Advantages of laser etching of metals and semiconductors when working in space.

To work in space, it is necessary to create high-tech production facilities in orbit. It seems that they should include a universal, compact, powerful laser device to perform various tasks. The paper considers only one, relatively new, direction of laser use, designed to improve the fire safety of a spacecraft. An environmentally safe method of "dry" laser etching for the rapid detection of the structure of metals and semiconductors is proposed. • Nanosecond pulses of Nd:YAG laser were used for Ge and Cu surface modification. • Dry laser etching is proposed for quality control of space-grown Ge single crystals. • Laser etching is proposed for fatigue control of metal products of orbital stations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]