Abstract: A method is disclosed for providing a TBC system including grooves or other features between the bond coat/substrate and the ceramic thermally insulating layer. The features are initially provided by selectively removing material to define the features, for example by laser. Any disturbed surface layer, e.g., re-cast material in the case of a laser or plastically worked material in the case of machining, is then chemically removed, leaving the remaining material with a microstructure of a more uniform geometry, and free of disturbed material. The ceramic layer is then applied. TBC systems using the method show improved durability, with lives up to 4× longer than prior TBC systems.