Center Mission and Rationale

The mission of the Center for Lasers and Plasmas for Advanced Manufacturing (LAM) is to develop a science, engineering, and technology base for laser and plasma processing of materials, devices, and systems. The Center is building on existing research being conducted in plasma and photon processing. The Multi-University team has the requisite expertise and equipment, valued in excess of more than $5 million, to pursue research and development in this area. The Center provides a core technology base in lasers and plasma, support for the creation and growth of innovative collaborations among industry partners, and the opportunity to enhance existing research relationships with federal laboratories.

Research Program

Faculty and students are currently conducting sponsored research in:

• Femtosecond laser applications
• Laser processing of materials
• Laser micro-machining and welding
• Laser ablation and multi energy processing
• Spectroscopic diagnostics of laser processing
• Thin film coatings, Laser CVD
• Biomedical applications of lasers
• Plasma technology
• Optical sensors for laser processing
• Carbon nanotubes, nanocomposites, and nanoparticles
• Laser cladding
• Direct metal deposition
• Laser hybrid processing (laser/plasma)
• Surface processing, such as surface hardening, alloying, cladding, annealing, doping, crystallization, decontamination, and other modifications
• Modeling of laser interactions.

Special Center Activities

In addition to research activities, Center personnel are actively engaged in knowledge and information transfer. The Center will also build upon a number of projects at the multi-universities by using the funding from the federal government, industry, and the state government. The Center will take full advantage of its immediate proximity to federal laboratories like NASA Langley Research Center and the Free Electron Laser (FEL) Facility at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility.