Laser surface melting of Ti and Ti alloys has been
used to obtain rapid solidification with resultant
fine-scale microstructures and segregation [1, 2]. For
example, laser surface melting of cr-Ti (e.g. commercial
purity Ti; Ti-5.5AI-3.5Sn-INb-0.3Si) and
(oL +/3)-Ti (e.g. Ti-6AI-4V) has been carried out
using a 2 kW c.w. CO2 laser [1]. The results showed
the expected decrease in width and depth of the
melted zone with increasing traverse speed; the
microstructure was martensite. Laser surface melting
of/3-Ti alloy leads to the formation of cellular/
dendritic microstructures (see, for example [3]);