Magnesium alloys (WE43 and ZE41) characterisation for laser applications

One of the most important parameters in laser treatment is the quantity of beam energy absorbed by the substrate. Despite its important role played in laser processes, this factor is rarely available for the laser sources wavelengths and at high temperatures reached during such treatments. A series of experiments were carried out in order to characterise, from this point of view, two types of magnesium alloys, WE43 and ZE41, often used in laser applications (cladding, alloying, welding, etc.). The results represent an important step in order to understand Mg-alloys behaviour under laser beam action. # 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.