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Facilities

The following facilities, infrastructure, and singular equipment are available in our group:

  • Chemistry lab for the synthesis of precursor solutions of metal oxides, including an inert atmosphere glovebox system and Schlenk lines for handling moisture sensitive reagents (e.g., metal alkoxides).
  • High-energy planetary ball mills (Fritsch Vario-Mill Pulverisette 4 and 6 models) with WC and steel grinding bowls and balls.
  • Hot pressing system (up to 1000 ºC and 100 MPa) and conventional annealing furnaces (up to 1600 ºC).
  • Tape-casting for the preparation of thin ceramic tapes from ceramic slurry (Tape Casting Warehouse, Inc.).
  • Rheometers (Brookfield HBDV-III+ and R/S-CPS models).
  • Ultrasonic processor (Sonics & Materials Inc., Vibra-CellTM).
  • System for photocatalysis in liquid medium, including a solar lamp (Osram, Ultra-Vitalux, 300 W) and gas flux lines.
  • UV/Vis spectrophotometer (Biochrom Libra S35).
  • Class 100 cleanroom for the fabrication of thin films, including spin- and dip-coating techniques and hot plates.
  • Rapid thermal process system (Jipelec JetStar 100T Processor), inside the cleanroom.
  • UV-assisted rapid heating system comprised of an excimer lamp (Heraeus Bluelight Curing Module, 222 nm), and either a ceramic heater (Watlow, Ultramic Advanced Ceramic Heater, 155W/cm2) or an infrared lamp (250 W), inside the cleanroom.
  • Sputter for substrate metallization and electrodes deposition (Bal-Tec SCD 050), inside the cleanroom.
  • Electrical measurement lab for the macroscopic characterization of bulk and thin-film ceramic capacitors, including a Radiant Precision Premier II materials analyzer, LCR-meters and impedance analyzers, oscilloscopes, pulse generators, electrometers, current amplifiers, probe stations (cryogenic, high-temperature) and smaller equipment.
  • Electric-field induced deformation measuring system (PerkinElmer TMS2) for bulk ceramic capacitors, including a lock-in amplifier and a magnetomechanical dilatometer. A Berlincourt test system (Channel Products Inc.) is also included.
  • Complex analysis of piezoelectric resonances in bulk ceramic capacitors by impedance spectroscopy (1 Hz – 1 MHz), using finite element analysis to determine the elastic, piezoelectric, and dielectric coefficients from the matrix characterization of a piezoceramic.
  • Dynamic mechanical analysis (PerkinElmer DMA7), including 3-point bending system probe (from -120 ºC to 1000 ºC).
  • Magnetoelectric response measuring system (Serviciencia S.L.) consisting of two Helmholtz coils (high power and high frequency) designed to independently provide a static magnetic field (up to 1000 Oe), and an alternate magnetic field (of 10 Oe) up to a frequency of 150 kHz. A dc current source up to 20 A is used to drive the high power coil, while a function generator plus a specifically built transconductance amplifier is used to drive the high frequency coil. Magnetoelectric voltages are sensed with a lock-in amplifier.
  • Piezoresponse force microscopy for the local characterization of thin-film capacitors, including WSxM® software (Nanotec Electrónica, S.L.).
  • Profilometer (Taylor-Hobson Form Talysurf50).

In addition, support laboratories of ICMM-CSIC (internal services) are also available on request.