Abstract
Fe‐Cr substrates electroplated with 1–3 μm of chromium were processed with an Nd‐YAG pulsed laser to produce surface alloys with 25–35 μm melt depths. The corrosion resistance of laser‐processed alloys in deaerated 
solution improved with increasing chromium concentration. The corrosion properties of laser‐processed and bulk alloys were comparable only after oxide was removed from the laser‐processed surface. The resolidified zone consisted of a columnar morphology. Although electron microprobe analysis indicated that compositional uniformity was obtained throughout the melt depth, scanning transmission electron microscopy‐energy dispersive x‐ray spectroscopy (STEM‐EDS) revealed solute concentration inhomogeneities in the upper portion of the resolidified region.