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Piera Maccagnani (Ferrara, July 7, 1963) is a Senior Scientist at the Institute of Microelectronics and Microsystems (IMM) of the Italian National Council (CNR). She received her degree in Electronics in 1988 from the University of Bologna (Italy). Since then she has been working as research scientist at CNR-IMM.
Since 2005 Maccagnani is jointly working with Micro Photon Devices, a spin-off set up by the Politecnico di Milano, with the task of providing the SPAD detectors required for the marketing of photon counting modules. Since 2008 she has been in charge of the research agreement between IMM and Dipartimento di Elettronica e Bioingegneria of Politecnico di Milano for the development and fabrication of improved silicon SPAD detectors. Between 2007 and the end of 2014 she was head of the Micro Nano Fabrication Facility at IMM Bologna; a facility for R&D, primary-stage product development and product manufacturing activities in the area of MEMS, micro and nano technologies. This facility offers specific proven and reproducible technological processing continuously improving its know-how by means of a R&D activity specifically focused on the technology. Furthermore, between 2005 and 2015 she was in charge of the CNR research unit MD.P05.011 named “Development of technology for the fabrication of devices and microsystems for photonics, fluidics and mechanics application”.
Dr. Maccagnani’s research interests are in the study and characterization of materials, structures and processes for the Silicon planar technology, in particular applied to fabrication of MOS and CMOS integrated circuits. Her main research activity is concerned with the design, simulation, fabrication and experimental characterization of silicon integrated devices and circuits, with emphasis on Silicon gas sensors and Silicon Avalanche Detectors. Recently her research interests have enlarged to the integration of 2D materials into the silicon technology platform, for the fabrication of new hybrid devices and sensors.
For several years (1995-1999) Maccagnani’s research interest was in the field of thin film gas sensors devices and micromaching technology. She specifically realized new and very appealing thermoinsulated microfabricated substrates based on thin silicon nitride membranes for thin film gas sensors, as well as thick porous silicon based membranes as thermoinsulated support for thick sensing film. Jointly with CSELT (an italian research center for Telecommunication, based in Torino) she also implemented the technological process (based on multi-step silicon anisotropic etching) for manufacturing micromachined Silicon Optical Bench (SiOB), for fully passive alignment of optical components (laser diode and optical fibre).
Since 2001 Maccagnani is deeply involved in the development of silicon thin SPAD detector, mainly working on the technological fabrication of SPAD devices with improved performances based on silicon planar and CMOS compatible technologies, and she has also worked on the related electrical characterization. She worked on the optimization of the technological process flow aiming at a tradeoff of the main SPAD parameters (large active area, low intrinsic noise, high photon detection efficiency and excellent temporal resolution). This research activity has been developed jointly with the research group led by Prof. Sergio Cova (SPADlab at Politecnico di Milano). Thanks to her activity on SPAD detectors, she has taken part in several multidisciplinary research projects where single-photon level sensitivity is required, such as DNA and protein analysis; single-molecule studies by fluorescence measurements; adaptive optics systems in telescopes and space application, in collaboration with Italian or European research groups. In particular, Maccagnani has partecipated as IMM coordinator to 3 European Research Contracts (FP6 and FP7) and to 2 Italian research projects funded by MIUR. Moreover, in the period 2010- 2012 she acted as coordinator (PI) of a project funded by ASI (Italian Space Agency, prot. I/039/09/0).
Since 2015, she has facing a new challenge moving to graphene and related graphene materials (GRM) technology. The main target of this activity is the creation of a new, more powerful and versatile technology platform, which will open to fabrication of new and more powerful hybrid graphene-silicon devices. Currently, she has developed the main technological steps for the integration of graphene into planar silicon technology (graphene transfer to different substrates, graphene patterning, metal contact to graphene).The basic building blocks for GRM integration into the silicon platform are now available for the fabrication of new prototype electronics, photonics and sensors integrating GRMs. The first hybrid devices (resistors, diodes, van der Pauw structures, sensors,...) have been fabricated and studied.
RESEARCH CONTRACTS
On behalf of IMM-Bologna, Piera Maccagnani has been scientific responsible for IMM unit and/or of WorkPackage within European Research Contracts:
• ATTRACT under Grant Agreement 777222, Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2014-2020),” Near-Infrared Resonant Cavity Enhanced Graphene/Silicon Photodetectors (REVEAL)”, (June 2019-October 2020). Role: IMM Bologna Unit coordinator for the fabrication of graphene-silicon detectors operating at 1550 nm for IR application.
• FP7-SME-2008-1 Project PARAFLUO, EC contract N. 232359, “Parallel fluorescence spectroscopy tools for micro and nano-analytical applications down to single biomolecules” (June 2009- May 2011). Role: IMM Unit coordinator and coordinator of Work package 3 “Technology for fabrication of a monolithic 8x1 SPAD array detector”
• FP6 STREP Project NANOSPAD, EC contract N. 016610, FP6-2004-IST-NMP-2 Biosensors for Diagnosis and healthcare (1 Dicembre 2005 - 30 maggio 2009). Role: IMM Unit coordinator and coordinator of Work package 4, “Development of monolithic arrays of single photon detectors (SPAD)”
• FP6-2002-IST-506813 I.P. SECOQC - Development of a Global Network for Secure Communication based on Quantum Cryptography, EC contract N. 506813 FP6-2002-IST (April 2004 - March 2006). Role: Unit coordinator
And within Italian research projects: funded by MIUR:
• Project Q-SecGroundSpace: “Intermodal Secure Quantum Communication on Ground and Space” (January 2017 – December 2019). Role: IMM Unit coordinator;
• FIRB Project prot. RBNE01SLRJ: “Microsystems for genetic diagnostics” (January 2003 - July 2006). Role: Coordinator of Work package 5: “Fabrication of Prototypes of single SPAD devices suitable for detection head”;
• MIUR Project prot. 2002021224: “Development of Monolithic Photon-Counter arrays for transient high-energy phenomena and adaptive optics in astrophysics” (December 2002 - January 2005) as subcontractor. Role: IMM Unit coordinator for the fabrication and electrical characterization of the monolithic SPAD array of 60 elements developed within the project.
funded by ASI (Italian Space Agency):
• ASI project prot. I/039/09/0, titled “ Readout of a scintillating fiber array by SPAD detectors”
(2010-2012), for the fabrication of a Gamma-ray detector based on Scintillating Fibers using SPAD detectors as read-out circuit with large area and high sensitivity for the measurement of very faint optical signals. Role: Project coordinator (PI).
Scientific Production
Nanomaterials [MDPI], Volume: 13 Issue: 5 Pages: 872
Near-infrared photodetectors based on embedded graphene
EPJ Web of Conferences [EDP Sciences], Volume: 287 Pages: 01005
Sodium Alginate as a Natural Substrate for Efficient and Sustainable Organic Solar Cells
ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering [American Chemical Society], Volume: 10 Issue: 47 Pages: 15608-15617
Optical Materials Express [Optica Publishing Group], Volume: 12 Issue: 11 Pages: 4456-4470
Fully Recyclable OLEDs Built on a Flexible Biopolymer Substrate
ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering [American Chemical Society],
Electric Transport in Gold-Covered Sodium–Alginate Free-Standing Foils
Nanomaterials [Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute], Volume: 11 Issue: 3 Pages: 565
Simulation of the optical properties of gold nanoparticles on sodium alginate
EPJ Web of Conferences [EDP Sciences], Volume: 255
Understanding adhesion of gold conductive films on sodium-alginate by photoelectron spectroscopy
Thin Solid Films [Elsevier], Volume: 690 Pages: 137535
Flexible Conductors from Brown Algae for Green Electronics
Advanced Sustainable Systems [], Volume: 3 Issue: 6 Pages: 1900001
Optical crosstalk in SPAD arrays for high-throughput single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment [North-Holland], Volume: 912 Pages: 255-258
Optical crosstalk in SPAD arrays for high-throughput single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment [North-Holland], Volume: 912 Pages: 255-258
48-spot single-molecule FRET setup with periodic acceptor excitation
The Journal of chemical physics [AIP Publishing],
48-spot single-molecule FRET setup with periodic acceptor excitation
The Journal of chemical physics [AIP Publishing LLC], Volume: 148 Issue: 12 Pages: 123304
48-spot single-molecule FRET setup with periodic acceptor excitation
bioRxiv [Cold Spring Harbor Labs Journals], Pages: 156182
A new apparatus for electron tomography in the scanning electron microscope
AIP Conference Proceedings [AIP Publishing LLC], Volume: 1667 Issue: 1 Pages: 020013
Silicon photon-counting avalanche diodes for single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy
IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics [IEEE], Volume: 20 Issue: 6 Pages: 248-267
Radiation tests of single photon avalanche diode for space applications
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment [North-Holland], Volume: 711 Pages: 65-72
Journal of Modern Optics [Taylor & Francis Group], Volume: 59 Issue: 17 Pages: 1489-1499
Scintillating fibers readout by single photon avalanche diodes (SPAD) for space applications
Proc. of SPIE Vol [], Volume: 8443 Pages: 84430M-1
Towards picosecond array detector for single-photon time-resolved multispot parallel analysis
Journal of Modern Optics [Taylor & Francis Group], Volume: 58 Issue: 3-4 Pages: 233-243
Planar silicon SPADs with improved photon detection efficiency
Proceedings of SPIE [], Volume: 7945 Pages: 79452P
A 6× 8 photon-counting array detector system for fast and sensitive analysis of protein microarrays
Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical [Elsevier], Volume: 149 Issue: 2 Pages: 420-426
Advanced Functional Materials [WILEY‐VCH Verlag], Volume: 20 Issue: 3 Pages: 445-452
Resonant-cavity-enhanced single photon avalanche diodes on double silicon-on-insulator substrates
Journal of Modern Optics [Taylor & Francis Group], Volume: 56 Issue: 2-3 Pages: 309-316
University of Roma Tor Vergata, Dept. Electronic Engineering
Sensors and Microsystems: Proceedings of the 13th Italian Conference: Roma, Italy, 19-21 February 2008 [World Scientific], Pages: 185
Resonant-cavity-enhanced single-photon avalanche diodes on reflecting silicon substrates
IEEE Photonics Technology Letters [IEEE], Volume: 20 Issue: 6 Pages: 413-415
Large-area low-jitter silicon single photon avalanche diodes (Invited Paper)[6900-47]
PROCEEDINGS-SPIE THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR OPTICAL ENGINEERING [International Society for Optical Engineering; 1999], Volume: 6900 Pages: 6900
Chemistry–A European Journal [WILEY‐VCH Verlag], Volume: 13 Issue: 36 Pages: 10046-10054
Advanced Functional Materials [WILEY‐VCH Verlag], Volume: 17 Issue: 18 Pages: 3791-3798
Advanced Functional Materials [WILEY‐VCH Verlag], Volume: 17 Issue: 18
Chemistry–A European Journal [WILEY‐VCH Verlag], Volume: 13 Issue: 36 Pages: 10007-10007
Advanced photon counting techniques II
Advanced Photon Counting Techniques II [], Volume: 6771
A nondestructive dynamic characterization of a microheater through digital holographic microscopy
Journal of microelectromechanical systems [IEEE], Volume: 16 Issue: 3 Pages: 659-667
High-rate photon counting and picosecond timing with silicon-SPAD based compact detector modules
Journal of Modern Optics [Taylor & Francis Group], Volume: 54 Issue: 2-3 Pages: 225-237
Monolithic silicon matrix detector with 50 μm photon counting pixels
Journal of Modern Optics [Taylor & Francis Group], Volume: 54 Issue: 2-3 Pages: 213-223
Photon counting arrays for astrophysics
Journal of Modern Optics [Taylor & Francis Group], Volume: 54 Issue: 2-3 Pages: 163-189
Resonant-Cavity-Enhanced Single Photon Avalanche Diodes
IEEE Photncs Technology Letters [], Volume: 20 Pages: 6
Single-photon avalanche diode arrays for fast transients and adaptive optics
IEEE transactions on instrumentation and measurement [IEEE], Volume: 55 Issue: 1 Pages: 365-374
Single-photon imaging at 20,000 frames∕ s
Optics letters [Optical Society of America], Volume: 30 Issue: 22 Pages: 3024-3026
35 ps time resolution at room temperature with large area single photon avalanche diodes
Electronics Letters [IET], Volume: 41 Issue: 5 Pages: 272-274
SPADA: Single-photon avalanche diode arrays
IEEE Photonics Technology Letters [IEEE], Volume: 17 Issue: 3 Pages: 657-659
Single-photon imaging at 20,000 frames/s
Optics letters: A publication of the Optical Society of America [Optical Society of America], Issue: 22 Pages: 3024-3026
SPADA: An array of SPAD detectors for astrophysical applications
Experimental Astronomy [Kluwer Academic Publishers], Volume: 19 Issue: 1 Pages: 163-168
Near-infrared photodetectors based on graphene embedded between amorphous and crystalline silicon
2023 IEEE Nanotechnology Materials and Devices Conference (NMDC) [IEEE], Pages: 13-17
Silicon Meet Graphene for a New Family of Near-Infrared Resonant Cavity Enhanced Photodetectors
2020 22nd International Conference on Transparent Optical Networks (ICTON) [IEEE], Pages: 1-4
A 48-spot single-molecule FRET setup with periodic acceptor excitation (Conference Presentation)
Single Molecule Spectroscopy and Superresolution Imaging XI [International Society for Optics and Photonics], Volume: 10500 Pages: 1050005
Measurements and TCAD simulations of bulk and surface radiation damage effects in silicon detectors
2015 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging Conference (NSS/MIC) [IEEE], Pages: 1-6
New silicon technologies enable high-performance arrays of single photon avalanche diodes
Advanced Photon Counting Techniques VII [International Society for Optics and Photonics], Volume: 8727 Pages: 87270M
A 48-pixel array of single photon avalanche diodes for multispot single molecule analysis
Quantum Sensing and Nanophotonic Devices X [International Society for Optics and Photonics], Volume: 8631 Pages: 86311D
Single Photon Workshop 2013 [], Pages: 69-69
Scintillating fibers readout by single photon avalanche diodes (SPAD) for space applications
Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray [International Society for Optics and Photonics], Volume: 8443 Pages: 84430M
High-detection efficiency and picosecond timing compact detector modules with red-enhanced SPADs
Advanced Photon Counting Techniques VI [International Society for Optics and Photonics], Volume: 8375 Pages: 83750P
Silicon single-photon avalanche diodes for high-performance parallel photon timing
Advanced Photon Counting Techniques VI [International Society for Optics and Photonics], Volume: 8375 Pages: 83750N
Planar technologies for SPAD arrays with improved performances
Quantum Sensing and Nanophotonic Devices IX [International Society for Optics and Photonics], Volume: 8268 Pages: 82681D
Single photon avalanche diodes for space applications
2011 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium Conference Record [IEEE], Pages: 129-134
High-performance SPAD array detectors for parallel photon timing applications
Infrared Sensors, Devices, and Applications; and Single Photon Imaging II [International Society for Optics and Photonics], Volume: 8155 Pages: 81551N
High performance SPAD array detectors for parallel photon timing applications
SPIE Optical Engineering+ Applications [International Society for Optics and Photonics], Pages: 81551N-81551N-12
Improving the performance of silicon single-photon avalanche diodes
Advanced Photon Counting Techniques V [International Society for Optics and Photonics], Volume: 8033 Pages: 803302
A new Silicon SPAD with improved Red Efficiency and 100 ps timing resolution
17th International Workshop on" Single Molecule Spectroscopy and Ultrasensitive Analysis in the Life Sciences" [], Pages: 1-1
Planar silicon SPADs with improved photon detection efficiency
Advanced Photon Counting Techniques IV [International Society for Optics and Photonics], Volume: 7681 Pages: 76810M
SPAD array detectors for parallel photon timing applications
Single Photon Workshop 2009 [], Pages: 17-17
Large-area low-jitter silicon single photon avalanche diodes
Quantum Sensing and Nanophotonic Devices V [International Society for Optics and Photonics], Volume: 6900 Pages: 69001D
Silicon Single Photon Avalanche Diodes for Quantum Key Distribution
Conference on Secure Communications with Quantum Cryptography SECOQC 2008 [], Volume: 400 Pages: 1-2
Silicon single photon avalanche diodes: situation and prospect
Photon Counting Applications, Quantum Optics, and Quantum Cryptography [International Society for Optics and Photonics], Volume: 6583 Pages: 658302
Planar silicon SPADs with 200-μm diameter and 35-ps photon timing resolution
Advanced Photon Counting Techniques [International Society for Optics and Photonics], Volume: 6372 Pages: 63720R
Large-area avalanche diodes for picosecond time-correlated photon counting
Proceedings of 35th European Solid-State Device Research Conference, 2005. ESSDERC 2005. [IEEE], Pages: 355-358
Proceedings of 2005 IEEE/LEOS Workshop on Fibres and Optical Passive Components, 2005. [IEEE], Pages: 87-91
Monolithic Matrix of 50 μm Silicon SPAD Detectors
Single Photon Worksop 2005 [], Pages: 58-59
BORDER EFFECTS IN GAS SENSORS AND THERMISTORS
Sensors And Microsystems [], Pages: 185-190
An improved detection system for low energy Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy
EMC 2008 14th European Microscopy Congress 1–5 September 2008, Aachen, Germany [Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg], Pages: 581-582
SPADA: An Array of SPAD Detectors for Astrophysical Applications
Scientific detectors for astronomy 2005 [Springer, Dordrecht], Pages: 455-460