Surface nanotexturing of tantalum by laser ablation in water

Surface nanotexturing of tantalum by ablation with short laser pulses in water has been studied experimentally using three ablation sources: a neodymium laser with a pulse duration of 350 ps, an excimer laser (248 nm) with a pulse duration of 5 ps and a Ti:sapphire laser with a pulse duration of 180 fs. The morphology of the nanotextured surfaces has been examined using a nanoprofilometer and field emission scanning electron microscope. The results demonstrate that the average size of the hillocks produced on the target surface depends on the laser energy density and is ∼200 nm at an energy density approaching the laser-melting threshold of tantalum and a pulse duration of 350 ps. Their surface density reaches 10⁶ cm^-2. At a pulse duration of 5 ps, the average hillock size is 60–70 nm. Nanotexturing is accompanied by changes in the absorption spectrum of the tantalum surface in the UV and visible spectral regions. The possible mechanisms of surface nanotexturing and potential applications of this effect are discussed.