Modification of surface energy via direct laser ablative surface patterning

US8987632B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration · US

Inventors

• Christopher J. Wohl, Jr. · Portsmouth, US
• Marcus Anthony Belcher · Sammamish, US
• John W. Connell · Newport News, US
• John W. Hopkins · Sunnyvale, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 30, 2010
• Grant date: Mar 24, 2015
• Expiry date: Mar 7, 2033

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T428/24479
• WIPO field: Machine tools
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

Surface energy of a substrate is changed without the need for any template, mask, or additional coating medium applied to the substrate. At least one beam of energy directly ablates a substrate surface to form a predefined topographical pattern at the surface. Each beam of energy has a width of approximately 25 micrometers and an energy of approximately 1-500 microJoules. Features in the topographical pattern have a width of approximately 1-500 micrometers and a height of approximately 1.4-100 micrometers.