Manutech USD: reference platform for ultrafast laser processes

Laser processes are techniques that exploit the energy generated by a laser source to perform operations such as cutting, drilling, engraving, etc. This approach also offers numerous possibilities for structuring a material: applying such a light beam to a surface can lead to changes in the topography, morphology or molecular or chemical structure of the material. These changes can give the material new mechanical, electrical, optical or even biological properties.

Femtosecond lasers

Over the years, these techniques have been refined through a number of innovations, including ultrafast, or femtosecond, laser processes, developed in the early 1990s. These are based on specific lasers, characterized by very short pulse durations of a few tens or hundreds of femtoseconds (fs). " In 100 fs, light doesn't even have time to penetrate the thickness of a hair," explains Razvan Stoian, CNRS research director and head of the laser-matter interaction team at the Hubert Curien laboratory. " But this tiny duration is less than the vibration time of atoms in materials. This means that we can interact with matter and transform it before it starts to vibrate and radiate heat. What's more, such a process consumes very little energy, being able to apply high power to a very localized area for a very short time.

These singularities offer the possibility of acting on materials with extreme precision and efficiency, at very fine dimensions. Ultrafast laser processes can transform surfaces on a nanometric scale, modifying their topographical or physico-chemical properties and adding new functions. And the applications are almost endless: photonics, information technology, biomedical, tribology (the science of wear and friction), wettability (the ability of a material to be wetted by a liquid)...

Manutech USD: from Équipex to GIE

The Hubert Curien laboratory - to which Télécom Saint-Étienne, a component school of the Carnot TSN institute, is attached - has played a major role in the development of these ultrafast laser processes. " More than twenty years ago, in our laboratory, we imagined that by adapting light and matter, it was possible to achieve an unprecedented level of precision," says Razvan Stoian. " This led us to develop innovative approaches to shaping materials, and to become pioneers in the field. The laboratory has thus developed recognized expertise in light-matter interaction and laser processes, particularly for nanotechnologies. And it does so with a vision that is both fundamental, through the production of scientific and theoretical knowledge, and applicative, through industrial partnerships.

This position led the Hubert Curien laboratory to set up a consortium focusing on ultrafast laser processes. " In the early 2000s, we were working with several academic and industrial partners on issues associated with this technology," recalls Razvan Stoian. " These collaborations enabled us to cover the entire value chain of the ultrafast laser process, bringing together multidisciplinary expertise. Consequently, when the French government - through the National Research Agency - launched a call for projects to host equipment of excellence (Équipex), we naturally got together with our partners, given the joint work already carried out. " The Manutech USD consortium thus formed has enabled the installation, at a site in Saint-Étienne, of Équipex dedicated to ultrafast laser processes.

Ten years later, the Manutech USD consortium has become an economic interest grouping (EIG), bearing the same name and involving the same players. " The idea was to exploit our equipment and know-how to create a technological platform of excellence to accelerate the development of innovations for industry ", explains Razvan Stoian. " This involved increasing the maturity of ultrafast laser processes and achieving levels of efficiency, speed and cost compatible with the needs of industry. " This ambition is supported by the expertise of the partners, both academic - Université Jean Monnet Saint-Étienne, Centrale Lyon and Mines Saint-Étienne - and industrial - Cetim, HEF and WeAre.

Open and specialized surface platform

Today, in addition to being a consortium and an economic interest group, Manutech USD is a technology platform, equipped with femtosecond laser sources and texturing and characterization equipment, open to all. Any player - industrial, laboratory, research center, etc. - can access it to structure its own surfaces, with a view to testing its applications. It is also possible to draw on the know-how of our partners, by requesting the structuring of a surface for a specific use, or even by requesting full support in the realization of large-scale projects, including the creation of scientific knowledge on the subject.

Manutech USD also aims to raise its profile, in particular by responding to European calls for projects, in order to consolidate its position as a benchmark player on a continental scale. " There are other platforms dedicated to ultrafast laser processes," concedes Razvan Stoian. " Nevertheless, Manutech USD stands out for the complementary skills of its first-rate partners and its specialization in phenomena and surface engineering. "

For example, the Saint-Étienne platform took part in the LaserImplant project run by the European Innovation Council (EIC). Its aim was to structure the surface of dental implants to improve their biocompatibility and facilitate their integration into the jawbone. Likewise, Manutech USD, along with its partners, is contributing to the GLACIER project - winner of the 2023 "i-Démo" program, part of the regionalized France 2030 plan - which focuses on femtosecond laser cutting and removal of thin layers on optical glass. The process developed could then be used in the production of components such as very thin screens or semiconductors.

Towards an AI-driven revolution in ultrafast laser processes

While Manutech USD exploits the results of research begun over twenty years ago, there is still much to explore in this field. " Firstly, we are constantly seeking to improve precision, so as to be able to structure surfaces on ever smaller scales and create more functions," says Razvan Stoian. " Similarly, we are looking to increase process speed, to gain in efficiency and meet the growing demands of industrialists. "

Ultrafast laser processes are not immune to the rise of artificial intelligence. " The issue of AI's contribution is still fairly recent, but very promising ", notes Razvan Stoian. " For example, by drawing on vast and complex databases, it can help predict the function induced by a particular pattern. In this way, a manufacturer wishing to have a specific functionality could know exactly the structure to be applied, depending on the material used. " In this way, surfaces could be functionalized solely by the laser effect, avoiding the need for more polluting chemical treatments, for example in the energy sector, thus helping to make industry greener.

In addition, AI can also "learn" to develop the required process, and even assist the operator in his gestures, through new man-machine interfaces or the creation of digital twins. This would complement human expertise, with considerable potential for improving results. " Given the technological level already reached by laser sources, future major advances are not to be found in this area," predicts Razvan Stoian. " The next revolution in this field will certainly be the integration of AI into laser processes to make them more precise, more efficient, more controllable and oriented towards new performances. "

Ultrafast laser processes, in particular femtosecond lasers, can be used to structure matter on a nanometric scale without generating heat, thus offering new properties to materials. The Hubert Curien laboratory, via Télécom Saint-Étienne and the Carnot institute TSN, has been a pioneer in this field and helped create the consortium and then the Manutech USD platform.
This open platform brings together academic and industrial partners to develop and industrialize these innovative technologies. Finally, the integration of artificial intelligence into these processes aims to improve precision, speed and environmental impact, paving the way for a new industrial revolution.