Nanosecond Laser Induced Surface Structuring of Cadmium after Ablation in Air and Propanol Ambient

Umm-I-Kalsoom; Nisar Ali; Shazia Bashir; Samina Akbar; Muhammad Shahid Rafique; Ali Mohammad Alshehri; Narjis Begum; Tanveer Iqbal; Aneela Anwar

doi:10.3390/ijms232112749

Nanosecond Laser Induced Surface Structuring of Cadmium after Ablation in Air and Propanol Ambient

Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Oct 22;23(21):12749. doi: 10.3390/ijms232112749.

Authors

Umm-I-Kalsoom^{1

2

3}, Nisar Ali^{1

2

4}, Shazia Bashir², Samina Akbar³, Muhammad Shahid Rafique⁵, Ali Mohammad Alshehri⁶, Narjis Begum⁷, Tanveer Iqbal⁸, Aneela Anwar³

Affiliations

¹ Centre for Advanced Studies in Physics, Govt. College University, Lahore 54000, Pakistan.
² Department of Physics, Govt. College University, Lahore 54000, Pakistan.
³ Department of Basic Sciences and Humanities, University of Engineering and Technology Lahore, New Campus, Kalashah Kaku, Sheikhupura 39020, Pakistan.
⁴ Department of Basic Sciences and Humanities, University of Engineering and Technology Lahore, Faisalabad Campus, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan.
⁵ Department of Physics, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore 54000, Pakistan.
⁶ Department of Physics, King Khalid University, P.O. Box 9004, Abha 61413, Saudi Arabia.
⁷ Department of Physics, COMSATS University Islamabad, Islamabad 45550, Pakistan.
⁸ Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Lahore, New Campus, Kalashah Kaku, Sheikhupura 39020, Pakistan.

Abstract

In the present study KrF Excimer laser has been employed to irradiate the Cadmium (Cd) targets for various number of laser pulses of 500, 1000, 1500 and 2000, at constant fluence of 3.6 J cm^-2. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis was utilized to reveal the formation of laser induced nano/micro structures on the irradiated target (Cd) surfaces. SEM results show the generation of cavities, cracks, micro/nano wires/rods, wrinkles along with re-deposited particles during irradiation in air, whereas subsurface boiling, pores, cavities and Laser Induced Periodic Surface Structures (LIPSS) on the inner walls of cavities are revealed at the central ablated area after irradiation in propanol. The ablated volume and depth of ablated region on irradiated Cd targets are evaluated for various number of pulses and is higher in air as compared to propanol ambient. Fast Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analyses show the presence of oxides and hydro-oxides of Cd after irradiation in propanol, whereas the existence of oxides is observed after irradiation in air ambient. Nano-hardness tester was used to investigate mechanical modifications of ablated Cd. It reveals an increase in hardness after irradiation which is more pronounced in propanol as compared to air.

Keywords: absorption; materials; phase shift; sensors; surface plasmons.

MeSH terms

1-Propanol*
Cadmium*
Lasers
Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
Oxides

Substances

Cadmium
1-Propanol
Oxides

Grants and funding

The authors would like to thank the Deanship of Scientific Research at King Khalid University for funding this work through the Research Group Program under grant number RGP1/340/43. Authors are also thankful to the Faculty Research Project granted by University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore, Pakistan, under grant number 100.