Wear resistance of steel surfaces subject to sliding contacts can be improved by embedding micrometer sized ceramic particles (from a preplaced layer) into a laser-induced melt pool on the tool steel surface. This process is referred to as laser implantation or laser dispersion. Dome shaped surface structures with significantly increased hardness can be achieved. By repeating the laser implantation process nearly any desired wear resistant surface pattern (roughness profile) can be created.

Reported experiments in literate show implants with diameter of 150 μm to 400 μm and 10 μm to 30 μm in height. However, features with smaller diameter but comparable height is desired for technology adoption. We present and discusses first experimental results of implantations with a diameter less than 150 μm, with implant heights between 8 μm and 20 μm and significantly increased hardness. The experimental results for three types of ceramic particles (TiC 4 μm, WC 2 μm and TIB 10 μm) are compared. For that purpose, a Nd:YAG laser source (focal diameter 54 μm, pulse duractions 3 ms to20 ms, peak power 10W to 40 W average) was used.