Stainless steel colouring using burst and biburst mode ultrafast laser irradiation

Laser surface colouring is an adaptable, versatile and environmentally friendly technology with many different applications. Using a femtosecond pulse laser in different burst regimes laser colouring on stainless steel was achieved. The mircomachined colours' dependence on fluence and different number of pulses within burst regimes were tested. The achieved colours were shown and their origin was explained. Because laser coloring is a very flexible method we have shown different colored images with intricate details. The achieved surface structures that resulted in colors mimicked those found in nature and were also hydrophobic which greatly increases their applicability.