The surfaces of materials can have an enormous influence on their function. If the external properties are changed, this also expands the range of possible applications. This is why materials scientists at Friedrich Schiller University Jena (Germany) are researching how they can tailor the surfaces of different materials using laser technology. They are mainly focusing on laser-induced periodic surface structures, also known as LIPSS. This method can be used to create particularly tiny structures. They report on a very special success in this field in the internationally renowned trade journal Carbon.