Patent ID: 8319146

Claim:
An apparatus configured to produce at least one trench to improve film cooling in a sample comprising one or more film cooling holes having a diameter in a range between about 0.005 inch to about 0.070 inch, comprising: at least one laser source outputting at least one pulsed laser beam comprising: a pulse duration between about 0.5 μs to about 50 μs; an energy per pulse between about 2 milli-Joule to about 100 milli-Joule; and a repetition rate greater than about 1000 Hz; and a control subsystem coupled to the laser source, the control subsystem configured to synchronize a position of the sample with the pulse duration and energy level of the at least one laser source in order to selectively remove at least one of a thermal barrier coating, a bondcoat and a substrate metal in the sample to form the at least one trench to a depth of substantially the same as an average diameter of each of the one or more film cooling holes.