Processing of Silicon Carbide by Laser Micro Sintering

Silicon carbide – a solid with covalent bonds - is conventionally synthesized via the Acheson process. Usually solid bodies of silicon carbide with definite shapes are generated from the grained material via hot isostatic pressing or liquid phase sintering. Both processes are conducted under well-controlled temperature regimes. Applying the freeform fabrication technique “Laser Micro Sintering” poses a big challenge to experimental skill due to the nonequilibrium conditions that are characteristic features of laser material processing. Successive layers SiC layers with a thickness of 1μm were processed with coherent radiation of 1064 nm. The specific behavior of two different silicon carbide powders - one of them blended with additives - are reported along with interpretational approaches.