Selective laser induced metallization is a state-of-the-art technology to manufacture mechatronic integrated devices (MID) based on polymer substrates and has recently been adapted for alumina substrates enabling applications at higher temperature and in harsh environments. In this study alumina ceramics were doped with antimony doped tin oxide (ATO) in different amounts and pressurelessly sintered in air at 1500°C. Ceramics were laser activated with green Ps-lasers and state of the art IR-lasers to elucidate the respective optimum doping compositions for a reliable metallization process. It was found that the suitable compositional field using the PS-laser was extremely wide with sufficient metallization results in all cases. For the IR laser a very specific ATO amount and composition was necessary. Besides metallization the ATO dopant strongly influence the formation of alumina microstructure and its mechanical properties. Antimony rich compositions lead to columnar grain shapes inhibit densification, reduce strength and hardness but improve fracture resistance.