Developments in Laser-Assisted Manufacturing and Processing

A special issue of Processes (ISSN 2227-9717). This special issue belongs to the section "Manufacturing Processes and Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2023) | Viewed by 10794

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Mathematics and Physics “Ennio De Giorgi”, University of Salento, 73100 Lecce, Italy
Interests: pulsed laser deposition; laser-matter interactions; solid-state physics; nanomaterials; photoluminescent materials; photonics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Laser-assisted material processing deals with multiple applications ranging from fundamental scientific research to sophisticated industrial engineering/manufacturing of a wide class of materials. Applications exploit spatially localized laser-induced changes in state and micro-/nanostructure as well as phase transformations, ablation mechanisms and cleaning issues. The available laser sources can be broadly categorized according to the wavelength, power delivery, continuous or pulsed operation mode and duration of the laser pulse. All these parameters impact not only on quality and effectiveness of the laser processing but also on matter functional properties through the associated laser–matter interaction phenomena. In addition to conventional lithography and industrial applications (selective melting, annealing, cleaning, high-precision cutting, machining of grooves or holes) as well as laser ablation in vacuum, reactive or inert atmosphere and liquid deposition of any kind of inorganic material or compound of complex stoichiometry, laser-assisted processing is also recently being exploited for surface wettability modification, engraving of microfluidic architectures and manufacturing patterned supports with controlled shape and size for cellular attachment and growth. Moreover, laser–matter interactions also enable deposition of organic materials via the matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE) technique.

This Special Issue aims at providing a multidisciplinary overview of the field through both original research and review papers focusing on current knowledge, emerging applications, developments and the huge potential of laser-assisted material growth and processing.

Dr. Maura Cesaria
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • laser-matter interaction
  • laser classification
  • processing parameters
  • technology, research and applications
  • pulsed laser deposition (PLD)
  • MAPLE technique
  • laser-assisted surface engineering
  • surface micro-and nanostructuring
  • laser manufacturing of optical materials

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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28 pages, 6516 KiB  
Article
Colloidal TiO2 Nanorod Films Deposited Using the MAPLE Technique: Role of the Organic Capping and Absence of Characteristic Surface Patterns
by Maura Cesaria, Antonietta Taurino, Pantaleo Davide Cozzoli, Valentina Arima and Anna Paola Caricato
Processes 2023, 11(9), 2591; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11092591 - 29 Aug 2023
Viewed by 773
Abstract
Thin films of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanocrystals, widely acknowledged for their unique physical-chemical properties and functionalities, are used in disparate technological fields, including photovoltaics, sensing, environmental remediation and energy storage. In this paper, the preparation of thin films consisting of anatase-phase [...] Read more.
Thin films of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanocrystals, widely acknowledged for their unique physical-chemical properties and functionalities, are used in disparate technological fields, including photovoltaics, sensing, environmental remediation and energy storage. In this paper, the preparation of thin films consisting of anatase-phase TiO2 nanorods deposited using the matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE) technique and their characterization in terms of morphology, elemental composition and wettability are presented and discussed. Particular attention is paid to the effects of the laser fluence, varied over a broad range (F = 25, 50, 100 mJ/cm2), and to the role of the capping surfactants bound to the surface of the nanorod precursors. Whereas increasing fluence favored a partial removal of the surface-bound surfactants, a post-growth UV-light-driven photocatalytic treatment of the films was found to be necessary to reduce the incorporated fraction of organics to a further substantial extent. It was noteworthy that, under our experimental conditions, the distinctive surface patterns and roughness that commonly degrade the morphology of films deposited using the MAPLE technique were not observable. This previously unreported experimental evidence was rationalized on the basis of the interaction dynamics between solvent/solute droplets ejected from the laser-irradiated target and the rough surfaces of the growing film. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Developments in Laser-Assisted Manufacturing and Processing)
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18 pages, 7350 KiB  
Article
Applications of Terrestrial Laser Scanner in Detecting Pavement Surface Defects
by Abdelhalim Azam, Abdulaziz H. Alshehri, Mohammad Alharthai, Mona M. El-Banna, Ahmed M. Yosri and Ashraf A. A. Beshr
Processes 2023, 11(5), 1370; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11051370 - 30 Apr 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1668
Abstract
An entire roadway system represents a crucial element in the sustainable urban transportation planning process. Pavement surfaces are at continual risk of accumulating serious deteriorations and defects throughout their service life due to traffic loading and environmental impact. Since roadway networks are growing [...] Read more.
An entire roadway system represents a crucial element in the sustainable urban transportation planning process. Pavement surfaces are at continual risk of accumulating serious deteriorations and defects throughout their service life due to traffic loading and environmental impact. Since roadway networks are growing rapidly, relying on visual pavement inspection is not always feasible. Therefore, this paper proposes an effective assessment method for evaluating flexible pavement surface distresses using a terrestrial laser scanner (TLS) and calculating the pavement condition index (PCI). The proposed terrestrial laser scanner method results in road condition assessments becoming faster, safer, and more systematic. It also aims to determine the geometric characteristics of the investigated roads. A major road in Egypt was selected to test the proposed technique and compare it with the traditional visual inspection method. The evaluation was carried out to assess different types of pavement distress, such as cracking, rutting, potholes, and raveling distresses. Every pavement distress was defined in terms of surface area, the width of the crack, and intensity, and the data from TLS were then processed by MAGNET COLLAGE software. A MATLAB program was developed to match the TLS observational data to plane equations. PAVER software was also used to determine the PCI values for each TLS position. The revealed distresses for the investigated road using TLS observations reveal a significant improvement in determining flexible pavement distresses and geometric characteristics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Developments in Laser-Assisted Manufacturing and Processing)
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Review

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27 pages, 3430 KiB  
Review
Pulsed Laser Deposition of Carbon-Based Materials: A Focused Review of Methods and Results
by Rosalba Gaudiuso
Processes 2023, 11(8), 2373; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11082373 - 7 Aug 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1717
Abstract
Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) is a highly flexible experimental methodology for the growth of thin films of a broad variety of materials, based on the generation of laser-induced plasmas (LIP) with material ablated from a solid target and on the transfer of the [...] Read more.
Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) is a highly flexible experimental methodology for the growth of thin films of a broad variety of materials, based on the generation of laser-induced plasmas (LIP) with material ablated from a solid target and on the transfer of the ablated material to a substrate. This review is focused on carbon-based materials—specifically, diamond-like carbon (DLC), graphene and carbyne—and will both discuss the influence of the most critical experimental parameters on the obtained materials and present the experimental developments proposed in the recent literature to tailor the properties of the deposited films and optimize the standard PLD technique for production of various carbon-based materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Developments in Laser-Assisted Manufacturing and Processing)
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17 pages, 4488 KiB  
Review
The Fundamental Mechanisms of Laser Cleaning Technology and Its Typical Applications in Industry
by Zhihu Zhou, Weipeng Sun, Jiajun Wu, Hongwei Chen, Fei Zhang and Shuangxi Wang
Processes 2023, 11(5), 1445; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11051445 - 10 May 2023
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 5984
Abstract
Laser cleaning is an advanced surface-cleaning technology that can lead to the instant evaporation and stripping of the attachments found on a substrate’s surface, such as contaminants, rust, and coatings; it uses a high-energy laser beam to irradiate the components’ surface. Compared with [...] Read more.
Laser cleaning is an advanced surface-cleaning technology that can lead to the instant evaporation and stripping of the attachments found on a substrate’s surface, such as contaminants, rust, and coatings; it uses a high-energy laser beam to irradiate the components’ surface. Compared with common surface-cleaning technologies, laser cleaning has the advantages of precision, efficiency, and controllability. In this paper, the fundamental mechanisms of laser cleaning technology are summarized in detail; these include the laser thermal ablation mechanism, the laser thermal stress mechanism, and the plasma shock wave mechanism. The operational principles, characteristics, and application range of each mechanism are discussed. Their typical applications in industry are outlined according to the differences in the substrate materials used, including metallic materials, nonmetallic materials, and semiconductor elements. This study provides a significant reference and guiding basis for researchers to further explore the fundamental mechanisms of laser cleaning, as well as various aspects of the typical industrial applications of laser cleaning. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Developments in Laser-Assisted Manufacturing and Processing)
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