Double-pulse laser micro sintering: Experimental study and mechanism analysis aided by in-situ time-resolved temperature measurements

Laser micro sintering (LMS) is a process of manufacturing microscale parts and/or features by laser sintering. Small powder particles (e.g., on the order ~1 ?m) are often used for good spatial resolutions. Besides, pulsed lasers employed due to related potential advantages. For mechanical properties, laser-based LMS typically desires high densification sintered material, which is, however, more difficult achieve than conventional macro selective or melting. A new double-pulse (DP-LMS) was recently proposed corresponding author, novel approach potentially material in LMS. It employs pulse groups, each contains “sintering pulse(s)” followed “pressing at certain delay time, sinter (melt and coalesce) generate transient pressure onto respectively. This paper reports study DP-LMS single-track The fundamental mechanisms analyzed with help in-situ time-resolved measurements bed surface temperatures during DP-LMS. Under conditions studied, it has been found that can produce better results those only using pressing pulses. result DP-LMS, pulse” needs have sufficiently intensity follow last preceding close enough such irradiated region still molten state (or partially so sufficient extent). mechanism expected be induce (likely via ablation plasma generation) pressures surface, promote melt flow, reduce balling enhance continuity. In addition, thermal accumulation effect between adjacent pulses” revealed temperature measurements.