Innovative Manufacturing Processes

The objective of this project is to improve bonding of dissimilar materials by employment of micro column arrays fabricated by laser ablation. Applications of ceramics have been limited because the stability and hardness that makes them so desirable, alsolimits the ability to attach them to other components such as: titanium, beryllium, tungsten, nickel alloys, and even diamonds. Mismatch in the coefficient of thermal expansion of metals and ceramics is critical for any method utilized in making themetal-ceramics joints since elevated temperatures are usually required. We propose here a solution to the problem that relies on increasing the joint area by orders of magnitude via laser-assisted formation of self-organized periodic micro column arraystructures. The proposed technology will significantly improve methods based on adhesives and epoxies or methods based on high-temperature brazing. The method is applicable to a large variety of both ceramics and metals. Laser-assisted enhancement ofthe bonding and heat dissipation properties is easily scalable. Improvement of the bonding strength can be easily estimated quantitatively.