2019 Volume 127 Issue 7 Pages 504-506
Reaction sintering of silicon carbide (SiC) using a continuous-wave Nd:YAG laser as a heating source was investigated. The laser was used to irradiate pellets of a stoichiometric powder mixture of Si and C under Ar gas flow. At an appropriate laser power, a dense SiC layer was formed consisting of grains with a size of 100–500 nm; this layer was several micrometers thick. At lower laser power, fine grains of SiC were formed and dispersed in the unreacted Si–C matrix. On the other hand, at higher power, larger faceted SiC grains (1–3 µm) were formed.