English title L-SCAN: Linking surfaces, coatings, and nanostructures.

We currently live in an exciting and stimulating period where artificial materials are produced with atom-by-atom control in order to achieve unique sets of desired properties. Advanced characterization techniques are indispensable for an efficient optimization of material synthesis procedures and to obtain surfaces, coatings and nanostructures with an improved functionality for a targeted application such as catalysis, batteries, (electro)optics, and magnetism. This application aims at the acquisition of a low voltage SEM (LV-SEM), which allows for performant operation at acceleration voltages of a few kiloelectronvolts or less, in combination with a state-of-the-art X-ray spectrometer offering light element sensitivity down to the detection and mapping of Li K X-rays (ca. 55 eV). Top quality characterization of air-sensitive materials will be enabled by a specimen transfer vessel to bring samples from its control production environment under inert atmosphere to the analytical chamber of the LV-SEM. The consortium, 16 promotors from 13 different research groups, is centered in Ghent and unites teams working on inorganic or hybrid thin films and nanostructures, and their surfaces, guaranteeing the use of the equipment in its full capacity for this research branch and strengthening existing collaborations and knowledge transfer.