{"id":5062,"date":"2026-03-20T14:36:18","date_gmt":"2026-03-20T13:36:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www-preprod.cnrs-imn.fr\/innovative-materials-for-optics-photovoltaics-and-storage\/advanced-characterization-of-materials-and-devices\/"},"modified":"2026-04-03T14:54:02","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T12:54:02","slug":"advanced-characterization-of-materials-and-devices","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.cnrs-imn.fr\/en\/innovative-materials-for-optics-photovoltaics-and-storage\/advanced-characterization-of-materials-and-devices\/","title":{"rendered":"Advanced characterization of materials and devices"},"content":{"rendered":"

1 – <\/strong>Advanced solid-state crystallography<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The relationship between crystalline structure and the properties of materials studied by the MIOPS team (chalcogenides, oxides, hybrids, POM, etc.) or through IMN’s “chalcogenides” and “hybrid materials” cross-disciplinary axes is at the heart of our concerns. The properties in question cover optics, magnetism, electronic or ionic transport, as well as chemical reactivity (e.g., under water vapor pressure). The notion of structure, given the complexity of the atomic organization of materials and its subtle entanglement with the aforementioned properties, is approached on a multi-scale basis. <\/p>\n

To this end, we have developed recognized expertise in advanced solid-state crystallography, mainly using X-ray and neutron diffraction and total scattering, complemented by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray absorption spectroscopy. We are interested in disorder and ordering phenomena in solids in general, including layered materials such as chalcogenides and mixed anion systems. Innovative approaches are developed in the laboratory (PEDT; IA & DRX; structural prediction calculations & PDF – collaboration with ID2M and PMN teams) or on large instruments (DRX computational tomography, combined in situ\/operando DRX\/PDF\/XAS studies). We also act as scientific referent for the PLASSMAT platform’s DRX platform. <\/p>\n

Expertises : <\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  • Ab initio structural resolution on powder and single crystal by XRD and PEDT<\/li>\n
  • Rietveld refinements, sequential or parametric<\/li>\n
  • Study of static and dynamic disorder using the maximum entropy method and anharmonic expansion of atomic displacement parameters<\/li>\n
  • TLS analysis of atomic displacement parameters<\/li>\n
  • Determination of mottled or stacking fault crystal structures<\/li>\n
  • Determining modulated incommensurate or composite incommensurate crystal structures (misfits): the superspace approach<\/li>\n
  • Pair distribution function (PDF) analysis coupled with total X-ray and neutron scattering<\/li>\n
  • Microstructural diffraction analysis<\/li>\n
  • Studies of structural or magnetic phase transitions<\/li>\n
  • In situ or operando diffraction<\/li>\n
  • Determination of magnetic structures by neutron diffraction<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Key words: <\/strong>Crystallography, PDF analysis, X-ray, neutron and electron diffraction, advanced structural analysis, microstructural analysis, layered, macerated and modulated materials.<\/p>\n

    Collaborations: <\/strong>ISCR (Rennes), ICMCB (Bordeaux), UCCS (Lille), UMET (Lille), IRCER (Limoges), Institut N\u00e9el (Grenoble), CEMHTI (Orl\u00e9ans), SPMS (CentraleSup\u00e9lec Paris), CRISMAT (Caen), SOLEIL (Gif-sur-Yvette), Kyoto University (Japan), Institut Jozef Stefan (Ljubljana, Slovenia).<\/p>\n

    People involved: <\/strong>O. <\/strong>Hernandez, P. Deniard, M. Caldes, H. Serier-Brault, D. Berthebaud, R. Gautier<\/p>\n

    Current research projects: <\/strong>ANR PACHAS, ANR ALPS-Water, ANR COBEDIT, ANR MISFIT, PEPR DIADEM (MADNESS)<\/p>\n

    <\/strong>Major publications:<\/strong><\/p>\n

      \n
    • New al-kali lanthanide-free polyoxometalates with remarkable water-responsive turn-off-turn-on luminescence properties, A. Bagghi, R. Ghena, N. Gautier, N. Stephant, P. Deniard, R. Dessapt, Journal of Materials Chemistry C 10 (42), 6040-16052 (2022)<\/em><\/li>\n
    • Mechanochemical Synthesis and Study of the Local Structure of NaGaS2 Glass and Glass-Ceramics, L. Verger, J. Tr\u00e9bosc, B. Baptiste, E. Furet, K. D\u00e9noue, J. Zhang, F. Chevir\u00e9, D. Le Coq, L. Calvez, O. Lafon, O. Hernandez, Inorganic Chemistry 61, 46, 18476-18485 (2022)<\/em><\/li>\n
    • Design of metastable oxychalcogenide phases by topochemical (de)intercalation of sulfur in La2O2S2, S. Sasaki, M. T. Caldes, C. Guillot-Deudon, I. Braems, G. Steciuk, L. Palatinus, E. Gautron, G. Frapper, E. Janod, B. Corraze, S. Jobic, L. Cario, Nat. Commun. 12, 3605 (2021)<\/em><\/li>\n
    • Lead Halide Post-Perovskite-Type Chains for High-Efficiency White-Light Emission, R. Gautier, F. Massuyeau, G. Galnon, M. Paris, Advanced Materials 31, 14, 1807383 (2019).<\/em><\/li>\n
    • A new highly sensitive cryogenic luminescent MOF thermometer built with pyromellitic acid, T. Amiaud, V. Jubera, H. Serier-Brault, Journal of Materials Chemistry C, 11, 10951-10956 (2023)<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      2 – <\/strong>Advanced characterization of solids by photoelectron spectroscopy<\/strong><\/h3>\n

      The Institut des Mat\u00e9riaux de Nantes Jean Rouxel (IMN) is very active in the field of photoelectron spectroscopy (SPE). Its staff are heavily involved in the F\u00e9d\u00e9ration de Recherche Spectroscopies de Photo\u00e9mission, as well as in the organization of XPS thematic schools in the past. SPE is well known for the analysis of core states and the identification of surface chemical environments. At MIOPS, we use these techniques to characterize the materials involved in Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2-based solar cells and organic materials, as well as photocatalysts. <\/p>\n

      But MIOPS’ expertise doesn’t stop there, as we also use Auger peaks and valence band to gain an even finer understanding of these solids. We use the versatility of SPE to deduce, in addition to chemical properties, electronic properties (e.g. energy difference between valence band maximum and Fermi level) and morphological properties (e.g. thin film thicknesses, nanoparticle sizes). We are also working on the analysis of buried interfaces to study the chemical and electronic properties of heterojunctions, and on the analysis of materials under illumination. These are key elements in understanding how solar cells or photo(electro)catalysts work. <\/p>\n

      Expertise: <\/strong>XPS, UPS, PES characterization under synchrotron irradiation, buried interfaces, inelastic continuum modeling.<\/p>\n

      Key words: <\/strong>Materials, Electronic structure engineering, Solar fuels, Photocatalysis, Photoelectrocatalysis,<\/p>\n

      Collaborations: <\/strong>Chimie Et Interdisciplinarit\u00e9, Synth\u00e8se, Analyse, Mod\u00e9lisation (CEISAM), L’Institut des Sciences Chimiques de Rennes (ISCR), Institut de recherches sur la catalyse et l’environnement (IRCELYON), Institut de Chimie et Proc\u00e9d\u00e9s pour l’Energie, l’Environnement et la Sant\u00e9 (ICPEES), Institut Lavoisier de Versailles (ILV), TU Darmstadt.<\/p>\n

      People involved: <\/strong>Maria Teresa Caldes, Sylvie Harel, Guy Louarn, Cl\u00e9ment Maheu<\/p>\n

      Current research projects: <\/strong>OMATSOLFUEL (MSCA-PF, 2023-2025), TASE MINOTAURE (2023-2027), TASE IOTA (PEPR, 2023-2028), PACHAS (ANR, 2025-2029)<\/p>\n

      Major publications:<\/strong><\/p>\n

        \n
      • V. Nikolaou, D. Romito, C. Maheu, J. Hamon, E. Gautron, F. Massuyeau, S. Jobic, F. Odobel, Dual solar-driven hydrogen evolution and alcohol oxidation with CdS quantum dot-sensitized photocatalysts prepared by the SILAR methodology, Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 2024, 12, 30885-30891.<\/em><\/li>\n
      • P.Bais, M. T. Caldes, C. Guillot-Deudo, A. Renaud, M. Boujtita, S. Jobic, A. Lafond, Influence of the copper deficiency and anionic composition on band-energy diagram of bulk kesterite CZTSSe, Materials Research Bulletin, 2021, 139, 111285<\/em><\/li>\n
      • S. Harel, L. Arzel, T. Lepetit, P. Zabierowski, N. Barreau, Influence of Sulfur Evaporation during or after KF-Post Deposition Treatment On Cu(In,Ga)Se2\/CdS Interface formation, ACS Appl. Mater.Interfaces, 2020, 12, 41, 46953 <\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

        Sub-themes<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>

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