PLD Nd

Abstract

PLD Nd: YAG is one of the most common types of laser which is now used for many applications. In the manufacturing industry, this kind of laser is used for engraving, etching, marking a variety of metals and plastics, or for metal surface enhancement by thin-film deposit. Nd: YAG (Neodymium - doped yttrium aluminum garnet; Nd: Y3 Al5 O12) is a dominant solid-state laser material, which used as a lasing medium. YAG is a stable, very hard, isotropic crystal, with high optical quality. The power density required to create such a laser beam depends on the properties of the target material, the laser wavelength, and the laser energy. The thin film which is made from PLD Nd: YAG will be used as a coating film for insert pin SKD 61. Insert pin SKD 61 is a tool steel pin used at the Aluminum Casting Industry, which the function as a die component. With this coating research, there is a possibility to increase several pin surfaces mechanical properties such as hardness, roughness, together with adhesion capability, support by microstructure and chemical composition of the coating film. The research stage was carried out by making a research sample, which is made from SKD 61, coat by AlCr 70:30. PLD Nd: YAG process with 2 types of wavelength (1064 nm & 532 nm), 2 group energies (90 m Joule - 120 m Joule - 140 m Joule for 1064 nm wavelength, and 50 m Joule - 70 m Joule - 90 m Joule for 532 nm wavelength), in a vacuum. The deposition of thin layer samples was characterized using FESEM, SEM, EDS, VDI, Roughness tester and Micro Hardness Vickers. The characterization testing was done at the Research Centre for Physics LIPI and PT XYZ Laboratory. FESEM results came out with some amorf material from 1064 nm group wavelength, and some melt material from 532 nm group wavelength. SEM-EDS results came out with fine surface from 1064 nm wavelength and coarse surface from 532 nm wavelength. The chemical composition is relatively stable with AlCr 70:30.as the thin film. The average surface hardness of the 1064 nm group is 561 HV, which is harder than 499 HV from the 532 nm group. Also, the adhesion capability of 1064 nm group is HF1, the same with 532 nm group which is HF1. The surface roughness of the 1064 nm group is 0,051 μ m (Ra), smoother than 532 nm group which is 0,907 μ m (Ra).