His scientific activity is mainly devoted to the realization and characterization of magnetic heterostructures and devices, with applications in the fields of spin electronics and nano-biotechnology. This activity has been mainly carried at the interuniversitary L-NESS centre, Como, until 2014, and at PoliFab, the new facility for micro and nanofabrication of Politecnico di Milano, since December 2014.
His main expertises are:
- growth (molecular beam epitaxy, pulsed laser deposition, magnetron sputtering) and characterization (electron diffraction and spectroscopies, magneto-optical Kerr effect and magneto-transport characterization) of thin films and heterostructures;
- characterization (magneto-optical Kerr effect, Hall and Spin-Hall effect, Bilinear Magneto-Resistance) of prototypical devices for spintronics, spin-optoelectronics, spin-orbitronics, magneto-electronics and nano-biotechnology;
- development of instrumentation for surface science, as the recent design and fabrication of a spin filtering membrane tool for electron beam polarimetry.
He leaded three research projects:
- Project Leader of Magnetically Controlled Single Molecule Delivery (MCSMD), granted by Politecnico di Milano;
- Project Leader of Magnetic Information Storage in Antiferromagnet Spintronic Devices (MAGISTER), granted by Cariplo Foundation;
- Unit Leader of Berry phase Engineering with Antiferromagnets and Topological Insulators (BEAT), granted by MIUR
His present activities are:
- growth and characterization of films and related devices based on the transition metal dichalcogenides (TWEET project) and topological/ferroic systems (BEAT project);
- investigation of innovative beyond-CMOS logic architectures based on alternative substrates (FerroElectric Rashba Semiconductors) for green electronics with ultra-low power consumption (Electronics with Ferroelectricity and Spin-orbit coupling – EFESO – project);
- characterization of the charge-to-spin and heat-to-spin conversion in Van der Waals dichalcogenides (SUBLI project);
- implementation of data and metatada management protocols for growth and ARPES instrumentation according to FAIR principles (NFFA-DI project);
- acquisition and management of a 2-inches MBE tool for growth of chalcogenides and functional materials for electronics and magneto-electronics applications (NFFA-DI project).
Research group
EFESO – Electronics with Ferroelectricity and Spin-orbit coupling