EDMs, i.e. electric dipole moments of electrons, neutrons or nuclei are sensitive probes for new physics beyond the Standard Model of particle physics. In the present project, we propose to measure the EDM of those systems embedded in a cryogenic solid matrix of inert gas or hydrogen. Matrices offer unprecedented sample sizes while maintaining characteristics of an atomic physics experiment, such as the possibility of manipulation by lasers. An EDM experiment on molecules in inert gas matrices has the potential to reach a statistical sensitivity of the order of 1e–36 e cm; a value beyond that of any other proposed technique. With this project, in a strong collaboration between experimental (LAC, ISMO,LPL) and theoretical (CIMAP) groups, we first aim at performing a detailed investigation of all limiting effects (mainly the ones limiting the optical pumping performance and coherence time) using Cs atoms. This should provide a first proof of principle EDM measurement and set the ground for precise study of systematic effects which will allow EDMMA to reach unprecedented precision

This project is aimed to providing a new tool to chemists in laboratory or industrial production: a highly efficient regio- and / or enantioselective biocatalysed Baeyer-Villiger oxidation in high concentration. In a first step, a set of new enzymes displaying complementary activities will be proposed to face up to the weakness of the current offer of Baeyer-Villigerases (a dozen available enzymes in laboratory and only one commercialised). The genes of putative BVases will be identified in genomic data banks by comparison of sequences then introduced into host microorganism via a high throughput cloning. High and medium throughput screenings intended to report respectively the activity and enantioselectivity profiles of these enzymes will be set up and carried out in order to develop a tool for making easier and faster the choice of the catalyst On the other hand, productivity often reaches limits because of inhibition (or toxicity) phenomena. To move closer to industrial benchmarks, a process based on adsorbent resins will be implemented to increase concentrations. Besides their "green" and sustainable aspect, Baeyer-Villiger biooxidations present an enzymatic version more efficient in terms of enantioselectivity than the chemical version. In order to harness these features, Dynamic Kinetic Resolution (DKR) process associating in situ substrate racemisation simultaneously with microbiological Baeyer-Villiger oxidation (to overcome the maximal 50 % of yield inherent to classic resolutions) will be developed. Various chemical and enzymatic racemisation conditions will be investigated. DKR and resin-based process will be finally brought together in a Dynamic Kinetic Resolution process at High Concentration, which should lead to a significant increase in productivity. The approach proposed in this project will be validated by the industrial scale production of molecules of interest in the field of flavours or synthesis intermediates.

RobMoSys will coordinate the whole community’s best and consorted effort to build an open and sustainable, agile and multi-domain European robotics software ecosystem. RobMoSys envisions an integration approach built on-top-of, or rather around, the current code-centric robotic platforms, by means of the systematic application of model-driven methods and tools that explicitly focus on (system-of-) system integration. As proven in many other engineering domains, model-driven approaches are the most suitable approach to manage integration that is intended to be “all-inclusive” with respect to technologies and stakeholder groups. RobMoSys will enable the management of the interfaces between different roles (robotics expert, domain expert, component supplier, system integrator, installation and deployment, operation) and separated concerns in an efficient and systematic way by making the step change to a set of fully model-driven methods and tools for engineering robotics systems. RobMoSys will drive the non-competitive part of building the eco-system aiming at turning community involvement into active support for an ecosystem of professional quality and scope. It will provide, based on broad involvement via two Open Calls, important concretizations for many of the common robot functionalities (sensing, planning, control in the broad sense). It will fulfill two complementary missions: (1) establish a common methodology enabling a composition-oriented approach to address complexity in robotics and face the integration burden caused by type diversity, target diversity and platform diversity; (2) stimulate and boost an ecosystem of methodology-based toolchains that supports the interaction of separated roles. RobMoSys is designed for widest inclusion - from the very beginning and throughout the overall course of the project - of the expertise and body of knowledge of the robotics community and of related relevant technology and application domains (Tier-1 concept).

Phase Change Random Access Memories (PCRAM), which are based on the reversible amorphous-crystalline transition in phase change materials (PCMs), constitute a very promising alternative to Flash technology, which is reaching fundamental limits. One of their key advantages is their scalability but, for ultimate miniaturization, energy consumption is critical and a promising solution is the geometrical confinement of the memory points. Mastering this with PCMs at ultimate dimensions (typically 5 nm) is, however, a real challenge, which calls for a fundamental understanding of the interplay between strain (the amorphous-to-crystal transition is accompanied by density increase of several %) and interface energies at the nanoscale. The objective of the SESAME project is to study the influence of strain and size on the PCM phase transition at ultimate dimensions. To address these issues we will use advanced in situ characterization techniques applied to ultra-thin layers, confined nanostructures and nanoclusters in order to investigate the early stages of phase transition and also to measure local strains and microstructure changes at crystallization. Five partners with complementary know-how will participate in the project: IM2NP-Marseille, CEA-LETI-Grenoble, CEA-INAC-Grenoble, synchrotron SOLEIL – St Aubin, CINaM-Marseille. The SESAME project will be organized along 5 tasks: 1. Coordination, 2. Sample preparation and characterization, 3. High resolution synchrotron X-ray scattering, 4. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), 5. Simulation. Thin/ultra-thin GeTe and Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST) PCM films and PCM materials in confined structures will be prepared at CEA-LETI. Various thickness (100 to 5 nm), size (down to 10 nm width) and capping materials (Ta, TaN, Ta2O5, SiN, SiO2, Ti, TiN …) will be studied. CEA-INAC has the unique capability of preparing sub-10 nm GeTe and GST clusters by gas phase condensation. This will allow us to address the ultimate sizes, far beyond existing capabilities of lithography. Clusters with different composition or doping will be embedded in matrices with various thermo mechanical properties in order to evaluate the impact of mechanical stress on PCM clusters properties. Preliminary in situ sample characterizations will be performed at CEA: in situ ellipsometry, reflectivity, Raman spectroscopy or four-point-probe resistivity measurements. On these well-characterized samples unique in situ High-resolution synchrotron x-ray scattering and state-of-the-art transmission Electron microscopy (TEM) investigations will be performed. An original combination of resistance, X-ray diffraction and X-ray reflectivity that allows correlating structural and electrical PCM properties upon crystallization has been developed jointly by IM2NP and ESRF and will be used at synchrotron SOLEIL to characterize in situ the phase transition of ultrathin PCMs. Also the in situ combination of X-ray diffraction and optical curvature measurements developed jointly by IM2NP and DiffAbs beamline at SOLEIL will allow for an in-depth understanding of the mechanics involved in the amorphous-to-crystal transition. State-of-the-art TEM performed at CEA-INAC and CEA-LETI will bring valuable knowledge on local distribution of elements, defects and strains. In situ TEM observations during crystallization will offer invaluable information on the nucleation sites for crystallization. It is worth noting that these highly original in situ techniques (based either on TEM or Synchrotron radiation) will be used also to investigate structural changes in the amorphous phase. The issue of resistance drift in the amorphous phase is a key point for the stability of stored information in the memory cell. Atomistic simulations (Density Functional Theory, Molecular Dynamics) will be performed at CINaM in order to simulate the atomistic structure and the properties (structural, electronic, spectroscopic) of phase change materials in amorphous and crystalline form.