Low energy laser shock peening without coating (LSPwC) was conducted on AISI 304 austenitic stainless steel specimens with varying pulse densities or overlapping. Highest magnitude of compressive residual stress (CRS) was achieved for an optimized pulse density of 2500 pulses/cm(2) (75% overlapping). The 2-D and 3-D topographical analysis were indicative of the fact that controlled roughening of the surface was achieved after the LSPwC process. After the LSPwC process, the hydrophilic unpeened surface was converted into the hydrophobic surface, thus decreasing the wettability characteristics of the surface. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) results reveal that there is a beginning of the martensite transformation and the rise in the intensity value of the peaks after LSPwC indicates the presence of compressive residual stresses induced in the specimen. The optical microscope and high-resolution transmission electron microscope results provided evidence of grain refinement and deformation induced refinement features such as multidirectional mechanical twinning, dislocations lines, micro shear cells and stacking faults in the near and sub-surface areas. The average hardness value of the LSPwC specimens was found to be increased by 28% more than the untreated specimen. The potentiodynamic polarization revealed that there was a considerable amount of increase in the pitting corrosion resistance after the LSPwC process, thus, supporting to extend the fatigue life of the specimen. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopic (EIS) analysis depicts that the LSPwC process supports the formation of the strong passivation layer in 3.5% NaCl solution. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.