Published online by Cambridge University Press: 26 February 2011
A study of the effects of high intensity excimer laser radiation (249nm.) of aluminum and an Al-Si alloy reveals a variety of intriguing surface topographical features. Important parameters determining these include the energy-density and the number of short-duration (≈22ns.) pulses. Specific attention has been devoted to determining the condition for the onset of surface melting, and the physical effects of further increasing the energy density. A study of the frozen-in surface wave structure has been used to determine the approximate solidification time and the solidification-front velocity. As well as overall surface melting, an interesting phenomenon is the localized melting occurring at precipitates which preferentially absorb the incident radiation. This phenomenon has been studied in an Al-Si alloy subjected to single and multiple pulses; the effect of the latter has been found to have a striking effect.