Systems for and methods for improving mechanical properties of ceramic material

A system for improving one or more mechanical properties of ceramic material by a high-temperature laser shock peening (HT-LSP) process, the system comprising:

• a ceramic material;
• a heat source for heating the ceramic material to a temperature, T, greater than a brittle-to-ductile transition temperature of the ceramic material, wherein the temperature, T, is from 800° C. to 1500° C.;
• a ceramic probe for mounting the ceramic material at a three-dimensional stage, the probe configured to extend the ceramic material into the heat source comprising a tube furnace;
• a plasma-confining medium and a sacrificial layer, the sacrificial layer disposed between the ceramic material and the plasma-confining medium, the sacrificial layer for forming plasma between the ceramic material and the plasma-confining medium when heated to the temperature greater than the brittle-to-ductile transition temperature of the ceramic material and exposed to laser pulses;
• and
• a laser pulse generator for subjecting the ceramic material to laser pulses via the sacrificial layer and the plasma-confining medium such that the laser pulse generator is configured to pulse laser energy through the plasma-confining medium onto the sacrificial layer to form the plasma between the ceramic material and the plasma-confining medium.