Dr. Giovanni Di Santo

Curriculum Vitae

Born in Campobasso on the 29th of December 1977

Nationality: Italian

Present Home Address: via della Madonna del Mare 12, 34124 Trieste, Italy

Status: Married

Positions

2015-present Staff Scientist at ELETTRA Sincrotrone Trieste Spectroscopy/Scattering Beamline Group. Job description: the scientific research activity is devoted to the managment, development and upgrade of BaDElPh Beamline and its experimental station.

2012-2015 INSTM Unit Research Coordinator with a GR contract (Giovane Ricercatore) – FIRB Giovani 2010 project SUPRACARBON (RBFR10DAK6) Project description : Self-assembly of two-dimensional regular arrays of chiral modules on metal substrates. Growth of CNTs by means of vacuum CVD and PE-CVD with different catalyst and feeding gases on the surfaces. Structural and electronic characterization of the specimens by means of STM,AFM,XPS,UPS. Study of the performances of the ordinary bulk-heterojunction solar cells. The INSTM unit is involved in the characterization of the structure and surface electronic properties of materials produced during the various phases of the project as well as in the growth of nanotubes.

2011-2012 Post-doctoral position at Physical Department of Trieste University (Assegno di Ricerca) Project description : STM and synchrotron radiation related measurements on porphyrins and metallo-porphyrinson surfaces.

2009-2011 Post-doctoral position at Elettra – Sincrotrone Trieste in the Micro & Nano Carbon Laboratory Project description : Photoemission, X-ray absorption and Scanning Probe Microscopy for organic electronics applications. Study and characterization of surfaces for the creation of novel materials based on organic molecules. Instrumental development of the existing experimental apparatus.

2005-2009 Post-doctoral position at Institut de Phisique des Systemes Biologiques - Laboratoire de Phisique de la Matiere Vivante (EPFL) Project description : Low temperature Atomic Force Microscope, developed to achieve high resolution imaging and spectroscopy on DNA molecules. The main activity in which he has been involved has also required the developments of experimental skills in the field of mechanics and electronics (mechanical design and construction, configuration and implementation of electronics apparatus, UHV operations and element of cryogenics). He has been carrying on his research activity as support of the successful PhD project (“Cryo-AFM development for high resolution DNA imaging and spectroscopy”) by Dr. S.Tobenas.

2004-2005 Post-doctoral Position at Department of Chemistry Università “La Sapienza” of Rome in the group of Prof. R. Zanoni. Project description: X-ray Spectroscopy, PEEM and Atomic Force Microscopy of functionalized surfaces.

Teaching

2011 Assistant at University of Trieste, Dept. of Physics, for the undergraduate course "Laboratorio di Fisica Sperimentale" (Prof. S. Modesti)

2005-2009 Teaching assistant at EPFL in General Physics (Proff. Baldereschi, Dietler)

Education

2001–2004 PhD Thesis: In 2001 I started the PhD in Materials Science at “La Sapienza” as a winner of the national fellowship (XVII ciclo).

PhD thesis title: “Functionalised crystalline Silicon surfaces for nanoscopic devices”. The PhD thesis was defended officially on February 14th 2005. Thesis referee: Prof. Fabio Biscarini. During the three years of the PhD course of study I was involved in a main project on “Silicon surface functionalization with organics” working in collaboration with proff. C. Coluzza (Phys. Dept), F. Decker and R. Zanoni (Chem. Dept). I also participated, during the same period, in another research project for the surface study of CsI photocathodes in collaboration with Dr. B. Sing from the INFN laboratory in Bari.

2000-2001 University degree: In October 2000 I started my master thesis work in the group of prof. Carlo Coluzza on Scanning Tunneling and Atomic Force Microscopy in UHV conditions. My university degree (“Laurea in Fisica”) was awarded by the University “La Sapienza” in 2001 with the grade of 108/110. Thesis title: “A Scanning Tunnelling Microscopy study on metal cluster formation above the reconstructed InAs(100) surface”, supervisor: prof. C.Coluzza.

1991-1996 High school: “Diploma di Liceo Scientifico” in 1996 with the grade of 60/60.