Effect of an absorbent overlay on the residual stress field induced by laser shock processing on aluminum samples

Laser shock processing (LSP) or laser shock peening is a new technique for strengthening metals. This process induces a compressive residual stress field, which increases fatigue crack initiation life and reduces fatigue crack growth rate. Specimens of 6061-T6 aluminum alloy are used in this investigation. A convergent lens is used to deliver 2.5 J, 8 ns laser pulses by a Q-switch Nd:YAG laser, operating at 10 Hz. The pulses are focused to a diameter of 1.5 mm onto aluminum samples. Density of 2500 pulses/cm² with infrared (1064 nm) radiation was used. The effect of an absorbent overlay on the residual stress field using this LSP setup and this energy level is evaluated. Residual stress distribution as a function of depth is assessed by the hole drilling method. It is observed that the overlay makes the compressive residual stress profile move to the surface. This effect is explained on the basis of the vaporization of the coat layer suppressing thermal effects on the metallic substrate. The effect of coating the specimen surface before LSP treatment may have advantages on improving wear and contact fatigue properties of this aluminum alloy.     

High level compressive residual stresses produced in aluminum alloys by laser shock processing

Laser shock processing (LSP) has been proposed as a competitive alternative technology to classical treatments for improving fatigue and wear resistance of metals. We present a configuration and results for metal surface treatments in underwater laser irradiation at 1064 nm. A convergent lens is used to deliver 1.2 J/cm² in a 8 ns laser FWHM pulse produced by 10 Hz Q-switched Nd:YAG, two laser spot diameters were used: 0.8 and 1.5 mm.Results using pulse densities of 2500 pulses/cm² in 6061-T6 aluminum samples and 5000 pulses/cm² in 2024 aluminum samples are presented. High level of compressive residual stresses are produced −1600 MPa for 6061-T6 Al alloy, and −1400 MPa for 2024 Al alloy. It has been shown that surface residual stress level is higher than that achieved by conventional shot peening and with greater depths. This method can be applied to surface treatment of final metal products.     

激光冲击强化对激光增材TC4钛合金组织和抗氧化性的影响

近年来,激光增材制造技术(3D打印)成为科学研究及工业应用领域的热点。为了研究激光冲击强化对增材制造TC4钛合金性能的影响,本文采用能量为5 J,波长为1 064 nm,脉宽为10 ns,光斑直径为3 mm的脉冲激光对3D打印TC4钛合金进行激光冲击强化,分析了激光冲击强化前后材料的显微硬度、显微组织、残余应力以及高温氧化性能。结果表明,经过激光冲击强化后,材料的显微硬度比激光冲击强化前提高了8%,影响层深度达到0.4 mm,强化区域的晶粒得到细化,位错增多,并产生形变孪晶;激光冲击强化的残余压应力数值高达472 MPa,材料的高温抗氧化性能也得到改善。     

激光喷丸改善TC6钛合金组织和力学性能

为了使激光冲击强化技术能较好地应用于TC6钛合金的发动机叶片,对TC6钛合金进行试验研究。通过X射线衍射仪、透射电子显微镜等测试技术分析了不同参数下TC6钛合金的微观组织变化,用显微硬度计和残余应力测试仪分别表征表层硬度和残余应力变化,并测试材料冲击后的振动高周疲劳性能。试验结果表明:激光冲击材料后表面组织得到明显细化,随着冲击次数的增加,先后出现了高密度位错、位错胞、亚晶和纳米晶。性能方面,表面硬度在冲击一次即可提高19%,硬度影响深度达到700 m;与此同时表面残余应力最高达到-608.5 MPa,在500 m深度上仍具有-100 MPa左右的应力存在。经三次冲击后,标准疲劳试片的疲劳极限提高近20%。     

Laser Shock Processing of 6061-T6 Al alloy with 1064 nm and 532 nm wavelengths

Laser Shock Processing (LSP) has been proposed as a competitive alternative technology to classical treatments for improving fatigue and wear resistance of metals. We present a configuration and results in the LSP concept for metal surface treatments in underwater laser irradiation at 532 nm and 1064 nm. The purpose of the work is to compare the effect of both wavelengths on the same material. A convergent lens is used to deliver 1.2 J/pulse (1064 nm) and 0.9 J/pulse (532 nm) in a 8 ns laser FWHM pulse produced by 10 Hz Q-switched Nd:YAG laser with spots of a 1.5 mm in diameter moving forward along the work piece. A LSP configuration with experimental results using a pulse density of 2500 pulses/cm² and 5000 pulses/cm² in 6061-T6 aluminum samples are presented. High level compressive residual stresses are produced using both wavelengths. It has been shown that surface residual stress level is comparable to that achieved by conventional shot peening, but with greater depths. This method can be applied to surface treatment of final metal products.     

An experimental investigation of underwater pulsed laser forming

Laser forming is a new forming technology, which deforms a metal sheet using laser-induced thermal stresses. This paper presents an experimental investigation of pulsed laser forming of stainless steel in water and air. The effects of cooling conditions on bending angle and morphology of the heat affected zone (HAZ) are studied. It is shown that the case of the top surface in air and the bottom surface immersed in water has the greatest bending angle based on the forming mechanism of TGM. The water layer above the sample decreases the coupling energy, leading to a small bending angle. For a thin water thickness (1 mm), the water effects on the HAZ are limited. As water layer thickness increases (5 mm), the concave shape of the HAZ is more remarkable and irregular because the shock waves by high laser energy heating water are fully developed. However, the area and the depth of the HAZ become less significant when water thickness is 10 mm due to the long pathway that laser undergoes.     

Effect of laser shot peening on precipitation hardened aluminum alloy 6061-T6 using low energy laser

Mechanical properties of engineering material can be improved by introducing compressive residual stress on the material surface and refinement of their microstructure. Variety of mechanical process such as shot peening, water jet peening, ultrasonic peening, laser shot peening were developed in the last decades on this contrast. Among these, lasers shot peening emerged as a novel industrial treatment to improve the crack resistance of turbine blades and the stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of austenic stainless steel in power plants. In this study we successfully performed laser shot peening on precipitation hardened aluminum alloy 6061-T6 with low energy (300 mJ, 1064 nm) Nd:YAG laser using different pulse densities of 22 pulses/mm² and 32 pulses/mm². Residual stress evaluation based on X-ray diffraction sin² ψ method indicates a maximum of 190% percentage increase on surface compressive stress. Depth profile of micro-hardness shows the impact of laser generated shock wave up to 1.2 mm from the surface. Apart from that, the crystalline size and micro-strain on the laser shot peened surfaces have been investigated and compared with the unpeened surface using X-ray diffraction in conjunction with line broadening analysis through the Williamson-Hall plot.     

激光冲击强化提高纯铜耐磨性能的研究

应用激光冲击强化对纯铜表面进行处理改善其耐磨性能。采用球磨实验分析了激光冲击强化前后的耐磨性能, 利用X-射线衍射仪和电子背散射衍射技术对表层的相结构和晶粒形态分布进行了分析, 并对耐磨性能提高机理进行了讨论。结果表明, 纯铜经激光冲击强化后其比磨损率降低了19.5%, 同时由于表面粗糙度增大, 使得初期摩擦系数增加, 但随着摩擦周数的增加, 激光冲击强化作用明显, 摩擦系数下降。这是由于激光冲击强化在纯铜中引入大量细化晶粒、孪晶和亚结构, 阻碍了位错的运动, 增强了变形抗力, 从而提高了材料的耐磨性能。     

激光冲击强化提高纯铜耐磨性能的研究

应用激光冲击强化对纯铜表面进行处理改善其耐磨性能。采用球磨实验分析了激光冲击强化前后的耐磨性能, 利用X-射线衍射仪和电子背散射衍射技术对表层的相结构和晶粒形态分布进行了分析, 并对耐磨性能提高机理进行了讨论。结果表明, 纯铜经激光冲击强化后其比磨损率降低了19.5%, 同时由于表面粗糙度增大, 使得初期摩擦系数增加, 但随着摩擦周数的增加, 激光冲击强化作用明显, 摩擦系数下降。这是由于激光冲击强化在纯铜中引入大量细化晶粒、孪晶和亚结构, 阻碍了位错的运动, 增强了变形抗力, 从而提高了材料的耐磨性能。     

激光喷丸改善TC6钛合金组织和力学性能

为了使激光冲击强化技术能较好地应用于TC6钛合金的发动机叶片,对TC6钛合金进行试验研究。通过X射线衍射仪、透射电子显微镜等测试技术分析了不同参数下TC6钛合金的微观组织变化,用显微硬度计和残余应力测试仪分别表征表层硬度和残余应力变化,并测试材料冲击后的振动高周疲劳性能。试验结果表明：激光冲击材料后表面组织得到明显细化,随着冲击次数的增加,先后出现了高密度位错、位错胞、亚晶和纳米晶。性能方面,表面硬度在冲击一次即可提高19%,硬度影响深度达到700 m;与此同时表面残余应力最高达到-608.5 MPa,在500 m深度上仍具有-100 MPa左右的应力存在。经三次冲击后,标准疲劳试片的疲劳极限提高近20%。     

Short-laser-pulse-driven emission of energetic ions into a solid target from a surface layer spalled by a laser prepulse

An efficient emission of picosecond bunches of energetic protons and carbon ions from a thin layer spalled from a organic solid by a laser prepulse is demonstrated numerically. We combine the molecular dynamics technique and multi-component collisional particle-in-cell method with plasma ionization to simulate the laser spallation and ejection of a thin (∼20–30 nm) solid layer from an organic target and its further interaction with an intense femtosecond laser pulse. In spite of its small thickness, a layer produced by laser spallation efficiently absorbs ultrashort laser pulses with the generation of hot electrons that convert their energy to ion energy. The efficiency of the conversion of the laser energy to ions can be as high as 20%, and 10% to MeV ions. A transient electrostatic field created between the layer and surface of the target is up to 10 GV/cm. Received: 13 March 2001 / Accepted: 20 March 2001 / Published online: 20 June 2001     

Excimer laser surface treatment of aluminum alloy in nitrogen

The excimer laser nitriding process reported is developed to enhance the mechanical and chemical properties of aluminum alloys. An excimer laser beam is focused onto the alloy surface in a cell containing 1-bar nitrogen gas. A vapor plasma expands from the surface and a shock wave dissociates and ionizes nitrogen. It is assumed that nitrogen from plasma in contact with the surface penetrates to some depth. Thus it is necessary to work with a sufficient laser fluence to create the plasma, but this fluence must be limited to prevent laser-induced surface roughness. The nitrogen-concentration profiles are determined from Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy coupled to energy-dispersive X-ray analysis. Crystalline quality is evidenced by an X-ray diffraction technique. Transmission electron microscopy gives the in-depth microstructure. Fretting coefficient measurements exhibit a lowering for some experimental conditions. The polycrystalline nitride layer obtained is several micrometers thick and composed of a pure AlN (columnar microstructure) top layer (200–500 nm thick) standing on an AlN (grains) in alloy diffusion layer. From the heat conduction equation calculation it is shown that a 308-nm laser wavelength would be better to increase the nitride thickness, as it corresponds to a weaker reflectance R value for aluminum. Received: 17 October 2000 / Accepted: 19 October 2000 / Published online: 23 May 2001     

A point source analytical model of inverse pulsed laser deposition

A simple analytical model for inverse pulsed laser deposition is proposed. In the model the motion of the evaporated material is assumed to emerge as from a point source located above the surface of evaporation at some distance. The obtained thickness profiles of inverse deposited films agree well with those calculated by the test particle Monte Carlo method. The proposed approach has been applied for analysis of experimental data on inverse pulsed laser deposition of graphite in nitrogen atmosphere with nanosecond pulses of laser fluences between 1 and 7 J/cm². The model describes well the thickness profiles and pressure dependence of film growth rate for inverse deposition.     

激光冲击诱导弹簧钢丝残余应力状态分析

利用高功率Nd:YAG激光对不同工艺处理的SWOSC-V弹簧钢丝进行单点冲击处理,用X射线应力分析仪测量弹簧内外侧、侧表面的残余应力并计算出残余主应力,建立了激光冲击SWOSC-V弹簧钢丝表面残余应力的产生模型,并利用该模型分析了弹簧钢丝表面残余应力产生的原因。结果表明:弹簧钢丝在经激光冲击处理的表面强化区产生残余压应力,钢丝退火后直接激光冲击处理与经喷丸强化的钢丝激光冲击处理的表面残余应力变化不同,喷丸强化所引起的材料硬化是激光冲击处理弹簧钢丝残余应力变化不同的原因。     

激光冲击诱导弹簧钢丝残余应力状态分析

利用高功率Nd：YAG激光对不同工艺处理的SWOSC-V弹簧钢丝进行单点冲击处理,用X射线应力分析仪测量弹簧内外侧、侧表面的残余应力并计算出残余主应力,建立了激光冲击SWOSC-V弹簧钢丝表面残余应力的产生模型,并利用该模型分析了弹簧钢丝表面残余应力产生的原因。结果表明:弹簧钢丝在经激光冲击处理的表面强化区产生残余压应力,钢丝退火后直接激光冲击处理与经喷丸强化的钢丝激光冲击处理的表面残余应力变化不同,喷丸强化所引起的材料硬化是激光冲击处理弹簧钢丝残余应力变化不同的原因。     

Absorption and scattering of high-power laser radiation in low-density porous media

We have experimentally investigated the interaction of high-power neodymium laser pulses in the intensity range 10¹³–10¹⁴ W/cm² with flat low-density (0.5–10 mg/cm³) agar-agar targets under conditions of interest for problems of inertial nuclear fusion. Optical and x-ray methods with high temporal and spatial resolution were used to examine the dependence of absorption and scattering of the incident beam on the initial mean density and thickness of the irradiated samples. We show that when a porous target is irradiated, a bulk absorption layer of high-temperature plasma is produced inside the target whose dimensions are determined by the initial density of the material. The time dependence and spectral composition of the harmonics 2ω ₀ and 3ω ₀/2 observed in the plasma-scattered radiation are measured. A theoretical model is developed that describes the interaction of high-power laser pulses with a porous medium. Predictions of the model, based on the hypothesis of two stages of homogenization of the target material—a fast stage (0.1–0.3 ns) and a slow stage (1–3 ns), are in good agreement with the experimental data. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 115, 805–818 (March 1999)     

High-energy pulse-burst laser system for megahertz-rate flow visualization

A high-pulse-energy megahertz-repetition-rate Nd:YAG-based pulse-burst laser system has been developed. The laser can produce a burst of more than 30 pulses, with an average energy per pulse of 70 mJ, at up to 1-MHz repetition rate. The burst repetition rate is 9 Hz. Coupled with a megahertz-framing-rate CCD camera, the frequency-doubled pulse-burst laser system has been successfully used in the visualization of shock evolution in a supersonic flow.     

Effect of plasma confinement on laser shock microforming of thin metal sheets

Laser shock forming is conceived as a non-thermal laser forming method of thin metal sheets using the shock wave induced by laser irradiation to modify the target curvature. The plastic deformation induced by the shock wave and the direct plasma pressure applied on the material generate a residual stress distribution in the material finally leading to its bending. Using water as a confinement medium for the plasma the pressure can be increased around 10 times and the final deformation has a dramatic increase.The effect can be made clearly apparent in thin specimens (up to 1 mm). In the present study thin (100 μm) stainless steel (AISI 316) strips (1 mm long and 300 μm wide) in single and double pinned configurations have been investigated.A Nd:YAG Laser (1064 nm) with 10 ns of pulse length (FWHM) and an energy of 21 mJ per pulse is focused in the strip (spot diameter of the spot = 500 μm).Experimental and numerical studies of the influence of plasma confinement in the process and number of applied pulses are presented.The study shows that the final bending of the specimens can be controlled on a relative wide range by a stable quasi-proportional relation to the number of applied pulses and, what is considered as of major importance, that plasma confinement increases the generated pressure and thus the bending in the target.Laser shock microforming in confined configuration is considered as a technique allowing the successful processing of components in a medium range of miniaturization.     

Asynchronous cross-correlation for weak ultrafast deep ultraviolet laser pulses

We have developed a technique for the temporal characterisation of weak deep-ultraviolet (DUV) ultrashort laser pulses by combining asynchronous optical sampling with difference-frequency mixing. The intensity profile of picosecond DUV pulses, with peak powers as low as 2.5 W, have been measured accurately with a resolution of 50 fs. The method can be extended to complete amplitude and phase characterisation of few femtosecond laser pulses at DUV wavelengths.