Open AccessLaser turns silicon superwicking
Author(s) -
A. S. Vorobyev,
Guo Chen
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.18.006455
Subject(s) - optics , silicon , femtosecond , laser , materials science , surface (topology) , intensity (physics) , root mean square , physics , optoelectronics , geometry , mathematics , quantum mechanics
Using high-intensity femtosecond laser pulses, we create a novel surface pattern that transforms regular silicon to superwicking. Due to the created surface structure, water sprints vertically uphill in a gravity defying way. Our study of the liquid motion shows that the fast self-propelling motion of water is due to a supercapillary effect from the surface structures we created. The wicking dynamics in the produced surface structure is found to follow the classical square root of time dependence.