LNCMI
The Laboratoire National de Champs Magnétiques Intenses[1] (LNCMI, French: National Laboratory for Intense Magnetic Fields) is a research institution of the CNRS.[2] It is based at two sites: one in Grenoble, specializing in static fields, and one in Toulouse, specializing in pulsed fields. The laboratory provides a base for research related to high-strength magnetic fields by both resident scientists and visiting researchers from around the world.
History
The LNCMI was formed in 2009 by the combination of the pulsed magnetic field Laboratory of Toulouse and the Grenoble High Magnetic Field Laboratory (GHMFL).
Toulouse site
The Service National des Champs Magnétiques Pulsés (SNCMP, French: National Service of the Field of Magnetic Pulses) was created at the French National Institute of Applied Sciences of Toulouse in the early 60’s under the direction of S. Askénazy. In the early 1990s, it became the Laboratoire National des Champs Magnétiques Pulsés (LNCMP), a Joint research unit of the CNRS associated with the French National Institute of Applied Sciences, and with the Paul Sabatier University of Toulouse.
Grenoble site
In 1962, when CNRS’s laboratories were built on the Polygone Scientifique of Grenoble, Louis Néel began conducting high magnetic field projects. Following those projects, the SNCI (National services of high magnetic field) was created in 1970. The development of this laboratory, as well as the collaboration of the SNCI with the Max Planck Institute from 1972 to 2004, resulted in the production of a record-high magnetic field strength of 31.35 Teslas achieved in 1987, in which the Quantum Hall effect was discovered (Physic Nobel Prize of 1985).
Missions
The LNCMI has several missions
- Generating High Magnetic fields:
At the Grenoble site, static magnetic fields of up to 35 Teslas are generated, which allow for long duration measurement. A hybrid magnet capable of generating up to 43 Teslas of static field is under construction.
At the Toulouse site, fields of up to 80T are generated within a period of a few hundred milliseconds. It is possible to reach between 150 and 250T for a very short period time due to the Megagauss generator, however the coil is destroyed during the experiment leaving only the sample intact. Moreover, transportable generators and magnets have been developed at the Toulouse site in order to be used for research off-site.
To generate these fields and allow physics measurements, some large electrical and hydraulic installations as well as advanced instrumentation are required.
- Producing research:
The diverse scientific research published by the LNCMI covers both fundamental physics and applied physics.
- Hosting other users:
As a research infrastructure, the LNCMI hosts researchers from all around the world so that they can conduct experiments using the strongest possible fields.
European Magnetic Field Laboratory
The LNCMI is a founding member of the European Magnetic Field Laboratory research consortium.[3] The two other founding members are the High Magnetic Field Laboratory in Nijmegen, Netherlands, and the Dresden High Magnetic Field Laboratory in Germany.
External links