Tribology and Hardness of Excimer‐Laser‐Processed Titanium Layers on Cubic Zirconia

We have examined the wear and friction and surface hardness of excimer‐laser‐processed Ti layers on cubic zirconia substrates. The film exhibits a complex array of cracking following processing that is related to the crystallographic orientation of the substrate. The friction between the laser‐processed layers and both steel and ruby pins is reduced by approximately one‐third relative to that of untreated zirconia. In the untreated case, wear is characterized by pin wear and debris, whereas the laser‐processed layer wears by film transfer to the pin. The surface hardness of the processed layer is lower than that of both the untreated zirconia and the deposited Ti film. Indentation tests indicate that the surface is brittle following processing.