Enhancement of Deposition Rate and Quality in Femtosecond Laser-Assisted Meniscus-Confined Electrodeposition

Localized electrochemical deposition possesses prominent merits in manufacturing 3D metallic microstructures. Nevertheless, traditional localized electrochemical deposition is restricted by diffusion-dominated mass transport, which creates obvious performance constraints. Enhancing deposition efficiency usually sacrifices structural quality, bringing about rougher surfaces, increased internal defects, and further mechanical degradation of microscale components. To tackle the above problem, femtosecond laser-assisted localized electrochemical deposition is proposed in this work. The function and action principle of femtosecond laser are validated through comparative analysis of current responses and deposited morphology under varied laser energy densities. Laser irradiation is accurately matched with the microscopic electrodeposition area. With the modulation effect exerted by femtosecond laser throughout the deposition procedure, both machining speed and forming quality of intricate metallic microstructures are elevated simultaneously. Experimental findings demonstrate that the Marangoni effect triggered by laser within the reaction area accelerates electrolyte supply, raises electrochemical current density, and yields a markedly higher volumetric deposition rate relative to deposition without laser assistance. This research proves that the proposed method can effectively overcome the trade-off limitation between efficiency and quality existing in conventional localized electrochemical deposition, facilitating high-efficiency microstructure preparation. It also offers novel references and technical support for the advancement of advanced microfabrication techniques.