Selective Area Laser Deposition (SALD) is a Solid Freeform Fabrication (SFF) technique which uses a scanning laser beam to produce solid material by locally decomposing a gas precursor. In this work, a focused C02 laser beam strikes a substrate in the presence of tetramethylsilane (TMS) or diethylsilane (DES), producing silicon carbide objects with high density and no binder phase. Recent investigation has yielded growth rates up to 2.7mlnJmin in the beam area, and has eliminated previously noted contamination of the optics by a byproduct which mass spectroscopy identifies as silicon dioxide. This paper reviews a cause of non-uniform growth and delTIOnstrates the addition of hydrogen and reduced scan speeds to lTIake lTIultilayer parts. In addition, it presents a lTIethod for in-situ measurement of height of deposited material. Introduction Selective Area Laser Deposition [1] describes a rapid prototyping process in which a moving laser beam causes localized decomposition of a precursor gas, creating solid material. A computer containing specifications for a three dimensional object controls the lTIotion of an x-y table, which moves the beam relative to a substrate surface. The moving area heated by the beam dictates where lTIaterial will be added, building up solid material (metal, ceramic, glass, etc.) in the desired shape for either prototype or structural parts. This paper reviews recent progress in SALD employing tetramethylsilane (Si(CH3)4) and diethylsilane (H2Si(C2H5)2) to produce silicon carbide. Pyrolysis oftetramethylsilane has been investigated by Figueras et al in the growth of silicon carbide films [2]. Tetramethylsilane deCOlTIpOSeS according to the following overall reaction: The reaction proceeds exothermically, with an enthalpy change of -73.75 kcal/mole [3]. We also considered an alternative precursor, diethylsilane. The molecular formula for diethylsilane suggests the following overall reaction: Diethylsilane offered the possibility of lower deposition temperatures, as both the hydrogen and ethyl groups display less electronegativity and should ease decomposition relative to the methyl groups in tetramethylsilane.