POLARONYX INC — Department of Energy SBIR Phase I: 23a

Description

Additive manufacturing (AM), esp. laser AM, becomes a powerful tool to replace conventional methods such as casting and hot spray, due to its cost effectiveness and capability of making complex structure and composition. However, there are several limitations for current laser AM processes to be used for 3D manufacturing of Tungsten based PFCs such as divertor to battle with challenges such as radiation tolerance, residual stresses, lamination, density, uniformity, and variation in mechanical strengths. Based on our patented laser AM technology and the world’s first demonstration of fs fiber laser AM system (2016 R&D Award), PolarOnyx proposes, for the first time, a fs fiber laser based AM process with LIBS/NDI feedback to overcome these difficulties and meet the requirement of making Tungsten PFCs just in one process without any welding process. Compared with CW laser AM, the proposed fs laser AM system creates instantaneous high temperature to melt high temperature and high thermal conductivity metals (e.g. Tungsten) and form much stronger micro-scale welding/bonding between similar or dissimilar refractory metal powders to form various shapes and sizes. This multi-functional capability (SM and AM, controllable melting temperature and HAZ) is not achievable for CW laser AM and will significantly reduce the building time and cost.In addition to the metal 3D AM applications, material processing is another major commercial application for this project. This includes (1) Photonic device fabrications, such as waveguide, coupler, WDM, modulator, and switching; (2) all types of metal processing such as welding, cutting, annealing, and drilling; (3) semiconductor and microelectronics manufacturing such as lithography, inspection, control, defect analysis and repair, and via drilling; (4) marking of all materials including plastic, metals, and silicon; (5) other materials processing such as rapid prototyping, desk top manufacturing, micromachining, photofinishing, embossed holograms, and grating manufacturing.