FASEM 2026

16 Mar 2026, 09:00 → 20 Mar 2026, 19:00 Europe/Paris

ILL4/rdc-1 - Amphi Chadwick (ILL4)

The FASEM is a recurring biennial advanced-school, rotating across three key thematic areas: Scattering Techniques for Environment & Materials, Life Sciences, and Energy Applications. Its goals are to prepare the future generation of users of large-scale facilities for synchrotron and neutron scattering; develop and strengthen sustainable scientific exchanges between the French and Swedish communities on the use of large-scale facilities, in connection with the forthcoming ESS commissioning; and strengthen the links between institutes in France (ILL, ESRF, SOLEIL) and in Sweden (MAX-IV, ESS).

 

TOPICS

• Neutron and X-ray Techniques
• Battery and Hydrogen Materials
• Nuclear Materials and Fuel Cycle
• Simulations and AI in Energy Research
• Industrial Applications and Societal Impact
   

Scientific committee

• Peter Fouquet, ILL
• Gerardina Carbone, MAX IV
• Fabrice Cousin, CEA
• Celine Durniak, ESS
• Pascale Launois, CNRS/SFN
• Marie Plazanet, UGA
• Valentin Vinci, ESRF
• Max Wolff, UU 

 

Organising committee

• Peter Fouquet, ILL
• Christine Darve , (FASEM coord.) ESS
• Victor Ducret, French Embassy
• Yan Pautrat, French Embassy
• Laurence Tellier, ILL

Programme FASEM 20260309.pdf

Monday, 16 March

09:00 → 09:30 Registration

09:30 → 10:30 Welcome address and presentation of ILL

Speakers: Christine Darve (European Spallation Source ERIC), Ken Andersen (ILL), Peter Fouquet (Institut Laue-Langevin)

FASEM2026_Intro.pdf

FASEM2026_Intro.pptx

11:00 → 12:30 Introduction to X-rays and Neutrons for Materials Science and Energy

Speaker: Alekxandar Matic (Chalmers University of Technology)

14:00 → 15:20 An Introduction to Neutron and X-ray Imaging

Speaker: Alessandro Tengattini

15:45 → 17:00 ESRF welcome (Visitor Center) and visit

Speaker: Jean Daillant (ESRF)

17:00 → 18:30 Poster Session & reception (mezzanine ESRF)

Tuesday, 17 March

09:00 → 10:30 Neutron and X-ray Diffraction (for Energy Materials)

Speaker: Ove Korjus

11:00 → 12:30 Small Angle Scattering: Leaving Atoms Behind and Going Big

Many processes in energy materials do not only depend on the microscopic arrangement of atoms on the atomic scale, but are controlled by the gross characteristics and morphology of matter on the nano and microscale. Small-angle X-ray/neutron scattering (SAXS/SANS) allows to access these features giving insights into the size, shape, and arrangement of objects of few nanometers to several hundreds of nanometers. This lecture will introduce key concepts of small-angle scattering and give some examples on how SAXS and SANS can be used to study battery materials.

Speaker: Xaver Brems (LSS)

14:00 → 15:00 Neutron spectroscopy

Speaker: Michael Koza (Institut Laue Langevin)

15:00 → 16:00 Operando characterizations of batteries : from particles to devices

Understanding key reaction and degradation mechanisms in batteries require to combine different characterization tools and obtain structural, chemical, morphologicak insights into the materials transformations, from the scale of individual active particles to the scale of a working commercial battery device. Neutrons and X-rays are particularly suited for this purpose. We will show some recent examples of their application in the field.

Speaker: Sandrine Lyonnard (CEA-IRIG)

16:30 → 18:00 Materials for nuclear reactor and fusion plants

In this lecture, we will discuss what types of materials are used in nuclear fission and nuclear fusion reactors, how they are affected by the specific reactor environments, and how we can study their properties, characteristics, and evolution under operation and transient conditions. We will focus on materials close to the reactor cores that experience some of the harshest engineering conditions ever encountered. Intense radiation fluxes, high temperatures and temperature gradients, corrosive environments, and variable stress states affect these materials.

We will discuss nuclear fuels, structural materials, and the specificities and commonalities between fission and fusion reactors and their materials, as well as current research and development efforts in the field. The lecture will provide students with a broad overview of the topic and will also include deep dives into certain specific materials, modelling and experimental subtopics. In particular, the use of diffraction techniques will be highlighted.

Speaker: Prof. Pär Olsson (KTH)

Wednesday, 18 March

09:00 → 10:00 X-ray spectroscopy

Speaker: Prof. Valérie Briois (SOLEIL)

10:30 → 11:30 Neutron & X-ray Reflectometry

Neutron and x-ray reflectometry are complementary methods that allow the study of thin films and interfaces. I will discuss the basic principles of reflectometry experiments and data analysis. From specular reflectivity density profiles long the normal of interfaces can be extracted, while off-specular and grazing incidence scattering provides information about in-plane correlations. Examples in hydrogen storage, magnetism and polymer science will be presented.

Speaker: Maximilian Wolff

11:30 → 12:30 Hydrogen storage: Finite size and proximity effects

Hydrogen will play a major role as energy carrier in the transition towards a sustainable and carbon dioxide emission free society. I will discuss the opportunities and challenges to store hydrogen. Emphasis will be on proximity and finite size effects, which allow to tune the absorption properties, specifically, the charging kinetics, gravimetric and volumetric capacity as well as efficiency of discharging.

Speaker: Maximilian Wolff

14:00 → 16:00 ILL visit

16:30 → 18:00 Energy research in industry

Speakers: Jonas Okkels BIRK (Danish Technological Institute), Markus STROBL (PSI)

18:00 → 20:20 School dinner

Thursday, 19 March

09:00 → 10:00 DFT Modelling

Speaker: Elisa Rebolini

10:30 → 11:30 Artificial Intelligence in Data Analysis

Speaker: Dr Vincent Favre Nicolin (ESRF)

11:30 → 12:30 Neutron spectroscopy studies of perovskites for energy applications

Speaker: maths karlsson (Chalmers University of Technology)

14:00 → 14:45 Preparation of Beamtime Proposals

Preparation of Beamtime Proposals
Peter Fouquet and the Lecturers

Speaker: Peter Fouquet (Institut Laue-Langevin)

14:45 → 15:30 Adoption of Non-Sealed Radioactive Source Technologies and the Management of Disused Sealed Radioactive Sources (DSRS)

Sealed Radioactive Sources (SRS) have long served as the standard means of delivering
ionizing radiation across applications in medicine, research, public health, and industry.
In recent years, however, advances in non-SRS based technologies have expanded the
availability of viable alternatives capable of achieving equivalent, and in some cases
superior, performance. While radioactive sources may remain the preferred option for
certain cases, access to these alternative technologies potentially reduce the safety,
security, regulatory, and end-of-life management obligations traditionally associated
with sealed radioactive sources.
Although the adoption of alternative technologies can reduce long-term reliance on
radioactive materials, the transition from the traditional SRS-based technologies may
also generate disused sealed radioactive sources (DSRS). These DSRS, depending on
the isotope and activity, can remain dangerous for years to centuries and therefore
require safe, secure, sustainable management that ultimately ends in disposal. Drawing
on experiences from multiple States that have undertaken such transitions, this
presentation highlights both positive outcomes and implementation challenges,
emphasizing the need for coordinated planning and technical support mechanisms.
The discussion will balance the assessment of technological, regulatory, and strategic
considerations relevant to decision makers evaluating future equipment procurement
and focus on DSRS management strategies. It also outlines current international eƯorts
and assistance programs aimed at supporting States in assessing, adopting, and
managing alternative technologies responsibly.

Speakers: Christine Darve (European Spallation Source ERIC), Franck Cocina

16:00 → 17:00 Neutron Imaging for energy Applications

In this lecture the potential of neutron imaging for energy applications will be outlined, including advanced neutron imaging techniques and their capabilities in the given context. Examples of a broad range of studies including but not limited to the fields of nuclear energy, batteries, and fuel cells will be provided.

Speaker: Markus STROBL (PSI)

17:00 → 19:00 Student Clips

Friday, 20 March

09:00 → 10:00 Societal impact of energy research

Speaker: Prof. Heloise Goutte (CEA)

10:30 → 12:00 Round table: Energy research with an impact

12:00 → 13:00 Closing remarks & Clip Awards