University of Bordeaux

University of Bordeaux: ICMCB is one of the largest French laboratories in Solid State Chemistry and Materials Sciences. The staff consists in 240 members with 113 permanent members and 66 academic staff. The main research areas concern Energy, Functionalized materials and Nanomaterials. The main purpose consists in designing new materials and improving their properties from a better knowledge of the chemical bonds and the structures. Different solid materials (from nanomaterials to single crystals) are concerned: oxides, chalcogenides, fluorides, phosphates, intermetallics.

The group " Chemistry and photonic of oxide and fluoride materials " of the ICMCB (Institute of Chemistry and Condensed matter of Bordeaux) tackles the problem of the synthesis and characterization of various families of materials such as glass, ceramics, glass ceramics and crystalline materials for luminescence. This activity includes oxide, fluoride and sulfide. The research on luminescent materials deals with the formulation of new chemical compositions, and with the study of the correlation between structures and properties and between micro-,nano-textures and properties. At the core of the activity is the study of the relations between chemical compositions, structures, energy levels, and resulting optical and electronic properties.

The structural characterization conducted relies on solid state dedicated tools available on site such as X Ray diffraction, XPS, NMR, Infrared and Raman spectroscopy and the surface characterization equipments (Electronic microscopy, XPS, EDS, WDS, Auger) merged in an unique platform which allows when combined to absorption and luminescence spectroscopies to establish a full relation between the materials composition, structure and optical property.

Role in the network : The group "Chemistry and photonic of oxide and fluoride materials" of ICMCB will offer dedicated equipments for elaboration and shaping of inorganic materials such as optical bulk glass, thin film, fibers, bulk dense ceramics and single crystals. Research involved for instance the development of bulk glass with optical homogeneity (Dn<10-4) of fibers for in situ dosimetry of X-Ray and Gamma rays. The group will develop oxide and fluoride ceramics or single crystals for luminescence and possesses unique materials characterization (XRD, Thermal analysis, chemical analysis, TEM, SEM…) which allows when combined to absorption and luminescence spectroscopies to establish a full relation between the materials composition, structure and optical property. For instance, the transfer platform Fluomat of ICMCB will allow the scale up of fluoride compounds.