In view of their potential applications as selective solar absorbers, chromium coatings on float glass substrates were nano/micro structured by femtosecond laser in air. Raman and X-rays diffraction investigations confirmed the formation of an ultra-porous alpha-Cr2O3 layer at the surface; higher is the input laser power, enhanced is the crystallinity of the alpha-Cr2O3 layer. The alpha-Cr2O3 layer with the Cr underneath it in addition to the photo-induced porosity acted as a classical ceramic-metal nano-composite making the reflectance to decrease significantly within the spectral range of 190-1100 nm. The average reflectance decreased from 70 to 2%. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.