Laser Materials Processing Laboratory

This laboratory is dedicated to the study of laser-materials interactions and the properties of materials processed by lasers at the macro/micro/nano-scales.

On-going research

(a) Additive laser manufacturing: laser-assisted deposition of single-crystalline Ni-superalloys and refractory materials by laser powder deposition; combinatorial design     of metal-matrix ceramic reinforced composites and Ti alloys with improved biomechanical behaviour; metallic glass coatings for bioimplants;

(b) Femtosecond laser materials processing: laser structuring of ceramic and metallic materials for self-cleaning surfaces, biofilm growth inhibition and enhanced cell interaction in orthopedic and dental implants; laser nanostructuring of magnetic thin films of and study of the mechanism responsible for current-induced magnetization switching observed in these films; study of the ablation of biological hard-tissues, applied to minimally invasive dental and orthopedic surgery; study of the structural transformations induced in dielectric materials by intense ultrafast laser pulses;

(c) Pulsed laser deposition of oxide-based thin films and heterostructures and metallic multilayers for thermoelectric devices and magnetoelectronics

Experimental installations located at IST and FCUL

– Laser micro/nanoprocessing system based on a Yb:KYW chirped-pulse-regenerative amplification laser, with 100-500 fs variable pulse duration and radiation    wavelength of 1030 nm, and computer controlled XY stage (@IST)
– Laser powder (macro)-deposition system consisting of two 2kW cw Nd:YAG lasers, optical fibre beam delivery laser cladding head, pneumatic powder feeder, CNC 3D position system and controlled atmosphere chamber (@IST)
– Laser micro-cladding workstation consisting of a 200W fibre laser, piezoelectric powder feeder and computer controlled 4-axis positioning system, in controlled atmosphere chamber (@IST)
– Laser micromachining system based on an UV excimer laser operating at 248 nm (KrF) and 193 nm (ArF), in the nanosecond regime (@FCUL)
– Pulsed Laser Deposition system based on the excimer laser (previously described), and an ultra-high vacuum chamber equipped with a 6-target rotating holder (@FCUL)
– LCVD – Laser-assisted Chemical Vapor Deposition based on an high vacuum chamber and the above described excimer laser (@FCUL)
– MOKE – Magneto-Optical Kerr Effect magnetometry based on two wavelength laser diodes (blue and red) (@FCUL)

Location:
IST Lab.: IST-Alameda campus, Pav. Matemática, floor -2, room 02.06 and Pav. Mecânica II, room 1.40
FCUL Lab.: FCUL, Dep. Física, Ed. C8, floor 4, room 8401

Access conditions: Within collaborative research work. Contact the respective scientific researcher in charge.