A wide range of techniques of fabrication and characterization is available in BSMA. These tools serve to synthesize, process, or provide a picture as complete as possible of, the complex systems and nanosystems engineered in BSMA. This uniquely wide expertise is also made available to external scientists or industrial companies. Some of these techniques are grouped in technological platforms managed at the level of the IMCN institute.
Need for a logistical and/or technical support for off-platform research equipment ? The BSMA Technical Management Team @ Boltzmann building (Cécile D'HAESE, Delphine MAGNIN, Naïma SALLEM, Pascal VAN VELTHEM) will help you.
A full list of fabrication and characterization tools available in BSMA is provided in the pdf file FABRICATION CHARACTERIZATION TOOLS.pdf
In case you would want to benefit from the expertise associated to one of the techniques mentioned below, please contact our secretary (Anne Bouchat) who will redirect you to the appropriate person: 010 47 35 60
Surface characterization :
- Tif-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS)
- Auger Spectroscopyme-o
- X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS)
- X-ray Reflectometry (XRR)
- Spectroscopic Ellipsometry
- Contact Angle Goniometry (including captive bubble, ultrafast camera, stage tilt and environmental chamber)
- Quartz-Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation Monitoring (QCM-D)
- Scanning Probe Microscopy (AFM, STM, LFM, MFM, PFM, and other setups)
Part of these tools are managed through the platform SUCH (technological platform for SUrface CHaracterization)
Surface Modification :
- Self-Assembled Monolayers (thiols, gas phase and liquid phase silanation)
- Layer-by-layer Assembly (robotic deposition system available)
- Bioconjugation of proteins (enzymes, antibodies, antigens) and nucleic acids on silicon and silicon oxide, polymers, and metals
- Electrochemistry (including quartz crystal microbalance)
Nanofabrication :
- electron beam nanolithography
- nanoimprint lithography
- fabrication of track-etched and anodized alumina nanoporous membranes
- template-assisted electrochemical fabrication of nanowires and nanotubes arrays
- high-vacuum coating systems (sputtering and e-beam evaporation systems)
Polymer Processing :
- Twin screw extruder
- Compression and injection moulding
- Brabender plastographs and mini-extruder
- Resin transfer molding
Microscopy :
- Scanning Probe Microscopy (AFM, STM, LFM, MFM, PFM, and other setups)
- Scanning Electron Microscopy (including EDX and STEM)
- Transmission Electron Microscopy (including EELS and XRF detectors)
- Ultracryomicrotomy
- Optical Microscopy (including epifluorescence setup)
Part of these tools are managed through a technological platform MICA (MIcroscopic ChAracterization of functional and nanostructured materials)
Low temperatures & electrical/thermal/magnetic characterization :
- Cryogenic He-4 systems and high magnetic fields facilities
- Experimental set-up for electrical resistivity, magnetoresistance, thermal conductivity and thermoelectric measurements
- Magnetometry measurements
- High frequency measurements (Network Analyser, Spectrum Analyser, low temperature set-up)
Thermal Analysis & Rheology:
- Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC)
- Rheometry (capillary, cone-plane, tensile,...)
- Thermogravimetric Analysis (coupled to Infrared spectroscopy) (TGA)
- Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA)
Polymer Characterization in Solution :
- Size-Exclusion Chromatography (SEC)
- Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS)
- Viscosimetry
Spectroscopy :
- FTIR spectroscopy
- Raman spectroscopy and microscopy
- NIR-UV-vis spectroscopy