Influence of Laser Processing Parameters on Surface Roughness and Color Formation in the Marked Zone

In this study, we focus on the influence of basic parameters such as raster step, speed, frequency, linear energy density and scanning overlap coefficient on the process of raster laser marking of AISI 304 stainless steel samples. The change of the studied parameters is analyzed in relation to the resulting roughness in the processing area and is compared with the corresponding color coordinates of the resulting color markings in these areas. It is shown that each specific color is associated with a nanostructure as a result of the interaction between laser radiation with a certain laser energy density and the processed material. The present study is a small contribution to the topic of laser texturing of various materials, which allows obtaining new surface properties, with excellent wetting properties, which can be shown as exceptional water repellency, increased corrosion resistance, protection against icing, reduced resistance to laminar and turbulent flows, self-healing, antibacterial action, etc.