Surface treatments by laser

Laser treatments of various metals are studying depending on the laser wavelength, pulse time duration and shape, and fluence (laser/metal interaction regime). Low fluence excimer UV laser melting process of gold layer is shown to improve the corrosion resistance of multilayer (Au/Ni/Cu alloy) electrical contacts. For this application the homogenity of the laser beam as well as the initial Cu substrate roughness are found to be limiting parameters of the process. Carburization of Al alloy, performed in C 3 H 6 atmosphere with a KrF laser induces the incorporation of carbon atoms over about 4 μm depth. The crystalline Al 4 C 3 synthesized at the surface leads to a strengthening of the light Al alloy, which is of great interest for application in car industry. The study shows that diffusion of C atom in the target is possible because of a plasma presence on the surface which supports the molten bath life time and induces dissociation of the ambient gas. In the last example of laser metal surface treatment presented in that paper, a commonly used steel is treated in air with different lasers at a fluence above the plasma formation threshold. It is seen that the machining oils covering the surface before the treatment can be efficiently removed and that new compounds (nitride, carbide and oxides) are formed at the surface.