The DECLIC instrument is composed of 3 elements splitted into two mid deck lockers compatible with an accommodation in an EXPRESS Rack :

The first one houses the optical diagnostic in which the insert will be installed by mean of an adequate support structure,
The electronic part (data acquisition and storage, experiment management and power supply) is housed in a second mid deck locker.

The upper locker is called "Experiment Locker" (EXL). It contains the DECLIC optical bench that receives the experiment insert in which specific scientific material is conditioned. This optical bench contains all optical and opto-electronic sensors that are necessary to perform measurements at low or high rate of acquisition.

The lower locker, called "Electronic Locker" (ELL), contains all necessary electrical and electronic systems that permit the facility to operate in an autonomous mode or with Tele-science interactions from the scientific team at the dedicated User Centre.

It performs the main following functions :

Manage safety related controls of the DECLIC system ;
Control the power distribution ;
Manage the data exchange with the ground segment via the Express Rack (TM/TC) ;
Manage the scientific experiment execution ;
Store & acquire data and images ;
Transmit data and images to the Ethernet or NSTC link ;
Manage the front panel.

An insert includes some electronics and a thermostat which houses the sample cell unit (SCU) or cartridge, containing the material under study. The electronics and the thermostat together provide the environment (temperature) and stimuli (quench, temperature gradient, heat pulse, ...) necessary for the experiment. In a first approach, 3 inserts are foreseen : an Alice like Insert (ALI), a High Temperature Insert (HTI) and a Directional Solidification Insert (DSI). This initial set will be completed by future experiment containers.

The inserts and accessories (locker to locker harness, removable hard disk) are transported to and from orbit in stowage bag.

In order to perform an experiment, the dedicated insert is installed in the experiment drawer by the crew.

Because of the limited space available within the insert (about 200 x 200 x 400 mm), and because the thermal environment is not suitable for precision measurement, an electronic extension of the insert is fitted within the electronic drawer, it is called the central regulation electronics.