Modelling/simulation

The research performed in the field of simulation and modelling by the groups involved in the SEAM Labex deals with a large number of issues related to material sciences and material processing. SEAM-Labex, thanks to all its Labs, has a large scale expertise that extends from quantum physics to continuum mechanics and physical metallurgy. The research objectives cover a large spectrum that goes from the understanding of the phenomena that govern the physical and chemical characteristics of materials at the nano and sub-nanoscale levels up to the simulation of the macroscopic behaviour and elaboration processes for materials that are dedicated to several kind of applications. The strong, consistent, multidisciplinary and large expertise spectrum allows addressing almost all the issues that are encountered when working on material design, investigation and elaboration.

Researchers are indeed able to design functionalities and nanostructures, to design elaboration processes for materials and to conduct studies to predict the behaviour and the evolution of these materials when used in applications They can also investigate intermediate scales in order to predict how microscopic characteristics, elementary phenomena or collective behaviour of microscopic constitutive elements can affect the behaviour of materials at the macroscopic scale. The research activity performed at lspm on the modelling and simulation of material elaboration processes will be associated with great benefit to the theoretical and numerical investigations performed at LSPM, MPQ, MSC and ITODYS so as to quantitatively take into account the functional and structural constraints when developing developing the material elaboration process. Similarly, the models developed on fluid surface interaction will be combined to the models describing structural materials developed at LSPM in order to investigate the chemical, physical and structural changes of materials as well as the consequences of such changes on the behaviour of the materials when used under specific conditions related to targeted applications.

Instrumentation

The strategy of the SEAM Labex in developing and studying advanced materials is based on the expertise of the partners in growth, structural characterization (TEM and X-ray diffraction), optics and electronics characterizations, surface functionalization, nanostructuration and devices designing, multi-scale modeling and spectroscopy techniques for the study of material transformation processes. Several experimental platforms are available for the Labex researchers, the partners where the main experimental setups are located are indicated for each platform. These platforms are (briefly) :

• Process for developing materials (elaboration, transformation, functionalization) : plasma reactors, soft chemistry, thin films, nano-structuration and self-organization - LSPM, MPQ, ITODYS ;
• Chemical transformation, analysis and characterization of materials - ITODYS ;
• Structural characterization of materials - MPQ, ITODYS, LSPM ;
• Electronics, optics and photonics characterizations - LPL, MPQ, ITODYS, LSPM ;
• Coherent light sources : LPL, MPQ ;
• in situ structural and mechanical properties characterization : alloys, hybrid materials, compacted nanopowders - LSPM ;
• Clean room facilities of U.Paris-Diderot and U.Paris13.