Tailored surface modification by ion implantation and laser treatment.

An important trend in materials science is the use of increasingly sophisticated methods to control composition and microstructure during processing. Near-surface modification by ion implantation and laser treatment is one of these new methods for tailoring material properties. Novel materials have been formed which are far from thermodynamic equilibrium and which exhibit unexpected and useful properties. The most extensively studied property changes include modified electrical properties of semiconductors and improved wear, hardness, and corrosion resistance of metals. The high degree of control available with energetic beams allows relations between microstructure and properties to be systematically investigated at the atomic level. This article illustrates how ion and laser beam modification is being applied to advance both the technology and the exploratory science of materials.