Nanopatterning and nanostructure formation with femtosecond laser: Revolutionizing surface engineering on soda-lime glass.

• Generation of laser tracks utilizing varying pulse energies and scanning velocities. • Examination of the surface morphology of laser tracks formed on soda lime glass. • Production of laser-induced periodic surface structures with low spatial frequency. • Comprehensive investigation of laser tracks through top-plane and cross-sectional analysis using FESEM. • In-depth study of nanoparticle morphology through TEM examination. Glass, due to its high transparency and chemical stability, has found extensive use in electrical, electronic, and optoelectronic devices. This study presents a novel approach to modify the morphological features of laser-generated tracks and produced nanoparticles in soda-lime glass using the accuracy of micro processing by femtosecond laser pulses. The investigation has meticulously examined how variations in the incident laser pulse energy and scanning velocity dictate the formation of distinct morphological characteristics on the glass surface. FESEM has revealed three distinct morphological formations, including particulate, self-ordered periodic surface structures, and a combination of the two. Additionally, TEM analysis has shown the generation of both spherical and irregular-shaped nanoparticles with diameters ranging from 10 nm to less than 2 μm, and an amorphous structure confirmed by SAED patterns. The periodicity of the LIPSS was found to be 550±25 nm, and they were oriented perpendicular to the laser polarization vector. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]