Wavelength influence on nitrogen insertion into titanium by nanosecond pulsed laser irradiation in air

We studied in this work the influence of the wavelength (532 vs. 1064 nm) on the insertion of nitrogen in titanium targets by surface laser treatments in air. The laser pulses were of 5 ns and the irradiance was lower than 25 x 10(12) W/m(2). Results obtained using a frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser at 532 nm were compared with those previously reported for laser treatments at 1064 nm. Nuclear reaction analysis and micro-Raman spectroscopy were used for determining the composition and the structure of the surface layers, respectively. Results showed the lower efficiency of irradiation at 532 nm for nitrogen insertion, which is possible only above threshold conditions depending on both the laser irradiance and the number of cumulated impacts per point. This was explained as being due to a higher ablative effect in the visible range. The insertion of oxygen giving rise to the growth of titanium oxynitrides was also discussed. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.