TiN paths have been created on the surface of the titanium alloy OT4-1
by the use of a laser beam. The results of investigations of structur
e, phase composition, microhardness and surface roughness of the creat
ed TiN paths are given in the paper. The paths created in the work are
inhomogenous two-phase mixtures of TiN and alpha-Ti, in which the TiN
phase with strong (200) texture is predominant over the other phase a
nd presents a dendritic structure. (C) 1998 Chapman & Hall.