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The emergence of novel materials, such as 2D systems and functional oxides, whose properties stem from the ultrafast evolution, on a time scale ranging from picoseconds to sub-femtoseconds, of atomic and electronic rearrangements under an external stimulus, is key enabling technology for future innovative devices. Thermoelectric and photovoltaic cells based on two-dimensional atomic monolayers, optical sensors, universal memories and supercapacitors, based on multiferroics systems, are examples of electronic devices which could reach the commercial stage in the close or near future. Although an enormous effort has been devoted to the comprehension and improvement of these materials and devices, the capabilities of investigating their spatiotemporal dynamics is hindered by the difficulty of simultaneously studying electronic and atomic motions at the proper length and time scales. In this scenario, a multi-dimensional approach for visualization of matter with both high temporal and spatial resolutions, together with energy and momentum selection, is therefore an essential pre-requisite to fully capture their dynamic behavior. This project aims to develop a new experimental platform, where sub-femtosecond photoelectron emission microscopy and femtosecond electron diffraction and imaging will work in symbiosis to provide the real-time access to electron and atomic dynamics in surfaces, interfaces and nanosystems. This highly inter- and multi-disciplinary project will pave the way for an unprecedented insight into the non-equilibrium phenomena of advanced materials, and will play a fundamental role in the rational design and engineering of future applications. In order to reveal the performance and potentialities of the proposed strongly innovative experimental platform, two types of systems, two-dimensional (2D) materials and multiferroics, have been selected. In 2D materials, the investigation of the dynamics of energy and charge carriers will provide a key understanding on how to suppress or enhance thermal and electrical conductivities, which crucially determine the efficiency of thermoelectric and photovoltaic cells. In multiferroics, the proposed methodology will provide direct information on the key factors governing the dynamic coupling between electronic relaxation processes and atomic rearrangements during ultrafast reversible domain switching induced by external IR and optical stimuli. The proposed experimental platform is of absolute novelty in the entire French scientific landscape. The project will therefore introduce a unique instrumentation to French research, giving France a strategic position within the European and world scientific scenario, aligning the country with those highly competitive systems, such as in Germany and United States, where a significant effort is currently being devoted towards the implementation of advanced facilities for the investigation of ultrafast phenomena.
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