Integration of Great Water Repellence and Imaging Performance on a Superhydrophobic PDMS Microlens Array by Femtosecond Laser Microfabrication. Issue 3 (18th December 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Minjing; Yang, Qing; Chen, Feng; Yong, Jiale; Bian, Hao; Wei, Yang; Fang, Yao; Hou, Xun
• Is Part Of: Advanced engineering materials. Volume 21:Issue 3(2019)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2018-12-18
• Subjects: anti‐water -- femtosecond laser -- microlens array -- self‐cleaning -- superhydrophobicity; Materials -- Periodicals; 620.11
• DOI: 10.1002/adem.201800994
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1438-1656

Abstract

Abstract : Microlens arrays (MLAs), as the important optical devices, are easily polluted by the water droplets or power‐like‐contaminates in the air. Endowing the artificial MLAs with anti‐water and self‐cleaning abilities remains great challenge. In this paper, the authors report a novel method for fabricating superhydrophobic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) MLAs by the combination of femtosecond laser wet etching and femtosecond laser direct writing methods. The resultant surface is composed of a convex MLA and the surrounding rough micro/nanoscale hierarchical structures. Water droplet on the surface of the as‐prepared MLA shows a contact angle of 162° and can easily roll away when the substrate is slightly tilted 0.5°. In addition to their excellent imaging performance, such ultralow adhesive and ultrahigh superhydrophobicity also endows the as‐prepared MLA with excellent anti‐water ability as well as the self‐cleaning function relative to the normal MLA. The authors believe that the anti‐water and self‐cleaning MLAs will potentially have many important applications in solar cells, medical endoscopes, and other optical systems that are often used in the humid environment or outdoors. Abstract : A superhydrophobic PDMS microlens array with great water repellence and imaging ability is prepared by the combination of femtosecond laser wet etching and femtosecond laser direct writing methods. The superhydrophobic PDMS MLA consist of a convex MLA and the rest laser‐induced rough micro/nanoscale hierarchical structures. The as‐prepared MLA shows superhydrophobicity and ultralow adhesion, besides its inherent great imaging performance.