Laser-induced growth of titanium nitride microcolumns on biased titanium targets

Laser processing of solid surfaces has been extensively investigated during the last decade because of its large variety of applications in recrystallization, doping, smoothing, hardening, or compound formation.1 Moreover, specific irradiation conditions permit the creation of different surface morphologies as laser-induced periodic structures, microcones, or microcolumns. We have recently reported for the first time the growth of titanium nitride microcolumns during the cumulative action of high repetition rate laser pulses.2,3 In our experiments, we used a pulsed Nd:yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG; 1.064 m) laser for the irradiation of titanium surfaces in high-pressure nitrogen atmosphere..