The Structures and Properties platform provides research groups with tools for characterising the physicochemical properties of materials developed in the laboratory. In addition to the maintenance and management of the instrumental equipment, its role is to provide real expertise in advanced characterisation techniques. The platform is also heavily involved in instrumental development projects under extreme conditions. The diversity of the characterisation instruments proposed allows the physico-chemical properties of matter to be probed from the macroscopic scale (magnetic, electrical, optical and mechanical properties) to the nanometric and atomic scales (structure of materials, imaging of magnetic fields on the nanometric scale, etc.). The experimental techniques used to characterise these properties call on skills in plasmonics, diffraction (X-rays and electrons) and radiation-matter interaction in the broad sense.
Sébastien Weber, leader
The Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Focused Ion Beam (FIB) and Sample Preparation department is composed of three complementary and inseparable entities: TEM/SEM sample preparation, FIB/SEM and TEM.
This service offers all users in the laboratory and also outside the laboratory the possibility of carrying out an in-depth study of a material by electron microscopy.
Our fields of activity:
– Classical preparation for TEM (thin section) and SEM (scanning electron microscopy)
– FIB preparation of localized thin sections
– Multi-scale imaging (Optical, SEM, TEM, HRTEM)
– Orientation and chemical mapping (EDSD, ASTAR, EDS, EELS)
Our strengths:
– Expertise in mechanical, electrolytic and ionic thinning
– Expertise in imaging, spectroscopy, diffraction
– Wide range of TEM holders for in situ observations (temperature, traction, multi-contact, …)
– Maintenance and training on all the department’s equipment
– External services (local, national, European…)
The sample preparation department is the essential activity that precedes electron microscopy observation. Conventional methods consist of surface polishing for scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations, or thinning the samples to a few tens of nanometres thick for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations. However, sample preparation can become more exotic depending on the problem at hand.
The department provides the laboratory with numerous tools and different preparation techniques, which are taught to students and those wishing to be trained.
Whether conventional or more modern, sample preparation requires great precision, skill and patience on the part of the operator!
This department is composed of two members Catherine Crestou TCE CNRS (specialist in ion thinning) and Dominique Lamirault TCN ITRF (specialist in electrolytic jet thinning)
Ion beam thinning: GATAN PIPS Model 691
Plane view of a BaTiO3 sample
Cross-section of a BaTiO3 sample
Electrolytic jet thinning: STRUERS TenuPol-5
Sample of a metal alloy on a copper grid
Cutting tools :
ONA AF25 wire EDM machine
ESCIL Well diamond wire saws
BUEHLER IsoMet 4000 saw
Mechanical thinning :
ESCIL 300GTL, 200GTL polishers
ALLIED Multiprep semi-automatic polisher
BUEHLER Phoenix 4000 polisher
BUEHLER vibratory polisher
VibroMet2 GATAN Grinder
SOUTH BAY TECHNOLOGY Tripod Polisher Model 590
GATAN Dimpler Grinder Model 656
The FIB/SEM dual beam systems consist of two microscopes: a SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope) column and a FIB (Focused Ion Beam) column. They allow the observation and abrasion of matter at the scale of ten nanometres. They can also accommodate numerous other pieces of equipment for depositing material (Pt, W, Au, C), moving objects or performing chemical or crystallographic analysis, always on a submicrometre scale.
We use these machines at CEMES to carry out numerous experiments on all types of materials: preparation of thin slides for transmission electron microscopy (TEM), EDS and EBSD analyses, etching of pillars and beams for in situ compression and bending tests, etching of stencil gratings on Si3N4 membranes, electrical contact by localised metal deposition, etc.
This department is composed of one person: Robin Cours, CNRS Research Engineer.
Helios NanoLab600i
Strengths: TEM thin foil preparation, EDS EBSD, MEB FEG analysis
Microscope Helios
Microscope Helios NanoLab600i
Zeiss CrossBeam 1540 XB
Strenghts: Electron lithography, SEM FEG
Microscope Zeiss CrossBeam 1540
Installation of a carbon nanocone on an AFM cantilever head
Transmission electron microscopes (TEM) consist of an electron gun (source), electromagnetic lenses that act on the electron beam and various detectors. These detectors allow images to be obtained, diffraction images that provide information on the shape and structure of the sample, but also on its chemical composition or its mechanical, magnetic or electrical properties…. TEMs allow very local observation of materials (from a few µm2 to a few Å2). For the electron beam to pass through the sample, the latter must be very fine (of the order of 100nm).
There are 6 TEMs available for internal or external users at CEMES, 4 conventional (CM20, JEM2010, CM20FEG, HF2000) and 2 corrected for image mode aberrations (TECNAIF20 and HF3300 I2TEM). A very wide range of sample holders is also proposed in order to act in-situ (i.e. in the microscope) on the materials studied. It is then possible to orientate, heat, deform and apply fields to our samples in order to determine their intrinsic properties.
The department provides training for users who wish to become autonomous in all the techniques offered by the park (conventional imaging, parallel mode and precession diffraction, ASTAR, high resolution, STEM, EELS/EDX spectroscopy, EFTEM, etc.), and provides services in one of the techniques mentioned above.
The department is composed of two members: Sébastien Joulié, CNRS engineer in charge of the CM20, JEM2010 and TECNAIF20 microscopes, and Cécile Marcelot, CNRS engineer in charge of the CM20FEG, HF200 and I2TEM microscopes.
CM20 (200kV)
Microscope CM20
Cobalt nano wires
JEOL 2010 (200kV)
Strengths: dark field, in situ video
Microscope JEOL 2010
Dislocations in a nickel-base superalloy
CM20 FEG
Strengths: EDX spectroscopy, Astar precession
Microscope CM20 FEG
EDX mapping of a Al-Cu alloy
Orientation mapping of an iron oxide dendrite
TECNAI F20 (200kV)
Strengths: high resolution, EELS spectroscopy
Microscope Tecnai F20
Fe3O4 nanoparticle
HF2000 (200kV)
Microscope HF2000
Growing of nano wires of Co on Al2O3
I2TEM (HF3300) 300kV
Strengths: electron holography, in operando, high resolution, EELS spectroscopy
Microscope I2TEM (HF3300)
Hologram on a CoFe2O4 nano flower
The optics and magnetism department brings together all the laboratory’s experimental capabilities in optics and magnetism. It provides users inside and outside the laboratory with tools for characterising the optical/magnetic properties of materials. The optical part includes near- and far-field Raman spectroscopy devices as well as temporal measurement capabilities from femtosecond to millisecond. Spatial mapping of the properties measured on structured samples is available on all devices. The magnetism section includes macro- and microscopic Kerr magneto-optical, radio-frequency and magneto-transport measurements under cryostat.
The service’s devices are either directly accessible by users (after training) or in collaboration with the researchers who “set up” the device.
Sébastien Moyano, Frédéric Neumayer, Sébastien Weber (leader)
Atomic Force Microscope coupled to a Raman spectrometer constituting our TERS (Tip Enhanced Raman Spectrometer)
– Spectral analysis in reflectance, fluorescence and Raman emission
– UV, visible and near infrared analysis
– Micrometer resolution hyper-spectral mapping
– Nano tip excitation spectrometry: 10/20 nm resolution spectro-spatial mapping
– Fluorescence lifetime mapping: micrometer resolution and >100 picoseconds
– Pump-probe measurements of femtosecond/picosecond dynamics
– Non-linear microscopy
– Quantum plasmonics: single photon counting (intensity time correlation)
– Ultrafast Transmission Electron Microscopy, stationary and time-resolved cathodoluminescence (joint CNRS Hitachi laboratory: HC-IUMI)
– Broadband ferromagnetic resonance measurements (0-20 GHz) in stripline configuration
– Spin dynamics measurements on micro-antennas, by synchronous detection (field modulation), vector analysis (network analyser) or spectral analysis (spectrum analyser).
– Magnetometry and magneto-transport 0 – 9T, 2 – 400 K.
Strenghts:
Functional diagram of the PyMoDAQ library for the control of experimental devices and data acquisition
a) Micro-MOKE: Device for characterising magnetisation under a microscope using the MOKE (Magneto-optical Kerr Effect).
b) Image of magnetic domains acquired using the Micro-MOKE and its software under PyMoDAQ.
The department has different types of lasers (continuous, pulsed, gas, solid-state…) used on the different experimental devices according to the needs as well as lasers attached to particular devices:
– Continuous, fixed and fibre-coupled lasers:
◦ Krypton [406-676 nm] emission on atomic lines
◦ Argon [457-514 nm] emission on atomic lines
◦ Titanium: Sapphire [700-1050 nm] tunable emission
Optical table (Spectro T64000) with a set of gas LASERs (Argon, Krypton and solid-state: Ti-Sa). These sources can be delivered to the different experimental rooms by optical fibre.
– Mobile lasers:
◦ Super-continuum [450-2500 nm], [250-40000 kHz]
◦ DPSS diode @488nm
◦ Diode Continuous or pulsed lasers (20 picoseconds):
▪ Aurea: 405nm, 632nm, 785nm
▪ PicoQuant: 532nm, …
◦ Helium Neon
◦ …
– Horiba/Jobin Yvon T64000 Spectrometer. The most versatile spectrometer:
Single monochromator or triple monochromator
Near UV and visible range
Arrays: 2400, 1800 and 150 rpm
– Dilor UV Spectrometer
Triple monochromator
Laser: Ar [275-364 nm]
Array: 2400 rpm
– X-Plora Horiba/Jobin Yvon. The most used spectrometer
Lasers: DPSS @ 532 nm, diode lasers @ 638 and 785 nm
Arrays 2400, 1800, 600 and 300 rpm
Reflection and transmission white lamps
– TERS: Tip Enhanced Raman Spectrometer. Coupling of a LABRAM spectrometer, a TRIOS AFM and silver tips
DPSS laser at 532nm and He:Ne at 632nm
1800 and 300tr/mm gratings
– FLIM: Fluorescence Life-time Imaging Spectrometer
Uses pulsed diode lasers or fibre gas lasers
Micrometric spatial and temporal resolution greater than 20 picoseconds
Hyper-spectral or hyper-temporal mapping
– Femtosecond bench
Coherent Chameleon Ultra II femtosecond oscillator, 80 MHz, 100 fs, 680-1080 nm
Frequency doubler/tripler
Femtosecond time probe pump measurements in transmission or reflection
Micrometric spatial resolution
– FemtoTEM ultrafast electron microscope:
Amplified femtosecond laser source Amplitude Satsuma systems, single shot to MHz, 20 uJ/pulse, 250 fs
Electron imaging, EELS spectrum and time-resolved cathodoluminescence
The Characterisation Department brings together several complementary activities with a single aim: to offer a multidisciplinary approach to the characterisation of materials. It has a very large number of instruments that enable it to explore numerous properties of materials such as those related to their interfaces, morphologies, mechanical or crystallographic characteristics. This equipment is complemented by various means of sample preparation, including a set of high-temperature furnaces (up to 1500°C).
The department offers its skills for both simple measurements and more in-depth studies of many types of materials, sometimes requiring instrumental and/or methodological development.
It relies on the specific skills of its staff members: David Neumeyer, for granular materials and their characterizations, Christophe Deshayes for mechanical tests and scanning electron microscopy observations. The X-ray diffraction activity completes and extends the department’s means of investigation.
A large part of the department’s equipment is accessible to users after theoretical and practical training in the techniques and interpretation of the results.
Contact : david.neumeyer@cemes.fr
Some examples of available means and results: a-1 and a-2 Brucker Discover Diffractometer (2D), example of result obtained for an ancient Chinese pottery shard paste (Clément Hole) b-1 measured mesoporosity and c-1 to 3, Malvern NanoZS, Zeta potential and Phase Plot (Commercial Alumina – CE NanoDesk)
The strong development of techniques for the elaboration of granular materials (Spray Pyrolysis, CVD, Sol-Gel, etc.) has led to the joint development of specific powder characterisation means within CEMES.
Supported by more than two decades of activities within the framework of numerous collaborations, services or projects, concerning a great diversity of materials, the activity has been enriched by the experience acquired on the specificities linked to the understanding and implementation of divided materials.
It now offers access to various techniques, such as gas adsorption-desorption, dynamic light scattering, laser granulometry, spectrofluorescence, etc.
These techniques allow macroscopic access to various properties essential to the understanding of the behaviour of divided solids.
Combined with other techniques available within the CEMES platform, they allow very complete studies of powders and dispersions.
Contact : david.neumeyer@cemes.fr
Non-exhaustive list of available techniques:
– Gas adsorption/desorption (Nitrogen and Argon) (Belsorp)
– pHmeter chain (SI Analytics)
– Conductivity chain (
– UV-Visible spectrofluorometry (Hitachi)
– Pycnometry (Micromeritics)
– Laser granulometry (Malvern)
– Dynamic light scattering (DLS) (Malvern)
– Zeta potential (Malvern)
– ….
The department is equipped with two Bruker D8 diffractometers which allow complementary studies of crystallised materials.
The first, the D8 Advance, is equipped with a copper source and a LynxEye detector (1D) in a Bragg-Brentano configuration. It is highly resolving and is suitable for phase identification and the study of refinement processes.
Contact : david.neumeyer@cemes.fr
The second, the D8 Discover, is equipped with a Cobalt micro source and a 2D detector. It is dedicated to stress and texture measurements as well as to the study of samples that do not have a flat surface.
Contact : christophe.deshayes@cemes.fr
The department is equipped with two mechanical testing machines:
– A 30 kN Zwick tensile machine used at room temperature to determine the strength and deformation behaviour of materials until failure.
– A high-temperature creep machine (up to 800°C) used, for example, to study aeronautical alloys such as TiAl.
Contact : christophe.deshayes@cemes.fr
[1] – Microstructure, Plasticity and Ductility of a TNM+ Alloy Densified by Spark Plasma Sintering -Michael Musi, Christophe Deshayes, Guy Molénat, Louise Toualbi, Benjamin Galy, Petra Spoerk-Erdely, Muriel Hantcherli, Jean-Philippe Monchoux, Marc Thomas, Helmut Clemens and Alain Couret*– 2022- https://doi.org/10.3390/met12111915
[2] – Remarkable corrosion resumption of archaeological bronzes, induced by the oxidation of ternary Cu-Sn-S phases in atmosphere, after long-term burial with sulfides – Céline Rémazeilles*, Véronique Langlet-Marzloff, Juan Creus, Guillaume Lotte, Christophe Deshayes, François Baleux, Luc Robbiola – 2020 – https://doi.org/10.1016/j.corsci.2020.108865
[3] – Simple and economic elaboration of high purity CaCO3 particles for bone graft applications using a spray pyrolysis technique – David Neumeyer*, Chiara Venturini, Nicolas Ratel-Ramond, Marc Verelst and Andre Gourdon – 2017 – https://doi-org.inp.bib.cnrs.fr/10.1039/C7TB00586E
[4] – Influence of salts and humic acid on 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid removing from aqueous solution by peanut shell activated carbon – Jacques K. Fatombi*, Ignace Agani, Sèmiyou A. Osseni, Esta A. Idohou, David Neumeyer, Marc Verelst, Robert Mauricot, Taofiki Aminou – 2020 – https://doi.org/10.5004/dwt.2020.25597
[5] – Optimizing metal-support interphase for efficient fuel cell oxygen reduction reaction catalyst -Divya Nechiyil, Meenakshi Seshadhri Garapati, Rashmi Chandrabhan Shende, Sébastien Joulié, David Neumeyer, Revathi Bacsa, Pascal Puech, Sundara Ramaprabhu, Wolfgang Bacsa* – 2020 – https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcis.2019.11.015
FLIM, Micro-MOKE, Metheor, Fourier transform interferometer, Infrared spectroscopy
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