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Issue 052 - Autumn 2008

Pulsed laser ablation of zirconia

Author: Fraser Dear


The issues involved in the laser processing of medical grade zirconia has commonalities with those of many other laser machining processes; however, specific applications and difficulties make it a problem material for our industry to handle. Not only does the material possess some unique properties but the selection of laser source used in the manufacturing process is highly application dependent i.e. one laser does not fit all.

Laser technology is still in its adolescence with respect to ceramic processing in general. It  provides many advantages over its mechanical counterparts for a variety of different material processing applications but with these advantages come inherent difficulties. Zirconia has risen to become the material of choice in the biomedical implant industry but from a laser processing point of view it has not yet been fully characterised or understood. Zirconia, is a refractory ceramic and has many applications such as its use as a component in thermal barrier coatings, gas sensing and aerospace technologies.

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