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Pushing ultrafast laser material processing into a new regime of plasma-controlled ablation

Project description

Studying laser-plasma interaction for next generation laser material processing

Ultrafast laser material processing refers to the use of extremely short laser pulses – typically in the order of femtoseconds – to modify or process materials. Ultrafast lasers have unique properties that make them well-suited for mass production. However, there are still technical challenges that prohibit their widespread use. Funded by the European Research Council, the PULSAR project aims to overcome this limitation by developing a novel approach that involves controlling plasma generation. The project is expected to achieve unprecedented precision, speed, and predictability in terms of laser material modification, paving the way for novel applications.

Objective

Ultra-intense femtosecond laser pulses promise to become a fast, universal, predictable and green tool for material processing at micro and nanometric scale. The recent tremendous increase in commercially available femtosecond laser energy at high repetition rate opens a wealth of novel perspectives for mass production. But even at high energy, laser processing remains limited to high-speed scanning point by point removal of ultra-thin nanometric layers from the material surface. This is because the uncontrolled laser-generated free-electron plasma shields against light and prevents reaching extreme internal temperatures at very precise nanometric scale.
PULSAR aims at breaking this barrier and developing a radically different concept of laser material modification regime based on free-electron plasma control. PULSAR 's unconventional concept is to control plasma generation, confinement, excitation and stability. An ambitious experimental and numerical research program will push the frontiers of laser processing to unprecedented precision, speed and predictability. PULSAR key concept is highly generic and the results will initiate new research across laser and plasma material processing, plasma physics and ultrafast optics.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

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Host institution

CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS
Net EU contribution
€ 1 896 581,00
Address
RUE MICHEL ANGE 3
75794 Paris
France

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Region
Ile-de-France Ile-de-France Paris
Activity type
Research Organisations
Links
Total cost
€ 1 996 581,00

Beneficiaries (2)