Method for Structuring a Substrate Surface

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This patent describes a method for creating multiscale, highly tailored surface structures on substrates (such as ceramics, metals, or composites) using an intense pulsed laser. By precisely varying laser parameters (focus, power, pulse length, sequence, etc.), the process generates both micro- and sub-micro-scale surface patterns. The method can dynamically adapt processing parameters in real-time, based on sensor feedback, to account for local surface inhomogeneities, resulting in optimized surface textures for improved adhesion and crack resistance.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Enhancing the adhesion of thermally sprayed coatings on ceramic, metal, or composite substrates (e.g., turbine blades, medical implants, industrial tooling).
• Structuring surfaces of fiber-reinforced composites for better coating performance in aerospace or automotive parts.
• Preparing surfaces of electronic or microelectronic components for optimal interface bonding or reduced delamination.
• Functionalizing glass or ceramic surfaces for improved wettability, bioactivity, or anti-fouling in biomedical or industrial applications.
• Manufacturing advanced materials with custom surface roughness to improve mechanical, thermal, or tribological properties.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Enables precise, locally adaptable surface structuring for heterogeneous substrates.
• Improves adhesion strength and reduces risk of delamination or cracking in coated components.
• Eliminates the need for additional adhesion-promoter layers, simplifying manufacturing and reducing costs.
• Allows real-time adjustment of laser parameters with sensor feedback, optimizing results even on variable or complex surfaces.
• Enables both micro- and nano-scale structuring, offering flexibility for diverse applications and material types.

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Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

The invention relates to a method for generating a structured surface on a substrate, in which surface structures with dimensions in the sub-micrometre range are generated by means of treatment with an intensive pulsed laser beam, wherein by varying the method parameters of focus diameter, peak pulse power, pulse energy, point spacing, pulse length, pulse spacing and/or pulse sequence, a multiscale surface structure in the sub-micrometre and micrometre range is generated by means of, in part, material-removing treatment. The method makes it possible to adapt the microstructure to be generated to the substrate surface properties, which are intrinsically inhomogeneous in the sub-millimetre range, and to vary the method parameters accordingly. In an advantageous embodiment, the method parameters to be set locally are selected at a point in time very close to machining by means of a parallel evaluation of sensor data of the substrate surface.