LabH6 joint lab - official renewal

Exail, Jean Monnet University Saint-Étienne and the CNRS have officially renewed the LabH6 joint laboratory in Saint-Germain-en-Laye on 27th May 2026. The partnership, based on the combined work of Exail and our lab's MOPERE team led by Sylvain Girard, will continue developing innovative optical fibres and sensors capable of operating in high-radiation environments for applications including space, nuclear energy, and high-energy physics.

Created in 2019, LabH6 combines scientific and industrial expertise to study radiation-induced material degradation, while developing predictive simulation tools and next-generation technological solutions. Key achievements include radiation-resistant optical fibres for ultraviolet and visible wavelengths now used in laser diagnostics at inertial confinement fusion facilities, including the CEA's Laser Mégajoule in France and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's National Ignition Facility (LLNL) in the United States. Research carried out within LabH6 has also led to the development of the LUMINA fibre-optic dosimeter. Designed in collaboration with the French Space Agency (CNES) and calibrated at CERN, the instrument has been successfully deployed aboard the International Space Station (ISS) since 2021, where it has demonstrated its ability to detect the low radiation levels characteristic of the ISS's orbit around Earth.

The renewed collaboration will focus on new fibre-optic dosimeters and sensors for space, nuclear, and nuclear medicine applications, as well as data transmission and environmental monitoring in increasingly demanding environments. Researchers will also investigate radiation-induced degradation in optical fibres under cryogenic conditions, a key challenge for magnetic confinement fusion.