Applied Surface Science 252 (2005) 883–887

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High level compressive residual stresses produced

in aluminum alloys by laser shock processing
G. Gomez-Rosas a,*, C. Rubio-Gonzalez a, J.L Ocaña b, C. Molpeceres b,
J.A. Porro b, W. Chi-Moreno c, M. Morales b
a
Centro de Ingenieria y Desarrollo Industrial, CIDESI, Av. Playa Pie de la Cuesta, 702 Desarrollo San Pablo,
c.p. 76130 Santiago de Querétaro, Querétaro, Mexico
b
Departamento de Fı́sica Aplicada a la Ingenierı́a Industrial, ETSII, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Spain
c
Instituto Tecnológico de Morelia, Mexico
Received 20 December 2004; received in revised form 31 January 2005; accepted 31 January 2005
Available online 12 March 2005

Abstract

Laser shock processing (LSP) has been proposed as a competitive alternative technology to classical treatments for
improving fatigue and wear resistance of metals. We present a configuration and results for metal surface treatments in
underwater laser irradiation at 1064 nm. A convergent lens is used to deliver 1.2 J/cm2 in a 8 ns laser FWHM pulse produced by
10 Hz Q-switched Nd:YAG, two laser spot diameters were used: 0.8 and 1.5 mm.
Results using pulse densities of 2500 pulses/cm2 in 6061-T6 aluminum samples and 5000 pulses/cm2 in 2024 aluminum
samples are presented. High level of compressive residual stresses are produced 1600 MPa for 6061-T6 Al alloy, and
1400 MPa for 2024 Al alloy. It has been shown that surface residual stress level is higher than that achieved by conventional
shot peening and with greater depths. This method can be applied to surface treatment of final metal products.
# 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

PACS: 52.50.Jm; 62.50.+p; 81.65. b; 81.40. z; 81.70 q

Keywords: Laser shock processing; Compressive residual stress

1. Introduction Similarly to conventional shot peening, the laser shock

The laser shock processing (LSP) has been
developed as a surface treatment to metals [1–10].
* Corresponding author. Tel.: +52 442 2119800x326;
fax: +52 442 2119839x289.
E-mail address: ggomez@cidesi.mx (G. Gomez-Rosas).
processing (LSP) has been proposed as an effective
alternative to traditional methods for properties
improvement of metallic materials, as fatigue, corro-
sion and wear resistance, due to the compressive
residual stress induced. The LSP is a technique for
strengthening metals. Induces a compressive residual
stress field which increases fatigue crack initiation life

0169-4332/$ – see front matter # 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.apsusc.2005.01.150
884 G. Gomez-Rosas et al. / Applied Surface Science 252 (2005) 883–887
and reduces fatigue crack growth rate [11]. Laser
beams can be easily directed to fatigue-critical areas
without masking. Laser pulse may come directly from
the laser apparatus or may be delivered using an
optical fiber [12].
We present a configuration and results in the LSP
concept for metal surface treatment in underwater
laser irradiation at 1064 nm in 6061-T6 and 2024
aluminum samples. The objective of this work is to
examine the effect of LSP to induce very high
compressive residual stress in aluminum alloy speci-
mens and the capability to penetrate deeper in the
sample. Process parameters such as pulse density are
varied.
2. Experimental array
The principle of laser shock processing is shown in
Fig. 1. The sample surface is completely immersed in
water, when the laser beam is directed onto the surface
to be treated, it passes through the transparent overlay
and strikes the sample. A short laser pulse is focused
onto the sample. Immediately a thin surface layer is
vaporized. The energy absorption at the water/plasma
interface leads to the formation of a shock wave which
strikes the sample with an intensity of several GPa.
High pressure against the surface of the sample causes
a shock wave to propagate into the material. The
plastic deformation caused by the shock wave
produces the compressive residual stresses at the
sample surface. The experimental array is shown in
Fig. 2. The laser source is a Q-switched Quanta-Ray
Nd:YAG pulsed laser operating at 10 Hz. The FWHM
Fig. 1. Principle of laser shock processing.
Fig. 2. Experimental arrangement of laser shock processing.
of the generated pulses is 8 ns, the maximum pulse
energy is 1.2 J/cm2 with a wavelength of 1064 nm. A
flat mirror and convergent lens ( f = 200 mm, bi-
convex) are used to deliver the pulse produced by the
Laser. Both optical components are AR-coated for
1064 nm, which guarantees a high transmittance
efficiency. In this irradiation setup, we are using
purified water as confining medium. Control of water
purity is important in order to avoid the formation of
water bubbles or the concentration of impurities
coming from the material ablation due to laser
treatment. The appearance of suspended elements
can affect the LSP process by their interaction with the
high energy laser beam. Water in continuous circula-
tion may be a good solution to avoid these disturbing
elements. Therefore a special device to produce a
controlled water jet has been implemented to form a
thin water layer on the sample to be treated. In this
way, it is possible to assure water in continuous
circulation. Taking care of water velocity and jet
direction it was possible to produce a water layer with
constant thickness.
Compressive residual stresses are produced with
spots of 0.8 (2024 Al) and 1.5 mm (6061-T6 Al) in
diameter moving along the workpiece. We used
different pulses densities, 2500 pulses/cm2 for 6061-
T6 aluminum alloys and 5000 pulses/cm2 for 2024
aluminum alloys.
The sample is a 50 mm  50 mm plate with
thickness of 5 mm, and it is mounted on a motor
controlled x– y stage with 1 mm of resolution and
 G. Gomez-Rosas et al. / Applied Surface Science 252 (2005) 883–887 885

Fig. 3. Sample and processing area.

maximum speed of 20 mm/s. Controlling the speed of
the system, the desired pulse density was obtained.
The treated area was 15 mm  15 mm as shown in
Fig. 3 where the swept direction is shown as well. The
maximum principal compressive residual stresses are
measured at the center of the irradiated area by the
hole drilling method [13].
The hole drilling method [13,14] requires drilling a
small hole, 1.6 mm in diameter for this work, to a
depth approximately of 2 mm. A specialized three-
element rosette measures the surface strain relief in the
material around the outside of the hole. Residual
stresses existing in the material before hole drilling
can be calculated from the measured relieved strains.
Strain gage rosettes EA-13-062RE-120 along with a
RS-200 Milling Guide from Measurements Group
were used.
surface, at depths less than 100 mm. After that depth,
the residual stresses reach a plateau between 100 and
200 MPa. This behavior is similar for 6061-T6 and
2024 aluminum alloys.
In previous experiments [11] using the same
energy, pulse densities and wavelength, but different
confining medium thickness, less surface residual
stresses were obtained. The high level compressive
residual stresses registered using the water jet device,
could be explained since energy loss has been
minimized due to the thin water layer used in this
setup.
Figs. 4 and 5 do not show tensile residual stresses at
greater depths in the material. This behavior has also
been observed in the residual stresses induced by LSP

3. Results

Principal residual stresses as a function of depth for

the 6061-T6 aluminum sample, treated with
2500 pulses/cm2 are shown in Fig. 4, where S1 and
S2 mean principal stresses. Note that high compres-
sive residual stress is observed (1600 MPa in
compression). The corresponding in-depth residual
stress profiles for 2024 Al sample, treated with
5000 pulses/cm2 are shown in Fig. 5. Again, a high
level compressive residual stress, around 1400 MPa, is
observed near the surface.
From Figs. 4 and 5 it is worth noting that the highest Fig. 4. In-depth residual stress profile of a sample processed with
compressive residual stresses are localized near to the 5000 pulses/cm2 in 6061-T6 aluminum alloy.
886 G. Gomez-Rosas et al. / Applied Surface Science 252 (2005) 883–887
Fig. 5. In-depth residual stress profile of a sample processed with
2500 pulses/cm2 in 2024 aluminum alloy.
treatment of 304 stainless steel measured by X-ray
diffraction reported in [12]. Similar behavior is
observed in the longitudinal component of the residual
stresses field on a laser welded sample using the hole
drilling method reported in [14] where only tensile
residual stresses are observed on the depth. This a
result of a nonhomogeneous residual stress field on the
surface. Heterogeneity of residual stress field due to
LSP has been pointed out in [15] where different
residual stress distribution was found on the center of
the impacted area and in a region shifted to the
boundary.
4. Conclusions
In this report, we present a configuration and
results of the LSP concept for metal surface treatment
in underwater laser irradiation at 1064 nm, 1.2 J/cm2
in a 8 ns laser FWHM pulse produced by a 10 Hz
Q-switched Nd:YAG Laser, with spots of 1.5 mm
in diameter. Two pulse densities 2500 pulses/cm2
and 5000 pulses/cm2 were used. High level compres-
sive residual stresses are produced ( 1600 to
1400 MPa). It has been shown that surface residual
stress level is much higher than that achieved by
conventional shot peening and with deeper penetra-
tion. This is an important result because this method
may improve significantly wear and contact fatigue
resistance. It has been demonstrated that the
laser shock processing (LSP) is an effective surface
treatment technique to improve fatigue properties
of 6061-T6 aluminum alloy. This method can be
applied to surface treatment of final metal
products.
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to express their gratitude to the
MCYT (Spain; project DPI2001-3669), MEC-AECI
(Spain), EADS-CASA (Spain) and CONACYT
(Mexico).
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