Abstract: A method for laser-processing a metallic surface to produce a functionalized metallic surface comprises: providing a substrate having the metallic surface; applying a pulsed laser beam with a controlled fluence to a region of the metallic surface in an environment containing oxygen, wherein metal material in the region of the metallic surface ablates due to the applied pulsed laser beam and wherein at least a portion of the ablated metal material oxidizes and redeposits on the metallic surface to produce one or more oxidized-metal-coated structures; wherein the metallic surface having the one or more oxidized-metal-coated structures is the functionalized metallic surface. Optionally, the functionalized metallic surface has a higher hemispherical emissivity than the metallic surface free of the oxidized-metal-coated structures and prior to applying the pulsed laser beam under otherwise identical conditions.