Investigation of Laser-Induced Etching of Ti in Phosphoric Acid

Abstract

ABSTRACTLaser-induced chemical etching of Ti in phosphoric acid has been investigated using cw Nd:YAG (1.064 μιm) and Argon lasers (514 nm) operating in the fundamental Gaussian mode. Two different regions of etching were observed, which are separated by a characteristic threshold value of the laser power and ascribed to melting of the metal. Below the threshold an exponential dependence of etch rates on laser power suggest a thermally activated etching mechanism. Time-resolved measurements indicate in this region the dissolution of the passivation layer followed by surface etching of the metal grains. After laser illumination an immediate repassivation of the re-cooled surface stops the etch reaction.