, nano-indenter, ripple structure, nano-dots