Since its creation in 2006, the PFNC has brought together cutting-edge expertise and equipment dedicated to the analysis of materials at the nanoscale. As a vital tool for understanding materials and devices, it supports research conducted at the CEA in strategic fields such as energy, microelectronics, digital technologies, and healthcare.

This center of excellence is built on the complementary scientific and technical expertise of its teams, which develop and implement increasingly advanced characterization methods to address the challenges of today's research.

Over the next decade, the PFNC will strengthen its key role in the emergence of disruptive innovations by applying its advanced nanocaracterization protocols to the development of eco-friendly materials and sustainable components, which are crucial for European sovereignty and the energy transition.

The first challenge will be to maintain this human expertise and this technological infrastructure at the highest global level in order to accelerate these developments. Furthermore, in response to the challenges posed by the digital transition and artificial intelligence, the platform plans to integrate increasingly powerful data-processing algorithms combined with automated sample preparation, enabling 2D mapping and multi-scale 3D reconstructions of unprecedented precision for our academic and industrial partners.