A5078115818- Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena
- Dark Matter and Cosmic Phenomena
- Neutrino Physics Research
- Radio Astronomy Observations and Technology
- Semiconductor Quantum Structures and Devices
- Semiconductor materials and devices
- Copper-based nanomaterials and applications
- ZnO doping and properties
- Phase-change materials and chalcogenides
- Photonic and Optical Devices
- Gold and Silver Nanoparticles Synthesis and Applications
- Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion
- Quantum Dots Synthesis And Properties
- Advanced Photocatalysis Techniques
- TiO2 Photocatalysis and Solar Cells
- Graphene research and applications
- Particle physics theoretical and experimental studies
- Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae
- Nanowire Synthesis and Applications
- Gas Sensing Nanomaterials and Sensors
- Photocathodes and Microchannel Plates
- Advanced battery technologies research
- Particle Detector Development and Performance
- Laser-Ablation Synthesis of Nanoparticles
- Plasmonic and Surface Plasmon Research
Institute for Microelectronics and Microsystems
2015-2024
National Research Council
2014-2024
University of Catania
2008-2020
Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Catania
2008-2016
University of Milano-Bicocca
2013
Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare
2010-2013
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
2013
Purdue University West Lafayette
2012
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
2011
Institute of Physics Rosario
2011
ZnO nanorods (NRs) grown by chemical bath deposition (CBD) are among the most promising semiconducting nanostructures currently investigated for a variety of applications. Still, contrasting experimental results appear in literature on microscopic mechanisms leading to high aspect ratio and vertically aligned NRs. Here, we report CBD NRs using Zn nitrate salt hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA), evidencing double role HMTA growth mechanism. Beyond well-established pH buffering activity, is shown...
Strategies for protein detection via surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) currently exploit the formation of randomly generated hot spots at interfaces metal colloidal nanoparticles, which are clustered together by intrusive chemical or physical processes in presence target biomolecule. We propose a different approach based on selective and quantitative gathering molecules regular corners individual silver nanocubes aqueous medium physiological pH. Here, protein, while keeping its...
Analytical methods for the early detection of neurodegenerative biomarker Parkinson’s disease (PD), α-synuclein, are time-consuming and invasive, require skilled personnel sophisticated expensive equipment. Thus, a pain-free, prompt simple α-synuclein biosensor in plasma is highly demanded. In this paper, an electrochemical based on hierarchical polyglutamic acid/ZnO nanowires decorated by gold nanoparticles, assembled as nanostars (NSs), determination human proposed. ZnO NSs were prepared...
The capability to fully control the chiro-optical properties of metamaterials in visible range enables a number applications from integrated photonics life science. To achieve this goal, simultaneous over complex spatial and localized structuring as well material composition at nanoscale is required. Here, we demonstrate how circular dichroic bands optical rotation can be effectively independently tailored throughout regime function fundamental meta-atoms their three dimensional architecture...
Silver is the ideal material for plasmonics because of its low loss at optical frequencies, though it often replaced by a lossier metal, gold. This silver's tendency to tarnish, an effect which enhanced nanoscale due large surface-to-volume ratio. Despite chemical tarnishing Ag nanoparticles (NPs) has been extensively studied decades, not well understood whether resulted sulfidation or oxidation processes. intriguing quest herein rationalized studying atmospheric corrosion electron beam...
Electrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is one of the most promising green methods used to produce renewable and sustainable energy. The development a highly efficient Pt-free electrocatalyst for HER crucial point ecosustainability cost reduction this method. Herein, WO3 nanorods were synthesized by hydrothermal method calcinated in air at 400 °C different times (30, 60, 90 min). Experimental investigation involved SEM, TEM, XRD, electrochemical analyses such as linear sweep...
The photocatalytic efficiency of a thin-film TiO2-coated nanostructured template is studied by dye degradation in water. was synthesized metal-assisted wet etching Si and used as substrate for the deposition thin film TiO2 (10 nm thick) atomic layer deposition. A complete structural characterization made scanning transmission electron microscopies. significant performance evaluated two dyes water: methylene blue methyl orange. relevance reported results discussed, opening route toward...
TiO<sub>2</sub> wrapping of Au nanoparticles has a remarkable efficiency in degrading organic compounds without toxicity.
For this study, we originally realized ZnO nanofibers (∼50 nm in mean radius) mixed with Pt nanoparticles (∼30 radius), prepared by pulsed laser ablation liquid, and investigated their photocatalytic performance. The material was synthesized the simple electrospinning method coupled subsequent thermal treatments. Methylene blue employed as a representative dye pollutant to evaluate activity of nanofibers. It found that Pt-ZnO fibers exhibit photodegradation reaction rate is ∼40 % higher than...
Electrochemical water splitting represents a promising alternative to conventional carbon-based energy sources. The hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is key process, still if conducted in alkaline media, its kinetics slow thus requiring high amount of Pt based catalysts. Extensive research has been focused on reducing utilization by pursuing careful electrode investigation. Here, low-cost chemical methodology reported obtain large microflowers made interconnected NiO nanowalls (20 nm thick)...
This work shows the application of metal ion-implantation to realize an efficient second-generation TiO2 photocatalyst. High fluence Fe+ ions were implanted into thin films and subsequently annealed up 550 °C. The process modified pure film, locally lowering its band-gap energy from 3.2 eV 1.6–1.9 eV, making material sensitive visible light. measured optical was associated with presence effective levels in band structure titanium dioxide, due implantation-induced defects. An accurate...
Due to their outstanding physicochemical properties, the next generation of graphene family—graphene quantum dots (GQDs)—are at cutting edge nanotechnology development. GQDs generally possess many hydrophilic functionalities which allow dispersibility in water but, on other hand, could interfere with reactions that are mainly performed organic solvents, as for cycloaddition reactions. We investigated 1,3-dipolar (1,3-DCA) C-ethoxycarbonyl N-methyl nitrone 1a and newly synthesized...
Bimetallic decoration of semiconductor electrodes typically improves catalytic and sensing performances because a well-claimed synergistic effect. A microscopic quantitative investigation such an effect on energy bands can be really useful for further exploitation. Au, Pd Au@Pd (core@shell) nanoparticles (10-20 nm in size) were synthesized through chemical reduction method characterized with scanning transmission microscopy, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, cyclic voltammetry...
Doping of Si nanocrystals (NCs) has been the subject a strong experimental and theoretical debate for more than decade. A major difficulty in understanding dopant incorporation at nanoscale is related to fact that calculations usually refer thermodynamic equilibrium conditions, whereas, from point view, impurity commonly performed during NC formation. This latter circumstance makes impossible experimentally decouple properties kinetic effects. In this report, we approach problem by...
Abstract Two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials have received much attention in recent years, because of their unusual properties associated with ultra-thin thickness and 2D morphology. Besides graphene, a new material, molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ), has attracted immense interest various applications. On the other hand, ball-milling process provides an original strategy to modify materials at nanometer scale. This methodology represents smart solution for fabrication MoS nanopowders...
Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) decorated with zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) were prepared in isopropanol solution by a simple, room-temperature process and characterized from structural, morphological, electronic, optical points of view. A strong interaction between ZnO CNTs is fully confirmed all the characterization techniques. ZnO-CNTs nanocomposites, different weight ratios, deposited as dense layer two electrodes, order to investigate electrical behaviour. In particular,...
Cancer-targeted drug delivery systems (DDS) based on carbon nanostructures have shown great promise in cancer therapy due to their ability selectively recognize specific receptors overexpressed cells. In this paper, we explored a green route synthesize nanobiochar (NBC) endowed with graphene structure from the hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of orange peels and evaluated suitability nanomaterial as nanoplatform for therapy. order compare cancer-targeting different widely used targeting...
Quantum cascade lasers are finicky, in terms of the structural quality active region, especially for strain-mismatched heterostructures like Ge/Si-Ge quantum wells. Accurate control electron-state coupling between well and barriers laser's different stages is crucial. This study shows how to produce high-quality asymmetric coupled $n$-type multiple wells carefully resonant tunneling through thicknesses, thus interwell wave-function hybridization. The set robust material parameters provided...
Oxide heterostructures represent a unique playground for triggering the emergence of novel electronic states and implementing new device concepts. The discovery 2D conductivity at $LaAlO_3/SrTiO_3$ interface has been linking over decade two major current research fields in Materials Science: correlated transition-metal-oxide systems low-dimensional systems. A full merging these requires nevertheless realization form freestanding membranes. Here we show completely method obtaining oxide...
Freestanding oxide membranes constitute an intriguing material platform for new functionalities and allow integration of electronics with technologically important platforms such as silicon. Sambri et al. recently reported a method to fabricate freestanding LaAlO3/SrTiO3 (LAO/STO) by spalling strained heterostructures. Here, we first develop scheme the high-yield fabrication membrane devices on Second, show that exhibit metallic conductivity superconducting phase below ∼200 mK. Using...
This work presents an experimental study on the specific quantitative contributions of antireflective and effective surface areas photocatalytic antibacterial properties rutile TiO2 nanospikes. They are studied when continuously distributed over whole integrated into well-defined microstructures. The nanospikes were produced following MeV ion beam irradiation bulk single crystals subsequent chemical etching. generated embedded isolated crystalline nanoparticles inside etchable amorphous...
Ge-rich GST alloys are the most promising materials for phase-change memory (PCM) to fulfill soldering compliance and tough data retention requirements of automotive applications. Significant efforts have been made engineer those optimize their integration inside fabrication process PCM. In this perspective, physical characterization device material is instrumental in understanding underlying physics, improving process, optimizing interactions between device, itself. Especially, microscopic...
Oxygen evolution reaction driven by NiO microflowers.