Professor Nunzio Motta
Position
Principal Research Fellow, School of Engineering Systems, Queensland
University of Technology (QUT)
Field
Material Physics
Qualifications
1981 – “Laurea” in Physics (Univ ‘La Sapienza’ - Rome Italy)
1986 - PhD in Physics (Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa)
Biography
Academic career:
2010- ongoing Principal Research Fellow -
School of Engineering Systems – QUT.
2004-2009 Adjunct Professor School of
Engineering Systems – Faculty of Built Env. and Eng. – QUT.
2001-2005 Associate Professor -
Department of Physics - University “Roma TRE”.
1984-2001 Assistant Professor (ricercatore)
- Department of Physics - University “Roma Tor Vergata”.
International collaborations:
1988- 2002 Visiting Prof CRMC2-Marseille
(1988,2002); LEPES Grenoble (1999-2001)
He is actively collaborating with Italian
researchers on several projects related to nanotube growth, solar cells, and
sensors.
Achievements:
●
International recognition and a track record of more than 110 papers.
●
Chief Investigator in national and international projects on nanotechnology
(total 6.5M$):
●
Main research achievements:
Disordered solids:
Local structure and
thermodynamics of amorphous and disordered solids.
Surface physics:
First in Italy to get
atomic resolution by a Scanning Tunneling Microscope (1991).
Semiconductor
epitaxy:
Growth of quantum
dots: Ge/Si(111), Ge/Si(100), InAs/GaAs(100).
Molecules on
surfaces in UHV:
Study of adsorption of
molecules on surfaces in a clean UHV environment by STM
(since 1992)
Research Interests
Prof. N. Motta research interests span
across several disciplines, from the growth of semiconductor nanostructures
to the improvement of adhesion in bone implants. These topics are all
connected to the central problem of controlling growth and adhesion to
surfaces by nanostructuration. Present major research projects:
Polymer composites for Organic Electronic and Photovoltaic
applications
Prof. N.Motta is studying with his group
at QUT the microscopic structure of a mixture of carbon nanotubes and
conductive polymers for electronic and photovoltaic applications.
Recent breakthroughs include the
discovery of the detailed arrangement of polymer around a nanotube, and the
measurement of conductivity of the single polymer-nanotube assembly by using
Scanning Tunneling Microscopy in Ultra High Vacuum.
Solar Powered Nano-Sensors
Prof. N.Motta is leading a project at QUT
to create a new class of solar-powered nano-sensors capable of detecting
pollution and monitoring the environment in remote areas.
The research is aiming at producing gas sensors made of carbon nanotubes and
metal oxide nanowires. The sensors will be powered by dye sensitized solar
cells (Dyesol) and connected by a wireless network to provide control of
pollution and greenhouse gases from crops, manure and motor vehicles.
This project is part of a Smart State
National and International Research Project (NIRAP) funded by the Queensland
Government Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation
with $1.3M.
The International team includes four
Universities (QUT, CQU, Roma Tor Vergata, Brescia) and one company (Dyesol).
Recent nanoscience/nanotechnology publications
F. Ratto, F. Rosei, A. Locatelli, S. Cherifi, S. Fontana, and S. Heun,
P.-D. Szkutnik, A.Sgarlata, M. De Crescenzi, N. Motta. Composition of Ge —
Si – islands in the growth of Ge on Si( 111) by x-ray spectromicroscopy.
J. Applied Physics 97, 043516 (2005)
N.Motta, F.Boscherini, A.Sgarlata, A.Balzarotti, G.Capellini, F.Ratto,
F.Rosei, GeSi intermixing in Ge nanostructures on Si(111): An XAFS versus
STM study. Phys. Rev. B 75, 035337 (2007).
P.D. Szkutnik, A. Sgarlata, A. Ronda, N. Motta, and I.Berbezier, and
A.Balzarotti, Early Stage of Ge Growth on Si(001) Vicinal Surfaces with 8°
Miscut Along[1-10] . Physical Review B 75, 033305 (2007).
R. Goh, N.Motta, E. R. Waclawik and J. M. Bell, Effects of substrate
curvature on the adsorption of poly (3-hexylthiophene) on single-walled
carbon nanotubes, Appl. Phys. Lett 88, 053101 (2006)
M. Giulianini, E. R. Waclawik, J. M. Bell, M. De Crescenzi, P. Castrucci, M.
Scarselli, N. Motta Regioregular poly(3-hexyl-thiophene) helical
self-organization on carbon nanotubes Appl Phys Lett. 95, 013304.
(2009).
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