Salvatore MIRABELLA

SALVO MIRABELLA is Full Professor of Experimental Physics of Matter and Applications (PHYS03/a) at the University of Catania, since March 2024, and is Coordinator of the PhD school in Materials Science and Nanotechnology at the same University, since March 2025.

He has been Associate Professor of Experimental Physics of Matter (FIS02/B1) at the Univ. Catania since March 2016, Researcher TI at CNR-IMM (since 2008), Tenure Track Researcher at INFM (since 2003). He received the title of Doctor of Research in Physics from the Univ. Catania (February 2003) and the Degree in Physics from the Univ. Catania (May 1999).

He has taught and teaches Semiconductors Physics and Technology, Photonics, Materials Science and Nanotechnology Laboratory at the Master's Degree in Physics; Electromagnetism at Bachelor's Degree in Computer Engineering; Physics at Bachelor's Degree in Agricultural Sciences.

His research activity is mainly experimental, focused on the synthesis and characterization of semiconductor nanostructures for Energy, Sensors and Microelectronics (green hydrogen, energy storage, sensing, light absorption in quantum structures, sunlight-energy conversion, low-cost nanostructures, AlGaN/GaN heterostructures, 2DEG, point-defects and dopants in materials for microelectronics, ion beam analysis and modification of materials). Since 2000 Salvo has authored over 200 scientific articles, with 5400 citations, and an H-factor of 41 (Scholar, January 2025).

He is the scientific director of the ion beam laboratory (Singletron), of the electrochemical characterization laboratory NanoSPES (NanoSemiconductor PhotoElectrochemical Spectroscopy) and of the Nanostructures and 2D Materials based Devices lab, located at the DFA.

He is the founder of the NanoSoLI (Nanostructured Solid Liquid Interface) summer school together with the chemist prof. L. Falciola (univ. Milan) dedicated to the phenomena of transport and electronic transfer at the solid-electrolyte interface, since 2022.

He chaired the Research Commission of the DFA (2020-2024) as delegate of the director for Research, and was a member of the Joint Committee of Teachers and Students. He was vice coordinator of the teaching staff of the doctoral course in Materials Science and Nanotechnology (2017-2019). He wrote a review article upon invitation (2008) about the diffusion mechanisms of B in Si and Ge. Over the years he has established scientific collaborations with research institutes and universities in EU and USA, he has been invited speaker, Chairmen and member of scientific committees at various international scientific conferences, participant of many national and European research projects, referee of several international scientific journals (Physical Review Letters, Applied Physics Letters, Journal of Applied Physics, Optics Express, Nanoscale, …), responsible for scientific tasks in scientific projects. He has co-organized three international scientific conferences (IBMM2006, Symposium I at E-MRS Spring 2009, Symposium Y at E-MRS Spring 2014), also being co-Editor of the related proceedings, published by Elsevier. He has been co-editor of a book (‘’Nanotechnology and Photovoltaic Devices – Light Energy Harvesting with Group IV Nanostructures’’, Pan Stanford Publishing, 2015) and co-Author of three book chapters (with CRC-T&F group, and with Pan Stanford Publishing) in materials science and photovoltaics. He is co-author of an international patent on point defect engineering "METHOD FOR SUPPRESSING TRANSIENT ENHANCED DIFFUSION OF DOPANTS IN SILICON" N.EP1454348 A1.

His scientific dissemination activity ranges from local actions (secondary school students, and general public) to national and international events such as FameLab, Pint of Science, European Researcher’s Night (SHARPER project). He has been a reference teacher for the Catania section of EPS-YM.

WoS Researcher ID: E-4672-2010

ORCID: 0000-0002-9559-4862

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=VgPSYJwAAAAJ&hl=en

UPDATE: March 30, 2025

Last edit: 03/29/2025

Low-cost nanostructures based on transition metal oxides (ZnO, NiO, CuO) for advanced sensing applications. Light absorption in Si or Ge nanostructures (quantum dots and quantum wells) embedded in insulating matrices. High-efficiency photodetectors realization with Ge quantum dots. Investigation of very thin, transparent and conductive films based on AZO and Ag. Atomic diffusion of B in amorphous Si, in crystalline Si and crystalline Ge. Electrical activation and precipitation of B and Ga in crystalline Ge, and of B in crystalline Si. Point defect engineering in Ge.

Since 2015 Salvo Mirabella takes care of public engagement and science communication through several activities, among which:

• FameLab Italia
• Pint of Science
• Notte europea dei ricercatori