Researches in this department are focused on exploring the new physical properties, optical and magnetic, that are induced by the size decrease of materials down to the nanometer scale. A large variety of objects are both produced and characterized including ultra-thin oxides and ceramics layers, single or bi-metal nanoparticles, carbon nanostructures as diamonds and nanotubes, as well as mesoporous structures supporting catalytic nanoparticles. These object are useful building blocks in the fields of low dimensionality magnetism, metallurgy, bio-friendly coverings … Researches are oriented towards the understanding of the growing processes, the structure and composition of materiaux sized from the micro to the nano-meter.

For producing the materials the department is responsible for the implementation of UHV evaporation chambers and Chemical Vapour Deposition reactors. It takes advantage of devices available in other departments: laser ablation, sputtering. Characterizations on the nanoscale is mainly based on electron microscopies: Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HR-TEM) and 3D TEM, Scanning Tunnelling Microscopy (STM). Expertise in these techniques makes the department a regional leader in the field.

A large part of the magnetic and structure studies engaged by the department are performed using synchrotron radiations from large European facilities: ESRF in Grenoble, Bssy in Berlin. Members of the research team are already developing magnetic dichroism experiments to be performed on the SOLEIL facility in Saclay.

The experimental research teams are strongly supported in their task by theoreticians performing up to date atomic simulations and local electronic structure calculations.

New strong topics arise in the department, strengthened by the development of innovative technologies:

 low temperature, high magnetic field Scanning electron microscopy of supported aggregates,
 analytical 3D-TEM of nano-objects.

Group Leader: Wolfgang WEBER tél : +33 (0)3 88 10 70 81, fax: +33 (0)3 88 10 72 48

Secretary : Celine PREAUDAT tél : +33 (0)3 88 10 70 99