Formation of a transparent superhydrophilic soda-lime glass with periodic structures by ultrashort laser pulses

Abstract Controlling the wettability of glass surfaces holds significant potential for various applications. Hydrophilic surfaces can be fabricated using ultrashort laser pulses; however, in the dry state, the transmittance of laser-textured surfaces tends to decrease due to surface roughness. Therefore, glass that exhibits both superhydrophilicity and high transparency is in demand. This study investigates the conditions necessary to achieve high transmittance and superhydrophilicity in soda-lime glass. Periodic groove structures were fabricated on the glass surface via ultrashort laser ablation. The effects of the processed area ratio and ablated volume on the contact angle (CA) and transmittance were analyzed. The results show that the CA decreases with an increase in cross-sectional area, indicating deeper ablation at constant groove width. Superhydrophilic soda-lime glass with a contact angle of less than 10° and 85% transparency was achieved.