Laser processing of ceramics. Final technical report, June 1, 1981-November 30, 1985

Progress towards understanding the nature of laser-ceramic interactions and their utilization for ceramic processing has been made. Correlations between observations on laser scanned ceramic substrates have been made to the laser-metal interaction literature. Correlations with melt solidification of metals, although a considerably different material system, have proven fruitful and have led to more insights about the thermodynamic and mechanistic nature of ceramic melt solidification. The original purpose of this study was to exclusively use a CO/sub 2/ laser for ceramic melting and specifically to prepare ceramic powders. Unfortunately, it has not been possible to satisfactorily investigate powder preparation per se. Therefore, the results reported are primarily concerned with investigations of laser-ceramic interactions which involve rapid solidification of surfaces at cooling rates of 10/sup 3/ to 10/sup 5/ K/s. Because of the continuing interest in powder synthesis a plasma vaporization of solutions technique was investigated. The vapor synthesis method was adapted because of its potential utility for a wide range of material compositions.