5.7 Conclusion
The new technique of fixing calcium alkali phosphate particles with a
diameter of the order of 1 µm on the titanium alloy Ti6Al4V with the
help of femtosecond laser pulses is a very gentle way of treating both
the bioceramic material and the metal. First, the ceramic powder absorbs
only a relatively small percentage of the laser radiation, leaving the
bioceramic coating unmelted and structurally unchanged, thus preserving
the bioactive properties. The remaining fluence at the metal surface
during the fixation merely melts an extremely thin surface layer,
leaving the bulk material effectively unchanged. Nevertheless, the
binding is very strong. There is absolutely no danger of a reduced
mechanical stability of any intended implant after this relative
“cold” laser induced fixing procedure.