Polarization-Dependent Anisotropy of LIPSSs' Morphology Evolution on a Single-Crystal Silicon Surface.

Utilizing the principle of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSSs), this research delves into the morphological evolution of single-crystal silicon surfaces irradiated by a near-infrared picosecond laser through a scanning mode. With the increase in laser energy density, the nanostructure morphology on single-crystal silicon surfaces induced by incident lasers with different polarization directions sequentially produces high spatial-frequency LIPSSs (HSFLs) with a period of 220 nm ± 10 nm parallel to the laser polarization, low spatial-frequency LIPSSs (LSFLs) with a period of 770 nm ± 85 nm perpendicular to the direction of the polarization, and groove structures. Furthermore, by varying the angle between the laser polarization and the scanning direction, the study examined the combined anisotropic effects of the laser polarization scanning direction angle and the laser polarization crystal orientation angle on the genesis of LIPSSs on single-crystal silicon (100) surfaces. The experiments revealed polarization-related anisotropic characteristics in the morphology of HSFLs. It was found that when the polarization angle approached 45°, the regularity of the LSFLs deteriorated, the modification width decreased, and the periodicity increased. This is critical for the precise control of the LSFLs' morphology.

Femtosecond laser ablation in liquid synthesis of iron-oxidation nanoparticles with saturable absorption performance.

"Naked" ferroferric-oxide nanoparticles (FONPs) synthesized by a femtosecond laser ablation on a bulk stainless steel in liquid were applied to the Nd: YVO4 laser to achieve passive Q-switched pulse laser output. Without the pollution of ligand, the inherent light characteristic of "naked" FONPs was unaffected. The analysis of the morphological characteristics, dominant chemical elements, and phase composition of the FONPs showed that they were mainly composed of Fe3O4, which was spherical with an average diameter of 40 nm. The electron transition and orbital splitting of the iron element's octahedral center position under the laser-driven were considered the primary mechanisms of saturable absorption of Fe3O4 nanoparticles.

OH planar laser-induced fluorescence imaging system using a kilohertz-rate 283 nm UV Ti:sapphire laser.

A narrow linewidth Ti:sapphire laser is developed and characterized for the generation of an ultraviolet nanosecond laser pulses for the planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) imaging of hydroxyl (OH). With a pump power of 11.4 W at 1 kHz, the Ti:sapphire laser produces 3.5 mJ at 849 nm with pulse duration of 17 ns and achieves a conversion efficiency of 28.2%. Accordingly, its third-harmonic generation outputs 0.56 mJ at 283 nm in BBO with type I phase match. An OH PLIF imaging system has been built; a 1 to 4 kHz fluorescent image of OH of a propane Bunsen burner has been captured based on this laser system.

Monolithic MOF-Based Metal-Insulator-Metal Resonator for Filtering and Sensing.

Metal-insulator-metal (MIM) configurations based on Fabry-Pérot resonators have advanced the development of color filtering through interactions between light and matter. However, dynamic color changes without breaking the structure of the MIM resonator upon environmental stimuli are still challenging. Here, we report monolithic metal-organic framework (MOF)-based MIM resonators with tunable bandwidth that can boost both dynamic optical filtering and active chemical sensing by laser-processing microwell arrays on the top metal layer. Programmable tuning of the reflection color of the MOF-based MIM resonator is achieved by controlling the MOF layer thicknesses, which is demonstrated by simulation of light-matter interactions on subwavelength scales. Laser-processed microwell arrays are used to boost sensing performance by extending the pathway for diffusion of external chemicals into nanopores of the MOFs. Both experiments and molecular dynamics simulations demonstrate that tailoring the period and height of the microwell array on the MIM resonator can advance the high detection sensitivity of chemicals.

Nonlinear Absorption Response of Zirconium Carbide Films.

Zirconium carbide (ZrC), a novel representative of the MXene family, has attracted considerable interest because of its outstanding physicochemical properties and potential applications in optoelectronic devices. For improving its performance as an optical modulator for ultrashort lasers, there is a call to continue studying the nonlinear optical behavior of MXene ZrC. Herein, for the first time, MXene ZrC films were fabricated on fused silica by magnetron sputtering deposition technology and used as a saturable absorber (SA) optical modulator in a passive Q-switched Nd:YAG laser. The saturation absorption behaviors of the prepared ZrC films were characterized by the Z-scan method. Their morphology, band structure, damage threshold, carrier recovery time, and saturation absorption properties were analyzed. The experimental results show that the MXene ZrC SA films exhibit excellent nonlinear optical characteristics, with a saturation intensity of 48.4 MW/cm2, a large modulation depth of 6.9%, and an ultrashort recovery time of 2.72 ps. In addition, the damage threshold of MXene ZrC SA films was estimated to be greater than 0.2516 J/cm2. By integrating the ZrC SA film optical modulator into the oscillator of the Nd:YAG laser, we achieved stable operation of the Q-switched laser with a central wavelength at 1.06 µm, with the shortest pulse width of 78 ns. The results of this study demonstrate the potential use of MXene ZrC SA films as optical modulators in ultrashort lasers.

Development of a large-field streak tube for underwater imaging lidar.

Streak tube imaging lidar (STIL) can obtain 4-D images of a target, and its performance is mainly determined by the streak tube sensor. To obtain a large field of view, we developed a streak tube with a photocathode length as large as 35.3 mm, which is larger than the commonly used ST-HDR (30 mm). At the same time, the temporal resolution and dynamic spatial resolution are 60 ps and 12 lp/mm, which are very suitable to obtain accurate target coordinates for 4-D imaging. In addition, the streak tube has a high detection sensitivity of 46 mA/W at 500 nm and, hence, prospects in remote imaging. To test the performance of the streak tube, an underwater STIL experiment was conducted. Echo signal processing was performed by means of a bandpass filter and a matched filter, and then the peak detection algorithm was used to reconstruct the image. The results indicate that a spatial resolution better than 9 mm is achieved in the limpid water with a depth of 20 m, and a range accuracy of 1 cm is achieved in the turbid water with a depth of 10 m. Such a performance suggests that the large-field streak tube is of great potential for underwater target imaging and other remote imaging applications.

Polarization-Dependent Scattering of Nanogratings in Femtosecond Laser Photowritten Waveguides in Fused Silica.

The properties of polarization-selective, light-guiding systems upon subwavelength nanogratings formation in the case of type II refractive index traces induced by femtosecond laser pulses in bulk fused silica were studied. Polarization-dependent scattering is analyzed both in simulation using a finite-difference, time-domain method and in experiments. We argue that the polarization-sensitive optical guiding of type II waveguides is due to polarization-dependent scattering of nanogratings. Optical designs can then be suggested where the guiding efficiency of type I traces can be combined with type II anisotropies. A low-loss waveguide polarizer is demonstrated based on the modulation of the evanescent field emerging from type I waveguides using polarization-dependent scattering of neighboring nanogratings.

Optical Properties of V2O5 Thin Films on Different Substrates and Femtosecond Laser-Induced Phase Transition Studied by Pump-Probe Method.

Vanadium pentoxide can undergo a reversible phase transition by heating above 260 °C; its non-thermal phase transition, as well as ultrafast dynamical processes, is still not known. Here, femtosecond laser-induced phase transition properties in V2O5 thin films were first explored using femtosecond time-resolved pump-probe spectroscopy. The results show that the phase transient processes occur on a 10-15-10-13 temporal scale. The phase transition and recovery properties are dependent on both the substrates and pump laser energy densities. We propose the oxygen vacancies theory to explain the results, and we provide valuable insights into V2O5 films for potential applications.

Index Modulation Embedded in Type I Waveguide Written by Femtosecond Laser in Fused Silica.

Slit-shaped laser beams focused in bulk optical materials can realize embedded waveguides with circular cross sections consisting of positive index change type I traces. In these kinds of waveguide traces, a peculiar periodical refractive index modulation was observed in type I waveguides with two different femtosecond lasers. The direction of refractive index modulation can be controlled with the slit configuration, and its period can be controlled by mechanical perturbation of the stages and the scanning speed. We argue that platform perturbation and dynamical thermal transport processes during the scan are generating factors in the appearance of this modulation. The embedded microstructures in waveguides can provide spectrum modulation, which may have potential applications in optical sensing, filtering, and phase control.

Research on the Response Characteristics of Vanadium Pentoxide Film to the Irradiation of Ultrafast Pulsed Laser.

Vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) is the most stable phase among many transition metal vanadium oxides, and has already been widely used in many fields. In this study, the morphological, structural, and optical responses of V2O5 film to ultrafast laser irradiation was investigated. The third-order nonlinear optical properties of V2O5 film were measured by common Z-scan technique, and the results showed that V2O5 film has self-defocusing and saturable absorption characteristics. The third-order nonlinear absorption coefficient and nonlinear refractive index were calculated to be -338 cm/GW and -3.62 × 10-12 cm2/W, respectively. The tunable saturated absorption with modulation depth ranging from 13.8% to 29.3% was realized through controlling the thickness of vanadium pentoxide film. V2O5 film was irradiated by ultrafast laser with variable pulse energy, and the morphological and structural responses of the V2O5 to the laser with different energy densities were investigated. The irreversible morphological and structural responses of V2O5 films to ultrafast laser irradiation was analyzed using the phase-contrast microscope and Raman spectrum. The chemical structure change from V2O5 to V6O13 was considered the main reason for refractive index modification.

Effects of CeO2 and Sb2O3 on the Nonlinear Photochemical Process in Ultrashort Laser Gaussian-Bessel Beams Irradiated Photo-Thermo-Refractive Glass.

Microfluidic chips and optical elements can be fabricated based on the nonlinear photosensitivity in photo-thermo-refractive (PTR) glass by controlling the growth of nanocrystals in the femtosecond (fs) laser-irradiated region. Here, we focus on CeO2 and Sb2O3 that play important roles in UV irradiation, experimentally investigate the effects of the dopants on the nonlinear photochemical process in PTR glass triggered by fs Gaussian-Bessel beams. The results show that the generation of Ag0 atoms and the Ag nanoparticles can be improved by CeO2 and Sb2O3 co-doping. Besides, each multivalent ion in PTR glass possibly participates in the electron transfer processes and contributes to the generation of Ag0 atoms. Finally, X-ray diffraction analysis reveals the precipitation of NaF nanocrystals with an average size of 10 to 12 nm after laser irradiation and thermal treatment, which is unrelated to the dopants.

Nano-Crystal and Microstructure Formation in Fluoride Photo-Thermo-Refractive Glass Using Chirp-Controlled Ultrafast Laser Bessel Beams.

Nano-crystals were formed in the exposed regions of photo-thermo-refractive glass undergoing irradiation with zeroth order chirp-controlled ultrafast laser Bessel beams and subsequent heat treatment. Effects of various writing powers, pulse durations and heat treatment time on the distribution and the size of the nano-crystals were investigated. The results show that nano-crystals' distribution depended on the laser power density spatial shape, while the size of the nano-crystals is quasi-independent. However, the average diameter of the nano-crystals was affected by the heat treatment time, decreasing from 175 to 105 nm with the time halved. In addition, using crystallographic characterization by X-ray diffraction, the nano-crystal composition in the laser-exposed regions was detected to be sodium fluoride.

Antireflective and Superhydrophilic Structure on Graphite Written by Femtosecond Laser.

Antireflection and superhydrophilicity performance are desirable for improving the properties of electronic devices. Here, we experimentally provide a strategy of femtosecond laser preparation to create micro-nanostructures on the graphite surface in an air environment. The modified graphite surface is covered with abundant micro-nano structures, and its average reflectance is measured to be 2.7% in the ultraviolet, visible and near-infrared regions (250 to 2250 nm). The wettability transformation of the surface from hydrophilicity to superhydrophilicity is realized. Besides, graphene oxide (GO) and graphene are proved to be formed on the sample surface. This micro-nanostructuring method, which demonstrates features of high efficiency, high controllability, and hazardous substances zero discharge, exhibits the application for functional surface.

Nonlinear Optical Response of Reflective MXene Molybdenum Carbide Films as Saturable Absorbers.

Molybdenum carbide (Mo2C) is a two-dimensional (2D) MXene material which makes it a promising photoelectric material. In this study, reflective type MXene Mo2C thin films were coated on a silver mirror by a magnetron sputtering method and were subsequently used in a passively Q-switched solid-state pulsed laser generator at the central wavelengths of 1.06 and 1.34 µm, respectively. The fabricated thin films of reflective type MXene Mo2C exhibited large modulation depth of 6.86% and 5.38% at the central wavelengths of 1064 and 1342 nm, respectively. By inserting the Mo2C saturable absorbers (SAs) into V-shaped Nd:YAG laser, short pulses were generated having a pulse duration, pulse energy, and average output power of 254 ns, 2.96 µJ, and 275 mW, respectively, at a wavelength of 1.06 µm. Similarly, shorter laser pulses were obtained in Nd:YVO4 laser at 1.34 µm. Our results illustrated potential of the 2D MXene Mo2C films for laser applications.

Photochemical response triggered by ultrashort laser Gaussian-Bessel beams in photo-thermo-refractive glass.

Photosensitivity in photo-thermo-refractive (PTR) glass can be triggered by UV and near-infrared fs laser irradiation. Here we focus on the nonlinear photochemical process triggered by ultrashort laser Gaussian-Bessel beams. The transmission and absorption spectra show that the primary difference between UV and fs laser exposure is the formation of color centers and kinetic process of silver nanoparticles growth. It is contributed to the nonlinear ionization of PTR glass matrix and thermal effects during interaction of glass matrix and ultrashort laser pulses. Transmission electron microscopy verifies the generation of nanoscale crystals in the irradiated region, and X-ray diffraction shows the existence of quartz crystal and NaF after laser irradiation and thermal treatment. Moreover, the dependence of photochemical reaction on laser parameters is investigated, as well as the tailoring of silver nanoparticles. On this basis, volume Bragg gratings with ultrashort laser Gaussian-Bessel beams are inscribed as an application which possess good diffraction characteristics.

3D waveguide element fabrication in Gorilla glass by an ultrafast laser.

Waveguide fabrication with an ultrafast laser system and the mechanism of index modification have been investigated in Corning Gorilla glass. Type I waveguides were obtained when the pulse duration was in the range of 250 fs to 15 ps. With the increase of pulse energy, single-mode waveguides converted to ring-mode waveguides. The variation tendency of Raman peak at 580cm-1 band is nonmonotonic with the increase of pulse energy, and the negative index change appears finally in the waveguide core. The alkali ions migrated towards the outside with different diffusivities after the laser irradiation. Finally, bend waveguides and hexagon-link waveguide connectors were produced.

Reconstructing of Embedded High-Aspect-Ratio Nano-Voids Generated by Ultrafast Laser Bessel Beams.

Ultrafast non-diffractive Bessel laser beams provide strong light confinement and show robust advantages for fabricating high-aspect-ratio nanoscale structures inside transparent materials. They take the form of nanoscale voids with typical diameters well below the wavelength and aspect ratio of more than 1000. Delivering 3D morphologies of such nanoscale voids is an important issue to evaluate the result for fabrication. However, the characterization of such laser-induced structures is a difficult task. Here, an accurate and time-saving tomography-like methodology is proposed and adopted for reconstructing the morphology of high-aspect-ratio nano-holes. The technique allows an accurate assertion of laser parameters and position on nano-structured features. The reconstructed configuration reveals that nanoholes morphologies have a close relationship with energy distribution in the focal region. It suggests that the configuration of micro-explosion can be controlled by laser energy deposition in the process of laser-matter interaction down to the nanoscale.

In Vitro Bioactivity and Biocompatibility of Bio-Inspired Ti-6Al-4V Alloy Surfaces Modified by Combined Laser Micro/Nano Structuring.

The bioactivity and biocompatibility play key roles in the success of dental and orthopaedic implants. Although most commercial implant systems use various surface microstructures, the ideal multi-scale topographies capable of controlling osteointegration have not yielded conclusive results. Inspired by both the isotropic adhesion of the skin structures in tree frog toe pads and the anisotropic adhesion of the corrugated ridges on the scales of Morpho butterfly wings, composite micro/nano-structures, including the array of micro-hexagons and oriented nano-ripples on titanium alloy implants, were respectively fabricated by microsecond laser direct writing and femtosecond laser-induced periodic surface structures, to improve cell adherence, alignment and proliferation on implants. The main differences in both the bioactivity in simulated body fluid and the biocompatibility in osteoblastic cell MC3T3 proliferation were measured and analyzed among Ti-6Al-4V samples with smooth surface, micro-hexagons and composite micro/nano-structures, respectively. Of note, bioinspired micro/nano-structures displayed the best bioactivity and biocompatibility after in vitro experiments, and meanwhile, the nano-ripples were able to induce cellular alignment within the micro-hexagons. The reasons for these differences were found in the topographical cues. An innovative functionalization strategy of controlling the osteointegration on titanium alloy implants is proposed using the composite micro/nano-structures, which is meaningful in various regenerative medicine applications and implant fields.

Design and Fabrication of Dual-Scale Broadband Antireflective Structures on Metal Surfaces by Using Nanosecond and Femtosecond Lasers.

Antireflective surfaces, with their great potential applications, have attracted tremendous attention and have been the subject of extensive research in recent years. However, due to the significant optical impedance mismatch between a metal surface and free space, it is still a challenging issue to realize ultralow reflectance on a metal surface. To address this issue, we propose a two-step strategy for constructing antireflective structures on a Ti-6Al-4V (TC4) surface using nanosecond and femtosecond pulsed lasers in combination. By controlling the parameters of the nanosecond laser, microgrooves are first scratched on the TC4 surface to reduce the interface reflection. Then, the femtosecond laser is focused onto the sample surface with orthogonal scanning to induce deep air holes and nanoscale structures, which effectively enhances the broadband absorption. The antireflection mechanism of the dual-scale structures is discussed regarding morphological characterization and hemispherical reflectance measurements. Finally, the modified sample surface covered with micro-nano hybrid structures is characterized by an average reflectance of 3.1% over the wavelengths ranging from 250 nm to 2250 nm.

Source apportionment of heavy metal and their health risks in soil-dustfall-plant system nearby a typical non-ferrous metal mining area of Tongling, Eastern China.

The agricultural land-atmospheric dustfall-plant system around the mining area is at high risks of heavy metal pollution caused by mining-smelting activities. In this study, 118 samples (including rhizospheric soils, background soils, soil-forming parent rocks, crops, vegetables, medicinal plants and atmospheric dustfall) were collected nearby Tongling Cu-Fe-Au mining area, Eastern China. We studied the concentrations, migration, sources, and health risks through consumption of two main crops (corn and rice), six kinds of vegetables, and medicinal plants (Fengdan, Paeonia ostii) for six metal elements (Cu, Zn, Cr, Cd, Pb and Hg). Results revealed Cr and Cd in soils, and Cd, Cr, Pb, Cu and Zn in dustfall showed a relatively high contamination degree. The mean contents of Cr and Pb in corn kernels, as well as Cd, Cr and Pb in rice grains and all vegetables, and Cr in Fengdan cortex moutan exceeded the corresponding food safety limits in China. The transfer capability of Cr in corn kernels and rice grains, Pb in edible vegetables, and Cd in cortex moutan were the strongest, respectively. Health risk assessment results showed Cr had the greatest non-carcinogenic risk, followed by Pb and Cd. The results of pearson's correlation analysis (CA), hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), and principal component analysis (PCA) indicated Zn-Cr, Pb and Cd-Cu-Hg in the plants might derive from different geochemical end-members. Source apportionment based on lead isotope showed that mining-smelting activities were the major source of Pb in atmospheric dustfall and agricultural soils, with the average contribution rates of 66% and 50%, respectively. Vehicle emissions from diesel fuels (50%-68%) and mining-smelting activities (16%-25%) contributed mainly to Pb accumulation in plants. Hence, our study suggested the accumulations of Pb in plants might be mainly from the direct foliar uptake of atmospheric Pb related to vehicle emissions and mining-smelting activities.