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In this paper, we report on the ultrafast laser-induced birefringence, refractive index changes, and enhanced photoluminescence properties in the volume of neodymium (Nd), yttrium (Y) co-doped strontium fluoride (SrF2) and Nd, Y co-doped calcium fluoride (CaF2) crystals. The optical waveguides written with 500 kHz repetition rate provided lowest propagation loss of 1.63±0.21 dB cm−1 for transverse magnetic (TM) polarization at 632.8 nm in Nd,Y:SrF2 crystal. The measured retardance can be interpreted by stress-induced birefringence related to the permanent volume expansion, photo induced by a non-spherical irradiated zone. The absorption, steady-state, and time-resolved photoluminescence properties are also carried out in and out of the laser irradiated zone, enabling the local changes of the Nd and Y network in Nd,Y:SrF2, as well as well-preserved Nd fluorescence in the written optical waveguides.

International audience; High refractive index contrast, birefringence and luminescence properties of written channel waveguides inside fluoride crystals written by femtosecond (fs) laser have been studied. Herein, fs laser-induced stress affected zone is an efficient tool to create birefringence and high refractive index contrast in Nd 3+ , Y 3+ codoped SrF 2 crystal for wide range of pulse energies and repetition rates. In fabricating the waveguides at high repetition rate (typ. 500 kHz), we avoided too much heat accumulation, and thus they exhibit lower propagation loss in codoped SrF 2 crystal (1.63 ± 0.21 dB/cm for TM-polarization). The measured retardance can be interpreted as related to stress-induced birefringence in response to free of stress volume expansion photo-induced in the non-spherical irradiated zone. The photoluminescence and lifetime measurements are also carried out in order to understand local changes of the network in and around femtosecond laser induced waveguides written in codoped SrF 2 crystal.

The microsegregation behavior of alloy filler metal 52 (FM 52) was studied using microprobe analysis on two different solidification processes. First, microsegregation was characterized in samples manufactured by directional solidification, and then by gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW). The experimental results were compared with Thermo-Calc calculations to verify their accuracy. It was confirmed that the thermodynamic database predicts most alloying elements well. Once this data had been determined, several tip undercooling calculations were carried out for different solidification conditions in terms of fluid flow and thermal gradient values. These calculations allowed the authors to develop a parametrization card for the constants of the microsegregation model, according to the process parameters (e.g., convection in melt pool, thermal gradient, and growth velocity). A new model of microsegregation, including convection and tip undercooling, is also proposed. The Tong&ndash, Beckermann microsegregation model was used individually and coupled with a modified Kurz-Giovanola-Trivedi (KGT) tip undercooling model, in order to take into account the convection in the fluid flow at the dendrite tip. Model predictions were compared to experimental results and showed the microsegregation evolution accurately.

Today, industrials want to upgrade their welding numerical simulation knowledge’s in order to be able to guarantee the welded structure integrity. Solidification is the main step of welding process. As soon as the grain selection in welded region is well reproduced by simulation software, mechanical properties and nondestructive test response can be deduced. This work tries to find thermometallurgical phenomena in order to describe the microstructures formation during welding. These mechanisms are used for validating a new solidification model which realizes a thermal calcul post-treatment with a cellular automaton (CAFE_WELD). In this aim, welding experiences were done and characterized with EBSD. These analyses allow following the grain selection into the weld. The refusion effect is clearly seen in the case of multi-pass weld. These results are completed by the fine solidification characterizations on filler metal employed in welding experiences. In this way, the model implementation can be done in order to do numerical simulation of the same experiences. The comparisons between real and numerical experiences show that the physical laws taken into account in CAFE_WELD model are not sufficient to reproduce the microstructural properties occurring in welding, La nécessité de garantir l’intégrité des structures soudées pousse les industriels à augmenter leur domaine de compétences en matière de simulation numérique du soudage. La solidification est l’étape clé de ce procédé. Dès lors que la sélection des grains est reproduite correctement par les simulations, le comportement mécanique et la réponse aux contrôles non destructifs de l’assemblage peuvent être déduits. Ce travail cherche à définir les phénomènes thermométallurgiques décrivant les mécanismes de formation des microstructures du soudage. Ces mécanismes servent ensuite à valider l’usage d’un nouveau modèle de solidification qui réalise un post-traitement du calcul de thermique avec un automate cellulaire (modèle CAFE_WELD). Pour se faire, des expériences de soudage sont réalisées et caractérisées par EBSD. Ces analyses permettent de suivre la sélection des grains dans la soudure. L’effet de la refusion sur la sélection des grains est bien mis en évidence lors du soudage multi-passes. Ces caractérisations sont complétées par une analyse fine de la solidification du métal d’apport utilisé pour le soudage. Ces résultats permettent la mise en données du modèle nécessaire à la réalisation numérique des mêmes expériences de soudage. Les comparaisons entre les soudures vraies et numériques montrent que les phénomènes physiques intégrés au modèle ne sont pas suffisants pour reproduire les propriétés microstructurales générées par le soudage

The structure prediction of metallic alloys during a welding or additive manufacturing process is the key point for the joining’s properties. In addition to the welding parameters (or additive manufacturing), the base metal microstructure, chemical homogeneity and crystallographic structure are numerous factors playing an important role on the final microstructure and texture development. Few studies are available in this way. This work purposes a focus on the microstructure establishment during the welded zone solidification during Gas Tungsten Arc Welding. The materials investigated are nickel – chromium – iron austenitic alloys. The grain selection is tracked in a real weld and a texturation criteria is proposed. The following data’s are compared to the properties of the numerical weld experience. The conclusion suggests that is necessary to improve the knowledges in the grain selection mechanism in order to produce numerical welding microstructure in good accordance with real microstructure welding., La prédiction de la structure des alliages métalliques durant une étape de soudage ou de fabrication additive est un point clef du développement de ces procédés et des propriétés des assemblages. En plus des paramètres de soudage (ou de fabrication additive), la microstructure du métal de base, son homogénéité chimique et sa nature cristallographique sont autant de facteur jouant un rôle sur l’établissement final des microstructures et des textures pour lesquels peu d’études détaillées sont disponibles. Une description précise de l’établissement des microstructures de solidification lors du soudage TIG d’alliage austénitique nickel-chrome-fer est réalisée dans ce travail. La sélection des grains dans la soudure est suivie dans une soudure réelle. Un critère de texturation est proposé et les données sont comparées aux textures simulées d’où il ressort l’importance d’augmenter la connaissance des mécanismes de sélection de grains pour espérer modéliser encore plus fidèlement les propriétés microstructurales et de texture générées par le soudage.