Large-area formation of microsphere arrays using laser surface texturing technology

Abstract

Many potential applications in optics and nanotechnology require arrays of spherical particles with dozens of microns diameter, but it is not easy to format microspheres in this scale using existing technologies, especially for large-area application. In this paper, we report that microspheres sized from 40 to 80 μm can be regularly arranged in arrays with the aid of micro-ridges generated by pulsed nanosecond (ns) laser texturing. After experimental comparison, it is known that final formation of microspheres is significantly related to the height and width of micro-ridges. Proposed particle arrangement technology does not have area limitation and harsh hardware requirement, simultaneously possessing low-cost and time-saving advantages.