LEPO

Condensed matter properties depend as much on the intrinsic properties of its constituents as on their organisation at the nanometer scale. In addition to the design and development of original nano-objects (in collaboration with other materials science teams), LEPO studies the optical and electronic phenomena occuring at the nanometer scale in different types of nanomaterials, from organised molecular systems to plasmonic, piezoelectric particles, or hybrid systems. LEPO’s approach is based on the development of original multifunctional or operando near-field characterisation techniques, in order to understand photonic processes at the relevant spatial and temporal scales.

The group has developed considerable expertise in electron photoemission microscopy and in the coupling of optical micro-spectroscopy measurements (absorption, fluorescence, Raman scattering, frequency conversion) with local probe microscopy (AFM, STM).

Our research projects currently concern piezoelectric nanomaterials, local field enhancement in plasmonics, metamaterials or 2D materials, and their applications for the development of new functional materials in advanced imaging and microscopy techniques for biology, biomedicine (sensors and phototherapy), photocatalysis, optoelectronics …