Giuseppe Nicotra

Italian National Research Council | CNR · Institute for Microelectronics and Microsystems IMM

The integration of two-dimensional $MoS_{2}$ with $GaN$ recently attracted significant interest for future electronic/optoelectronic applications. However, the reported studies have been mainly carried out using heteroepitaxial $GaN$ templates on sapphire substrates, whereas the growth of $MoS_{2}$ on low-dislocation-density bulk GaN can be strateg...

The fabrication of complex low-dimensional quantum devices requires the control of the heteroepitaxial growth at the subnanometer scale. This is particularly challenging when the total thickness of stacked layers of device-active material becomes extremely large and exceeds the multi-μm limit, as in the case of quantum cascade structures. Here, we...

Beyond the predictions routinely achievable by first-principles calculations and using metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), we report a GaN monolayer in a buckled geometry obtained in confinement at graphene/SiC interface....

Here we report the design and fabrication of an array-based sensor, containing functionalized Carbon Dots, Bodipy's and Naphthalimide probes, that shows high fluorescence emissions and sensitivity in the presence of low amounts of TNT explosive. In particular, we have fabricated the first sensor device based on an optical array for the detection of...

The lack of methodologies which enable us to measure forces acting between nanomaterials is one of the factors limiting the full comprehension of their behavior and their more effective exploitation in new devices. Here we exploit the irreversible adsorption of surfactant-decorated nanoparticles at the air/water interface to investigate interpartic...

The emission of toxic VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) in the environment causes serious problems and, if from one side there are directives to reduce this threat, from the other side there are stringent necessities for their removal. Several methods have been proposed to remove toxic VOCs, but little attention has been paid towards their photooxi...

Phase change memories have emerged as a good candidate for non-volatile memory for the Internet of Things (IoT), due to their high performances and scalability. In the present scenario, we are investigating the chalcogenide nanowires (NWs), which represent a good direct-access device for the functionality study of highly nanoscaled PCM cells. Moreo...

Predictive first-principles calculations suggest graphitic-like GaN to be theoretically possible. Thus far, it has not been experimentally reported. We report on GaN monolayer in a buckled geometry obtained in confinement at graphene/SiC interface by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). Conductive atomic force microscopy (C-AFM) has been...

Binary ruthenium‐phosphorus nanoparticles (NPs) with different Ru/P ratio were prepared in mild conditions using white phosphorus (P 4 ) as phosphorus source. Accurate study of both their morphology and structure at the atomic level by TEM and HAADF‐STEM, respectively, showed that Ru 2 P and RuP have a narrow size distribution ( ca. 3.3 nm) and are...

This work reports an innovative method to obtain anatase TiO2 films on polymeric substrate. The low temperature atomic layer deposition (LT-ALD) of TiO2 on polymeric substrate was combined with the laser irradiation. TiO2 amorphous films were deposited by LT-ALD on polyethylene naphthalene (PEN) substrate at a temperature of 90 °C. Successively, a...

Ge-rich GST alloys are the most promising materials for phase-change memory (PCM) to fulfill the soldering compliance and the tough data retention requirements of automotive applications. Significant efforts have been made to engineer those materials and optimize their integration inside the fabrication process of PCM. In this perspective, the phys...

Enrichment of GeSbTe alloys with germanium has been proposed as a valid approach to increase the crystallization temperature and therefore to address high-temperature applications of non-volatile phase change memories, such as embedded or automotive applications. However, the tendency of Ge-rich GeSbTe alloys to decompose with the segregation of pu...

Molecular Communication (MoCo) is a bio-inspired methodology enabling secure communication in “wave-denied” environments like intrabody communication among implantable medical devices. MoCo is based on the exchange, through fluids, of molecular messengers that carry the message instead of using electromagnetic waves. The transmitter emits the symbo...

Ge-rich Ge–Sb–Te compounds are attractive materials for future phase change memories due to their greater crystallization temperature as it provides a wide range of applications. Herein, we report the self-assembled Ge-rich Ge–Sb–Te/Sb2Te3 core-shell nanowires grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. The core Ge-rich Ge–Sb–Te nanowires wer...

Halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) represent a versatile core structure for the design of functional nanosystems of biomedical interest. However, the development of selective methodologies for the site-controlled functionalization of the nanotubes at specific sites is not an easy task. This study aims to accomplish a procedure for the site-selective/speci...

We report the self-assembly of core–shell GeTe/Sb2Te3 nanowires (NWs) on Si (100), and SiO2/Si substrates by metalorganic chemical vapour deposition, coupled to the vapour–liquid–solid mechanism, catalyzed by Au nanoparticles. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, micro-Raman mapping, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and...

Fluorescent carbon quantum dots (CDs) are synthesized and employed as fluorescent nanochemosensors for selective detection of amino acids. A detailed investigation of excitation–emission maps revealed that the fluorescence properties of CDs are intensely and strongly influenced by the interaction at the surface with different amino acids. The discr...

Realization of semiconductor materials at the two-dimensional (2D) limit can elicit exceptional and diversified performance exercising transformative influence on modern technology. We report experimental evidence for the formation of conceptually new 2D indium oxide (InO) and its material characteristics. The formation of 2D InO was harvested thro...

The integration of graphene (Gr) with nitride semiconductors is highly interesting for applications in high-power/high-frequency electronics and optoelectronics. In this work, we demonstrated the direct growth of Gr on Al0.5Ga0.5N/sapphire templates by propane (C3H8) chemical vapor deposition at a temperature of 1350 °C. After optimization of the C...

Liquid-phase exfoliation is the most suitable platform for large-scale production of two-dimensional materials. One of the main open challenges is related to the quest of green and bio-derived solvents to replace state-of-the-art dispersion media, which suffer several toxicity issues. Here, we demonstrate the suitability of methyl-5-(dimethylamino)...

The properties of 2D InN are predicted to substantially differ from the bulk crystal. The predicted appealing properties relate to strong in‐ and out‐of‐plane excitons, high electron mobility, efficient strain engineering of their electronic and optical properties, and strong application potential in gas sensing. Until now, the realization of 2D In...

In this work we report the local growth of ordered arrays of 3D core-shell chiral nanohelices based on plasmonic gallium metal. The structures can be engineered in a single step by focused ion beam induced deposition, where Ga+ ion source is used to shape the metallic nanohelix core, while the dielectric precursor is dissociated to create dielectri...

The possibility for kinetic stabilization of prospective 2D AlN was explored by rationalizing metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) processes of AlN on epitaxial graphene. From the wide range of temperatures which can be covered in the same MOCVD reactor, the deposition was performed at the selected temperatures of 700, 900, and 1240 °C....

The integration of graphene (Gr) with nitride semiconductors is highly interesting for applications in high-power/high-frequency electronics and optoelectronics. In this work, we demonstrated the direct growth of Gr on Al0.5Ga0.5N/sapphire templates by propane (C3H8) chemical vapor deposition (CVD) at temperature of 1350{\deg}C. After optimization...

Oxide heterostructures represent a unique playground for triggering the emergence of novel electronic states and for implementing new device concepts. The discovery of 2D conductivity at the $LaAlO_3/SrTiO_3$ interface has been linking for over a decade two of the major current research fields in Materials Science: correlated transition-metal-oxide...

The discovery of 2D conductivity at the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interface has been linking, for over a decade, two of the major current research fields in materials science: correlated transition‐metal‐oxide systems and low‐dimensional systems. Notably, despite the 2D nature of the interfacial electron gas, the samples are 3D objects with thickness in the mm...

Gold nanoparticles show important electronic and optical properties, owing to their size, shape, and electronic structures. Indeed, gold nanoparticles containing no more than 30–40 atoms are only luminescent, while nanometer-sized gold nanoparticles only show surface plasmon resonance. Therefore, it appears that gold nanoparticles can alternatively...

Real-time sensing of Chemical Warfare Agents (CWAs) is today a crucial topic to prevent lethal effects of a chemical terroristic attack. For this reason, the development of efficient, selective, sensitive and reversible sensoristic devices, able to detect by optical response ppm levels of these compounds, both in water and in air, is strongly requi...

This work attempt to produce photocatalytic surfaces for large-scale applications by depositing nanostructured coatings on a polymeric substrate. The authors have prepared ZnO/poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) composites by low-temperature atomic layer deposition (ALD) of ZnO on PMMA substrates. In addition, in order to increase the photocatalytic...

A versatile catalyst based on halloysite and zinc oxide ([email protected]) was prepared, for the first time, starting from ZnO commercial bulk form as Zn precursor source, in a one-pot procedure. This strategy gives the possibility to obtain small ZnO nanoparticles loaded on the HNT surface without the use of inorganic salts which envisage the rem...

Studying the electrical and structural properties of the interface of the gate oxide (SiO2) with silicon carbide (4H-SiC) is a fundamental topic, with important implications for understanding and optimizing the performances of metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFETs). In this paper, near interface oxide traps (NIOTs) in lateral 4...

In order to achieve a selective removal of specific pesticides from water, we synthesized, through the sol-gel technique, molecularly imprinted TiO2 photocatalysts with the only use of the standard reactants for the TiO2 sol-gel synthesis together with the pesticide molecules, without any addition of further reactants, supports or matrices. It is a...

Well designed and safe nano drug carrier systems are an important tool in biomedical applications. The combination of two or more drugs has been used in medicine both to enhance the therapeutic effect and to decrease the side effects of drugs. Biocompatible halloysite nanotubes, that possess two different surfaces, are a suitable nanomaterial for a...

Large-scale, defect-free, micro- and nano-circuits with controlled inter-connections represent the nexus between electronic and photonic components. However, their fabrication over large scales often requires demanding procedures that are hardly scalable. Here we synthesize arrays of parallel ultra-long (up to 0.75 mm), monocrystalline, silicon-bas...

Hypothesis: The use of non-viral vectors for gene therapy is hindered by their lower transfection efficiency and their lacking of self-track ability. Experiments: This study aims to investigate the biological properties of halloysite nanotubes-carbon dots hybrid and its potential use as non-viral vector for oral gene therapy. The morphology and...

Gold nanostructures absorb visible light and show localized surface plasmon resonance bands in the visible region. Semiconducting ZnO nanostructures are excellent for ultraviolet detection, thanks to their wide band gap, large free exciton binding energy, and high electron mobility. Therefore, the coupling of gold and ZnO nanostructures represents...

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, and optical points of view. A strong interaction between ZnO and CNTs is fully confirmed by all the characterization techniqu...

The burgeoning interest in two-dimensional (2D) black phosphorus (bP) contributes to the expansion of its applications in numerous fields. In the present study, 2D bP is used as a support for homogeneously dispersed palladium nanoparticles directly grown on it by a wet chemical process. Electron energy loss spectroscopy-scanning transmission electr...

A new protocol to obtain Carbon Nanoparticles (CNPs) covalently functionalized with a chiral Mn-salen catalyst is here described. The new nanocatalyst (CNPs-Mn-Salen) was tested in the enantioselective epoxidation of some...

The burgeoning interest in 2D black phosphorus (bP) contributes to expand its applications in countless fields. In the present study, 2D bP is used as a support for homogeneously dispersed palladium nanoparticles directly grown on it by a wet chemical process. EELS-STEM analysis evidences a strong interaction between palladium and P atoms of bP nan...

Two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials have received much attention in recent years, because of their unusual properties associated with their ultra-thin thickness and 2D morphology. Besides graphene, a new 2D material, molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), has attracted immense interest in various applications. On the other hand, ball-milling process provides...

Nanostructured carbon materials continuously receive an increased interest for both environmental and energy application. Among carbon materials, zeolite template carbon (ZTC) are proving out to show unique properties due to well-defined molecular-scale structure that offers high surface area usable for several applications, such as gas storage (e....

Theoretical predictions indicate that the n-type Ge/Si−Ge multi-quantum-well system is the most promising material for the realization of a Si-compatible THz quantum cascade laser operating at room temperature. To advance in this direction, we study, both experimentally and theoretically, asymmetric coupled multi-quantum-well samples based on this...

By means of momentum-resolved electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) coupled with scanning transmission electron microscopy, we have studied the dispersion relation of interband plasmonic modes in the ultraviolet in black phosphorus. We find that the dispersion of the interband plasmons is anisotropic. Experimental results are reproduced by densi...

The Front Cover shows, in analogy with the two hands from “The Creation of Adam” painted by Michelangelo on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, Vatican, Rome, the creation of the core‐shell Au_ZnO nanoparticles. From a gold nanoparticle capped with a zinc citrate complex we obtain a gold nanoparticle covered with zinc hydroxide and then a gold nanop...

Invited for the cover of this issue is the group of Antonino Gulino at the University of Catania, Italy. The cover image shows the formation of Au_ZnO core‐shell nanoparticles using a Zn complex that acts as capping agent for the Au nanoparticles and as ZnO precursor. These Au_ZnO nanoparticles absorb both visible and UV light and behave as photoca...

The fct L10-FeNi alloy is a promising candidate for the development of high performance critical-elements-free magnetic materials. Among the different materials, the Au-Cu-Ni alloy has resulted very promising; however, a detailed investigation of the effect of the buffer-layer composition on the formation of the hard FeNi phase is still missing. To...

Semiconducting ZnO nanostructures show a wide band gap, a large free exciton binding energy, high electron mobility and are excellent for ultraviolet detection. Noble‐metals absorb visible light and produce localized surface plasmon resonance useful to enhance visible photodetection. Therefore the coupling of gold nanoparticles and the wide‐band‐ga...

Two-dimensional (2D) materials are currently object of many interests both from a basic and a technological standpoint. In particular, graphene (Gr) and the semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides (including MoS2, WS2, MoSe2, WSe2) have been widely investigated for transistors applications. As a matter of fact, 2D materials present peculiar...

Plasmonic bowtie nanoantennas are intriguing nanostructures, capable to achieve very high local electromagnetic (EM) field confinement and enhancement in the hot spots. This effect is strongly dependent on the gap size, which in turn is related to technological limitations. Ultra-narrow gap bowtie nanoantennas, operating at visible frequencies, can...

Studying the electrical and structural properties of the interface of the gate oxide (SiO2) with silicon carbide (4H-SiC) is a fundamental topic, with important implications for understanding and optimizing the performances of metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFETs). In this paper, near interface oxide traps (NIOTs) in lateral 4...

Photocatalysis-based technologies are currently striving to find a methodology able to selectively catch, and degrade specific organic contaminants. To solve this problem, we propose molecularly imprinted ZnO nanonuts as new nanomaterial. In this work, ZnO have been imprinted, through a chemical method, with one of the most diffused analgesic-antip...

The synthesis of photoluminescent nanomaterials based on halloysite nanotubes is described. The obtained hybrid was characterized by means of TGA, FT-IR, DLS and XPS measurements; in addition its morphology was imaged by TEM. The HNT hybrid has also shown photoluminescence properties, both in solution and solid state, in which a white-light emissio...