GPM - Groupe de Physique des Matériaux

Application areas

• Scientific instrumentation
• Energy
• Space and aircraft industry
• Automotive industry
• Biology and physics

Know-how and expertise

Scientific instrumentation
The GPM lab is one of the world leaders in the design and development of the Atom Probe tomography technique covering both the improvement of performances and the application in materials science, including correlative microscopy.

Nanoparticles, health and environment
Original and interdisciplinary approach. Physicists, doctors, toxicologists, and biologists all contribute to answe- ring questions about the impact of nanoparticles on the environment and health.

Materialsscience and mechanics
Up to date research in physical me- tallurgy is carried out on advanced alloys thanks to unique facilities at all possible scales, from atomic scale microscopy to thermo-mechanical testing. This experimental work is supported by advanced numerical modeling.

Polymers and disordered systems
Investigation of physical properties, aging behavior and durability of organic polymers (including biopolymers), nanocomposite and composite materials with natural fibers.

Nanostructures
Advanced materials for application in nano-electronics, optical and magnetic materials and materials for micro-electronic systems are investigated with a special emphasis on the relationship between structure and properties. It also includes the durability and reliability of micro-elec- tronic devices.

Facilities

A unique facility platform and up-to-date characterization techniques
The research activities of the GPM are based on up-to-date techniques: atom probe tomography, high resolution electron microscopy (scanning and transmission), NanoSIMS, Nano and pico-indentation, mechanical tests, X-ray di raction, Mössbauer spectroscopy, Photoluminescence... Besides, a unique instrumental platform (GENESIS) is dedicated to the experimental characte- rization down to the atomic scale of radio-active materials and materials for the nuclear industry. An additive manufacturing platform is also operated by the lab.

A wide range of collaborations

The GPM lab has several joint ven- tures with R&D labs from industries (EDF, Manoir Industries, CEEVA CRT and “Analyses et surface CRT”) and shares an innovation center with Volum-e (additive manufacturing). A joint international lab has also been founded with University Nebraska Lincoln, and the lab expertise is shared in various joint projects with other teams in Europe, USA, Japan, China and India.