LASER MICROMACHINING, SINTERING, AND LASER-INDUCED PLASMA DEBURRING Gao, Yibo Lasers can provide non-mechanical-contact, localized and concentrated energy input to materials with controlled durations and high spatial resolutions down to a few microns or less. Therefore, lasers have more and more applications in manufacturing and materials processing, such as laser micromachining (which is to create micro-scale features through laser-induced material removal) and laser sintering. Despite the previous research work in the literature, many laser-based manufacturing and materials processing areas still require lots of further research work. Specifically, the following topics will be investigated in the research work in this thesis: nanosecond-pulsed laser ablation of silicon carbide at an infrared wavelength, nanosecond laser-induced plasma deburring, two-step nanosecond laser surface texturing, and the fabrication of carbon nanotube (CNT)-ceramic composites through the laser sintering process. PH.D in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, December 2013 Wu, Benxin 2013 2013-12 Dissertation application/pdf islandora:8872 http://hdl.handle.net/10560/3251 MMAE / Mechanical, Materials, and Aerospace Engineering Illinois Institute of Technology en In Copyright http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/ Restricted Access