Electronic microscopy

The Electron Microscopy Platform (PMEL) is dedicated to structural and chemical characterization from the micrometer down to the atomic level. The PMEL brings together two advanced and analytical transmission electron microscopes (TEM): a TITAN Themis, equipped with an aberration corrector and a monochromator, as well as a JEOL F2000, fitted with a cold field emission electron source and a precession module.

The PMEL also includes three scanning electron microscopes (SEM): two equipped with FEG sources (a low-pressure JEOL SEM and a Hitachi SU5000 analytical SEM dedicated to EBSD) and a tabletop SEM. It is also equipped with numerous sample preparation tools, such as ultramicrotomes and both mechanical and ion polishers.

The main work carried out at the PMEL focuses on methodological development (EDX and EELS spectroscopies, 4D-STEM, study of beam-sensitive materials under electron irradiation), as well as their applications in various fields, ranging from mineralogy and metallurgy to solid-state chemistry and catalysis.