Two-step recording-development approaches in laser processing of materials. Photoinduced gold nanoparticles-carbonization

A short review on two-step laser processing of material is presented. The main focus is on the processes which can be called recording-development ones. Here, the first step of laser processing provides an initial pattern on the material surface, which is enhanced or developed at the second step. A new type of the recordingd-development process is considered. The first process is the UV third harmonic of an Nd:YAG laser initiated gold nanoparticle growth in a polystyrene film. A grating of 20-um period is recorded through the corresponding mask. The lines of the grating are of red color corresponding to the plasmon resonance absorption of gold nanoparticles. The second, development step is carbonization of the matrix just near the gold nanoparticles performed by homogeneous irradiation of the recorded pattern by the powerful radiation of the second harmonic of the same laser. As a result, a black carbonized grating is obtained. The patterns possessing both red and black parts are also presented, demonstrating the opportunity to combine within the same matrix the microstructures of nanocomposites of different kinds.