Alteration of optical and morphological properties of polycarbonate illuminated by visible/IR laser beams

Abstract

In this paper we investigate the effects of visible to near infrared (NIR) laser illumination on the optical transmission (OT) and morphological (MC) alterations of thin, curved surfaces of polycarbonate (PC). The second harmonic of Nd: YAG laser (532 nm) and two diode lasers (665 and 980 nm) were used as illuminating sources. The morphological changes of the PC surfaces are determined using atomic force microscopy (AFM), demonstrating the appreciable changes caused by shorter wavelengths (higher energy). When analyzing the OT spectra of PC thin films, a measurable decrease in the OT of the PC samples which were illuminated by 532, 665 and 980 nm, in particular 532 nm, for energy densities greater than 25 J/cm2 can be seen.