Project PI

My name is Alessandro Pitanti and I'm the project PI. Here you can find a short version of my CV.

Current address:

NEST - National Enterprise for nanoScience and nanoTechnology

Scuola Normale Superiore

piazza San Silvestro 21, 56126 Pisa - Italy

Personal Informations:

Born on 27/01/1981 in Carrara (MS) - Italy

Residence address: via delle Belle Torri 10,

56127, Pisa (PI) - Italy

Marital status single

Italian citizen

Education and work experiences:

July 2014 - present: Staff scientist at NEST, CNR - Istituto di Nanoscienze and Scuola Normale Superiore (Italy), dr. Alessandro Tredicucci group.

Activity: Fabrication, design and characterization of devices for optomechanical and electro-optomechanical applications.

April 2012 - June 2014: Post-Doctoral Marie Curie fellow at California Institute of Technolgy - CALTECH (United States of America), prof. Oskar Painter group.

Activity: Fabrication, design and characterization of devices for optomechanical and electro-optomechanical applications.

April 2010 - April 2012: Post-Doctoral fellow at NEST, Scuola Normale Superiore and CNR - Istituto di Nanoscienze (Italy), dr. Alessandro Tredicucci group.

Activity: Fabrication, design and characterization of Quantum-Cascade-Lasers based THz sources and nanowire based THz detectors.

November 2006 - February 2010: PhD student at Nanoscience lab., Department of Physics, University of Trento (Italy) - Supervisor: prof. Lorenzo Pavesi.

Activity: Experimental characterization and theoretical design of complex photonic silicon based structures. Spectroscopy of rare-earth doped materials (EC LANCER project - FP06).

September 2006: Master Thesis in Physical and Astrophysical sciences at the University of Pisa, mark 110/110.

Thesis topic: Condensed matter physics - Theoretical calculation of electronic states and optoelectronic properties of group IV (Si and Ge) based superlattices with Tight-Binding method. Advisor: prof. Giuseppe Grosso.

June 2004: Thesis in Physics at the University of Pisa, mark 108/110.

Thesis topic: Formation models of Extra-Solar planetary systems. Advisor: prof. Paolo Paolicchi.

June 2000: High school diploma at ”liceo scientifico E. Fermi” in Massa (MS), mark 100/100.

Research Interests

My research activity essentially spans the whole range of electromagnetic spectrum, from visible and near-infrared to THz and microwaves. After a Master degree obtained defending a thesis on the tight binding simulations of optical and electrical properties of SiGe multi-quantum-wells, I've moved to the experimental side of solid state physics. During my PhD, at the University of Trento, I've developed skills in spectroscopic characterization and electromagnetic simulations working in the field of Si photonics. From spectroscopy of rare-earth ions and Si nanostructures, to the design and characterization of complex photonics devices such as microdisks, waveguides and photonic crystals, I have acquired vast competences to understand light and matter interactions in the weak coupling regime. My fabrication skills have been built during my first post-doc at NEST Lab., Scuola Normale Superiore in Pisa, where I have worked on nanowire based devices for the detection of THz radiation and SiGe based THz emitters. There, I have pulled competences in charge transport measurements alongside my photonic knowledge, as well as expertise in III-V semiconductor alongside the ones in silicon.

My second post-doc is running under the framework of NEMO project. Using all my competences acquired so far, I plan to enhance my skills in order to realize full opto-electro-mechanical hybrid devices. To this end, I have spent one year at the California Institute of Technology, world leader in optomechanics and electromechanics.

Publications:

In international, peer-reviewed, scientific journals:

  1. A. Pitanti, J. M. Fink, A. H. Safavi-Naeini, C.U Lei, J. T. Hill, A.Tredicucci and O. Painter, Strong opto-electro-mechanical coupling in a silicon photonic crystal cavity, Opt. Expr., 23, 228907 (2015).

  2. F. Castellano, S. Zanotto, L. Li, A. Pitanti, A. Tredicucci, E. H. Linfield, G.A. Davies and M. S. Vitiello, Distributed feedback terahertz frequency quantum cascade lasers with dual periodicity gratings, Appl. Phys. Lett. 106, 011103 (2015).

    1. D. Navarro-Urrios, J. Gomis-Bresco, S. El-Jallal, M. Oudich, A. Pitanti, N. Capuj, A. Tredicucci, F. Alzina, A. Griol, Y. Pennec, B. Djafari-Rouhani, A. Martınez and C. M. Sotomayor Torres, Dynamical back-action at 5.5 GHz in a corrugated optomechanical beam, AIP Adv. 4, 214601 (2014).

  3. M. Ghulinyan, F. Ramiro-Manzano, N. Prtljaga, R. Guider, I. Carusotto, A. Pitanti, G. Pucker and L. Pavesi, Oscillatory vertical coupling between a whispering-gallery resonator and a bus waveguide, Phys. Rev. Lett. 110, 163901 (2013).

  4. A. Shik, C. Y. Chen, A. Pitanti, A. Tredicucci, D. Ercolani, L. Sorba, F. Beltram and H. E. Ruda, Electrical properties and band diagram of InAs-InSb nanowire type-III heterojunctions, J. Appl. Phys. 113, 104307 (2013).

  5. A. Pitanti, D. Coquillat, D. Ercolani, L. Sorba, F. Teppe, W. Knap, G. De Simoni, F. Beltram, A. Tredicucci and M. S. Vitiello, Terahetz detection by heterostructed InAs/InSb nanowire based field effect transistors, Appl. Phys. Lett. 101, 141103 (2012).

  6. C. Y. Chen, A. Shik, A. Pitanti, A. Tredicucci, D. Ercolani, L. Sorba, F. Beltram and Harry E. Ruda, Electron beam induced current in InSb-InAs nanowire type-III heterostructures, Appl. Phys. Lett. 101, 063116 (2012).

  7. L. Romeo, S. Roddaro, A. Pitanti, D. Ercolani, L. Sorba and F. Beltram, Electrostatic spin control in InAs/InP nanowire quantum dots, Nano Lett. 12, 4490 (2012).

  8. N. Prtljaga, D. Navarro-Urrios, A. Pitanti, F. Ferrarese Lupi, B. Garrido and L. Pavesi, Silicon nanocluster sensitization of erbium ions under low-energy optical excitation, J. Appl. Phys. 111, 094314 (2012).

  9. A. Pitanti, S. Roddaro, M. S. Vitiello and A. Tredicucci, Contact shielding in nanowire field effect transistors, J. Appl. Phys. 111, 064301 (2012).

  10. M. S. Vitiello, D. Coquillat, L. Viti, D. Ercolani, F. Teppe, A. Pitanti, F. Beltram, L. Sorba, W. Knap and A. Tredicucci, Room-Temperature Terahertz Detectors Based on Semiconductor Nanowire Field-Effect Transistors, Nano Lett. 12, 96 (2012).

  11. Min Xie, A. Pitanti, M. Ghulinyan, D. Yang, G. Pucker and L. Pavesi, Continuous wave spectroscopy of nonlinear dynamics of Si nanocrystals in a microdisk resonator, Phys. Rev. B 84, 245312 (2011).

  12. D. Navarro-Urrios, F. Ferrarese Lupi, N. Prtljaga, A. Pitanti, O. Jambois, J. M. Ram´ırez, Y. Berenc´en, N. Daldosso, B. Garrido and L. Pavesi, Copropagating pump and probe experiments on Si-nc in SiO2 rib waveguides doped with Er: The optical role of non-emitting ions, Appl. Phys. Lett. 99, 231114 (2011).

  13. A. Pitanti, D. Ercolani, L. Sorba, S. Roddaro, F. Beltram, L. Nasi, G. Salviati and A. Tredicucci, InAs/InP/InSb Nanowires as Low Capacitance n-n Heterojunction Diodes, Phys. Rev. X 1, 011006 (2011).

  14. P. Bettotti, A. Pitanti, E. Rigo, F. De Leonardis, V. Passaro and L. Pavesi, Modeling of slot waveguide sensors realized in polymeric materials, Sensors 11, 7327 (2011).

  15. D. Navarro-Urrios, O. Jambois, F. Ferrarese Lupi, P. Pellegrino, B. Garrido, A. Pitanti, N. Prtljaga, N. Daldosso, L. Pavesi, Si nanoclusters coupled to Er3+ ions in a SiO2 matrix for optical amplifiers, Opt. Mater. 33, 1086 (2011).

  16. N. Prtljaga , E. D’Amato, A. Pitanti, R. Guider, E. Froner, S. Larcheri, M. Scarpa and L. Pavesi, Photoluminescence of hydrophilic silicon nanocrystals in aqueous solutions, Nanotech. 22, 215704 (2011).

  17. A. Pitanti, P. Bettotti, D. Sarchi and L. Pavesi, Purcell factor and superradiance in Si patterned waveguides, Opt. Lett. 35, 3384 (2010).

  18. A. Pitanti, D. Navarro-Urrios, N. Prtljaga, N. Daldosso, F. Gourbilleau, R. Rizk, B. Garrido and L. Pavesi, Energy transfer mechanism and Auger effect in Er3+ coupled silicon nanoparticle samples, J. Appl. Phys. 108, 053518 (2010).

  19. A. Pitanti, M. Ghulinyan, D. Navarro-Urrios, G. Pucker and L. Pavesi, Probing the spontaneous emission dynamics in Si-nc based microdisk resonators, Phys. Rev. Lett. 104, 103901 (2010).

  20. D. Navarro-Urrios, Y. Lebour, O. Jambois, B. Garrido, A. Pitanti, N. Daldosso, L. Pavesi, J. Cardin, K. Hijazi, L. Khomenkova, F. Gourbilleau and R. Rizk, Optically active Er3+ ions in SiO2 co-doped with Si nanoclusters, J. Appl. Phys. 106, 093107 (2009).

  21. R. Guider, N. Daldosso, A. Pitanti, E. Jordana, J. M. Fedeli and L. Pavesi, NanoSi low loss horizontal slot waveguides coupled to high Q ring resonators, Opt. Express 17, 20762 (2009). Erratum-ibid. 17, 23556 (2009).

  22. Z. Yuan, A. Anopchenko, N. Daldosso, R. Guider, D. Navarro-Urrios, A. Pitanti, R. Spano and L. Pavesi, Silicon nanocrystals as an enabling material for silicon photonics, Proc. IEEE - special issue 97, 1250 (2009).

  23. D. Navarro-Urrios, A. Pitanti, N. Daldosso, F. Gourbilleau, R. Rizk, B. Garrido and L. Pavesi, Energy transfer between amorphous Si nanoclusters and Er3+ ions in a SiO2 matrix, Phys. Rev. B 79, 193312 (2009).

  24. M. Ghulinyan, A. Pitanti, G. Pucker and L. Pavesi, Whispering-gallery mode micro-kylix resonators, Opt. Express 17, 9434 (2009).

  25. D. Navarro-Urrios, A. Pitanti, N. Daldosso, F. Gourbilleau, L. Khomenkova, R. Rizk and L. Pavesi, Assessment of the main material issues for achieving an Er coupled to silicon nanoclusters infrared amplifier, Physica E 41, 1029 (2009).

  26. M. Ghulinyan, D. Navarro-Urrios, A. Pitanti, A. Lui, G. Pucker and L. Pavesi, Whispering-gallery modes and light emission from a Si-nanocrystal-based single microdisk resonator, Opt. Express 16, 13219 (2008).

  27. R. Adamo, A. Anopchenko, P. Bettotti, M. Cazzanelli, E. D’Amato, N. Daldosso, L. Ferraioli, E. Froner, Z. Gaburro, R. Guider, S.M. Hossain, D. Navarro-Urrios, A. Pitanti, S. Prezioso, M. Scarpa, R. Spano, M. Wang, L. Pavesi, Low dimensional silicon structures for photonic and sensor applications, Appl. Surf. Sci. 255, 624 (2008).

  28. D. Navarro-Urrios, A. Pitanti, N. Daldosso, F. Gourbilleau, R. Rizk, G. Pucker, L. Pavesi, Quantification of the carrier absorption losses in Si-nanocrystal rich rib waveguides at 1.54 μm, Appl. Phys. Lett. 92, 051101 (2008).

Among my interests, I like to travel around and playing sports such as beach volley, free diving, ski.