Diffraction-driven laser surface nanostructuring: Towards patterning with curved periodic surface structures

The quest for miniaturization of devices and control over surface properties motivate rigorous efforts to artificially fabricate surfaces with nanometer features. Here we present a method fabricating curved, meandering grooves submicrometer spacing by laser irradiation in liquid. We show that this is possible using the cavitation bubbles formed during as diffraction objects spatially modulate intensity distribution beam, which imprinted into top layer material surface. are manipulated thermo-optical tweezers thermocapillary forces generated temperature gradient liquid around spot. presented results high viscosity liquid, producing laminar flow conditions, provides sufficient stability bubble dynamics generation regular arc-shaped concentric microgroove channels depth several hundred nanometers radius curvature micrometer range. Their position determined beam guiding pattern. clearly can be used an aid ablation liquids not just undesirable effect, usually classified literature.