Inauguration of the first renovated building for Montpellier's physics laboratories
Sophie Béjean, Rector of the Occitanie Academic Region, Rector of the Montpellier Academy and Chancellor of Universities, and Philippe Augé, President of the University of Montpellier, inaugurated the first renovated building of the Montpellier Physics Laboratories (LPM) on September 25, 2024. This “Building 20 LPM” operation, worth €10 million, awarded to the University of Montpellier and financed by the State as part of Operation Campus, began work in May 2021, with the building due to be commissioned at the end of September 2022.
A structuring operation for physics research in Montpellier
The "LPM" operation is taking place in two phases to bring together the Charles Coulomb laboratory and the Montpellier universe and particle laboratory "Université de Montpellier / CNRS". Currently dispersed, they will finally be brought together in two nearby and renovated buildings.
These buildings are also completely restructured to accommodate the latest generation of high-tech scientific equipment needed for fundamental and applied research in physics.
The first phase thus involved the renovation and extension of building 20 to make it a research-only building. This building dates from 1965 (on a single level) and previously included teaching, research and campus life activities. Its surface area is now 2100 m² (with an extension of 450 m²).
The two laboratories L2C and LUPM include more than 200 permanent staff (including 135 researchers and teacher-researchers) and 100 non-permanent staff (doctoral students, post-doctoral students, etc.). The L2C is a fundamental and applied physics laboratory, on very varied themes: theoretical physics, physical chemistry, biophysics, with a base of theoretical and experimental research devoted to condensed matter and nanosciences. The LUPM is a laboratory dedicated to stellar astrophysics, astroparticles, high-energy astrophysics, particle physics, cosmology and theoretical physics. It participates in observation projects such as the detection of gamma-ray bursts, the detection of neutrino signatures, wide-field observation of the primordial Universe and the evolution of stars or stellar magnetism as well as primordial signatures by nanosatellites.
Two objectives pursued for the renovation of building 20
An energy renovation objective
This involves the installation of complete exterior insulation (walls and roof), replacement of windows and air conditioning systems (with dual-flow air handling units) and a change of lighting (LED).
A heavy restructuring objective
The major challenge is to create very high-performance research premises with cutting-edge equipment (zone-specific temperature/hygrometry regulation, air treatment, vibration isolation, etc.), while combining development spaces (auditorium, meeting rooms, etc.).
The vast majority of building 20 is devoted to the L2C's near-field optics, spectroscopy and microscopy experiments: cutting-edge research on nanomaterials (carbon nanotubes, graphene), study of materials for quantum technologies, physics of quantum sensors and emitters, photonics in the UV domain, biophotonics, study of different materials (glass, semiconductors, etc.). Delicate and ultra-precise experiments, requiring all the conditions of thermal, hygrometric, vibrational and electrical stability (essential for original and productive research in results, recognized at the international level). Facilities also allowing the use of cryogenic fluids (liquid nitrogen and helium. A gas distribution (Ar and He gas) is thus shared as well as chemistry rooms for sample preparation.
The second phase “LPM – building 13” is in progress
It concerns the renovation of a second building located next door. This building 13 is much larger with a surface area of 9,300 m2 , on six levels, one of which will be occupied by the LUPM. The other levels will accommodate the offices and the remaining experiments of the L2C. This second phase of the LPM operation is estimated at more than €25 million. The work began in March 2023 and will be completed for the spring holidays of 2025.
Practical information:
- Date: September 25, 2024
- Location: building 20 of the Triolet campus
