Femtosecond-laser-induced backward transfer of fluorinated ethylene propylene for fabrication of "lotus effect" surfaces

"Lotus effect" glass surfaces with fluorinated ethylene propylene were successfully fabricated by using a femtosecond laser-induced backward transfer (LIBT) method. By space-selectively modifying both the surface morphology and surface chemistry in a single step, LIBT provides a convenient and flexible route to fabricate superhydrophobic surfaces with ultralow adhesion. A systematic mechanism responsible for the anisotropic wetting behaviors and adhesion modulation was proposed with a combination of the Cassie and Wenzel models. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that oxidation and defluorination were induced by laser radiation. LIBT is proved to be a promising method for programmable manipulations of functional surfaces with diverse wettability.