Structural color display of polycrystalline diamond processed by femtosecond laser processing

Polycrystalline diamond possesses the advantages of high hardness, thermal conductivity and chemical inertness, rendering itself excellent acid, alkali and high temperature resistance. The development of polycrystalline diamond with structural color through fabricating surface structure would further expand its applications in surface and color engineering, attracting increasing attention. In this study, laser-induced periodic surface structure (LIPSS) on polycrystalline diamond were fabricating using femtosecond laser. The structural color was realized through the interaction between the fabricated LIPPS and natural light. To optimize the fabricating parameters, LIPPSs were fabricated on polycrystalline diamond using femtosecond lasers with different powers, scanning speeds, scanning times. Moreover, the formation mechanisms of LIPPS producing structural color were discussed through micro-structural analysis using state-of-the-art characterizations. Subsequently, high-quality LIPSS was fabricated on polycrystalline diamond through single time femtosecond laser processing in the conditions of 160 mW in laser power and 207 mm/s in scanning speed, successfully achieving vivid structural color. The fabricated structural color shows a reliable chemical stability against both acid and alkaline solutions. © 2025 Published by Elsevier B.V.