Anisotropic wettability transition on nanoterraced glass surface by Ar ions

Abstract

Ion beam sputtering (IBS) can induce nanoripple patterns in a short time on variety of materials for wide range of applications. In this work, we describe the nanoripple as well as terrace pattern formation by IBS on soda-lime glass surfaces and the mechanisms leading to such pattern formations. The role of ion energy, ion fluence, and ion incidence angle on the morphology of the structural features is systematically explored. For a range of ion beam parameter values with energy varying from 600 to 1500 eV and fluence in the range 9.7 × 1017 to 2.0 × 1019 ions/cm2 at fixed incidence angle of 45°, transition of ripples to terraces has been observed. The experimental results are explained on the basis of recently modified KS equation which clearly explains the simultaneous role of nonlinear cubic term in the terrace formation. It is also demonstrated how ion beam can be used to tailor the wettability of glass surface and makes it hydrophobic in nature. Due to pattern formation, anisotropic hydrophobicity is observed showing an increasing trend owing to the magnification of the amplitude of nanopatterns developed on the surface.