Research activities in photonics focuse simultaneously on fundamental reasearch (such as control and manipulation of quantum information) as well as on applied research for short- or mid-term applications in the field of information technologies, photovoltaics or biomedical imaging and sensors. Gathering more than 180 members, this department is one of the major European pole of expertise in photonics.

Three inter-related axes are developed: Nonlinear and quantum nanophotonics, Subwavelength photonics and nano-objects and Photonics and nanophotonics devices.

Material science is at the core of a large majority of research topics at C2N. Innovating in this field is of crucial importance.Understanding growth mechanisms and correlating the material properties with their growing conditions, is one of the main challenge of the department. These objectives make use of advanced synthesis, growth and analysis techniques as well as the development of adpated theoretical and numerical tools. Activities in material science focuse mainly on nanostructures made of III-V semiconductors, Si/Ge, novel 2D materials, functional oxides and metals. Hybridization of various materials is another challenge, opening the way to the implementation of novel functionalities. These activities are pursued in strong interaction with photonics, nanoelectronics, devices and systems.

6 inter-realted axes are developed: Small-dimensionality objects, Hybridization, Mixed interfaces, Topological materials, Integration stratégies, Theory, modeling and simulation, and Analysis..

Exploiting new physical concepts occuring at nanoscale, research activities in nanoelectronics cover a broad spectrum ranging from the fundamental investigation of quantum circuits to the implementation of novel nanodevices based on the manipulation of various variables (charge, spin, phase), including the development of novel architectures such as bioinspired circuits. Two inter-related axes are developed: Nanoscale physics in novel charge and spindevices and Innovative architectures.

The department of nanoelectronics is strongly involved in partnerships with other players on the Saclay Plateau as well as with major industrial companies to open up new applications area. All these players, gathered on the plateau, constitue one of the main European pole of expertise in spin electronics and nanophysics.

Nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS), whose emergence is recent, have shown a very high potential for the investigation of fundamental physical phenomena or for the implementation of ultra-sensitive sensors and miniaturized clocks.

Moreover, applications of micro-nano-technologies in the health field, constitute a major research domain, in particular in the Île-de-France region that gathers a large number of university-affiliated hospitals.

3 inter-related axes are developed: Micro- Nano- Systems and Instrumentation, Micro- Nano- Devices for biomedical applications and Micro- Nano- Fluidics and biotechnologies.