A wide variety of features can be produced by rapidly moving an electron beam across the surface. Molten material builds up behind the beam through the combined effects of vapour pressure and surface tension. By repeating this process many times at the same site, protrusions (for example) of some 2mm in height and 0.2mm width may be grown. A whole series of protrusions can be built up simultaneously across a substrate, and with careful control of the electron beam process parameters, and the design of unique beam movement patterns, a wide variety of different surfaces can be created. The process takes just a few seconds to build thousands of features over several square centimetres. 

As this technique is carried out in vacuum it makes clean surfaces and, unlike chemical processes, etchant chemicals are not produced. The series of protrusions and slots/holes achievable has the potential to control gas and liquid flow. This aspect makes the technology suitable for applications involving the mixing of gases/liquids and where aerodynamic, hydrodynamic or thermally enhanced surfaces are required. 

The presentation will show how the texturing process works, give examples of the patterns that have been produced to date and why this technology is exciting the aerospace community.