MATTEO MASTELLONE

Dottore di ricerca

ciclo: XXXIII



Titolo della tesi: Photon-Enhanced Thermionic Emission cathodes for concentrated solar energy conversion

The research activities at the basis of this doctoral project were focused on the design, characterization and fabrication of innovative high-temperature solar cells based on the concept of photon-enhanced thermionic emission (PETE). PETE is a conversion mechanism that exploits both photo-electric and thermionic emission concepts, and that allows to overcome the limitations of standard junction cells when operating at high temperatures. The proposed solar cell concept, which implies a direct application in conversion of concentrated solar radiation and energy recovery from high-temperature thermal sources, is made entirely of highly-engineered synthetic diamond, can operate up to about 800 °C and allows the combination of an additional conversion stage or energy storage system. High potential conversion efficiencies (> 40%), scalability typical of solid-state devices, non-toxicity for human health represent the main key advantages with respect to conventional technologies. The core of this doctoral project is represented by the development of single-crystal synthetic diamond PETE photocathodes (including also attempts with 6H-SiC), on which an innovative scientific concept is applied: the defect engineering of a semiconductor that does not natively interact with solar radiation (i.e. diamond, with an energy bandgap of 5.5 eV, is known to be solar-blind). The project foresaw the employment of technologies able to completely modify the optical and photoelectronic properties, turning the material from transparent to highly absorbing, but maintaining the excellent charge transport capability. To this end, this doctorate thesis reports on a variety of experimental investigations aimed mainly at advancing the understanding of fundamental processes of surface defect engineering, performed by inducing the formation of periodic surface nanotexturing through the use of ultra-short pulsed lasers. Furthermore, since the ultimate aim is to develop an original all-diamond PETE photo-cathode, efforts were also directed at the optimization of the thermionic emission capabilities of diamond. In conclusion, the proof-of-concept of high-temperature solar cell proposed in this thesis should be considered exemplificative of the controlled and effective defect engineering strategy, which can be extendable for future development of a new class of ultra-wide bandgap optoelectronic devices.

Produzione scientifica

11573/1493584 - 2021 - Upgrade and present limitations of solar thermionic-thermoelectric technology up to 1000 K
Bellucci, A.; Girolami, M.; Mastellone, M.; Serpente, V.; Trucchi, D. M. - 01a Articolo in rivista
rivista: SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS (Elsevier BV:PO Box 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam Netherlands:011 31 20 4853757, 011 31 20 4853642, 011 31 20 4853641, EMAIL: nlinfo-f@elsevier.nl, INTERNET: http://www.elsevier.nl, Fax: 011 31 20 4853598) pp. 110982- - issn: 0927-0248 - wos: WOS:000653044500019 (5) - scopus: 2-s2.0-85100443229 (7)

11573/1493576 - 2021 - Dielectric micro- and sub-micrometric spacers for high-temperature energy converters
Bellucci, A.; Sabbatella, G.; Girolami, M.; Mastellone, M.; Serpente, V.; Mezzi, A.; Kaciulis, S.; Paci, B.; Generosi, A.; Polini, R.; Vitulano, A.; Vivaldi, I.; Antonelli, M.; Trucchi, D. M. - 01a Articolo in rivista
rivista: ENERGY TECHNOLOGY (Weinheim : Wiley-VCH) pp. 2000788- - issn: 2194-4288 - wos: WOS:000588709800001 (13) - scopus: 2-s2.0-85096773207 (17)

11573/1493535 - 2021 - Novel concepts and nanostructured materials for thermionic-based solar and thermal energy converters
Bellucci, A; Girolami, M; Mastellone, M; Orlando, S; Polini, R; Santagata, A; Serpente, V; Valentini, V; M Trucchi, D - 01a Articolo in rivista
rivista: NANOTECHNOLOGY (Bristol: IOP Publishing.) pp. - - issn: 1361-6528 - wos: WOS:000577869500001 (12) - scopus: 2-s2.0-85094220333 (13)

11573/1493601 - 2021 - Combined electrical resistivity-electron reflectivity measurements for evaluating the homogeneity of hydrogen-terminated diamond surfaces
Serpente, V.; Bellucci, A.; Girolami, M.; Mastellone, M.; Iacobucci, S.; Ruocco, A.; Trucchi, D. M. - 01a Articolo in rivista
rivista: DIAMOND AND RELATED MATERIALS (Elsevier BV:PO Box 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam Netherlands:011 31 20 4853757, 011 31 20 4853642, 011 31 20 4853641, EMAIL: nlinfo-f@elsevier.nl, INTERNET: http://www.elsevier.nl, Fax: 011 31 20 4853598) pp. 108290- - issn: 0925-9635 - wos: WOS:000688437800007 (3) - scopus: 2-s2.0-85101180540 (3)

11573/1493545 - 2020 - All-carbon THz components based on laser-treated diamond
Amoruso, S.; Andreone, A.; Bellucci, A.; Koral, C.; Girolami, M.; Mastellone, M.; Mou, S.; Orlando, S.; Papari, G. P.; Paparo, D.; Polini, R.; Rubano, A.; Santagata, A.; Serpente, V.; Valentini, V.; Trucchi, D. M. - 01a Articolo in rivista
rivista: CARBON (-CANADIAN SOC CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, 130 SLATER ST, STE 550, OTTAWA, CANADA, ONTARIO, K1P 6E2 -Elsevier Science Limited:Oxford Fulfillment Center, PO Box 800, Kidlington Oxford OX5 1DX United Kingdom:011 44 1865 843000, 011 44 1865 843699, EMAIL: asianfo@elsevier.com, tcb@elsevier.co.UK, INTERNET: http://www.elsevier.com, http://www.elsevier.com/locate/shpsa/, Fax: 011 44 1865 843010) pp. 197-201 - issn: 0008-6223 - wos: WOS:000536475200009 (12) - scopus: 2-s2.0-85081655936 (14)

11573/1493553 - 2020 - Nanocrystalline lanthanum boride thin films by femtosecond pulsed laser deposition as efficient emitters in hybrid thermionic-photovoltaic energy converters
Bellucci, A.; Mastellone, M.; Girolami, M.; Serpente, V.; Generosi, A.; Paci, B.; Mezzi, A.; Kaciulis, S.; Carducci, R.; Polini, R.; Orlando, S.; Santagata, A.; De Bonis, A.; Meucci, M.; Mercatelli, L.; Sani, E.; Trucchi, D. M. - 01a Articolo in rivista
rivista: APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE (- Amsterdam: Elsevier - Amsterdam: North-Holland) pp. - - issn: 0169-4332 - wos: WOS:000523184600069 (12) - scopus: 2-s2.0-85079875846 (15)

11573/1421450 - 2020 - Photovoltaic anodes for enhanced thermionic energy conversion
Bellucci, A; Mastellone, M; Serpente, V; Girolami, M; Kaciulis, S; Mezzi, A; Trucchi, Dm; Antolin, E; Villa, J; Linares, Pg; Marti, A; Datas, A - 01f Lettera, Nota
rivista: ACS ENERGY LETTERS (Washington, DC : American Chemical Society) pp. 1364-1370 - issn: 2380-8195 - wos: WOS:000535176100004 (31) - scopus: 2-s2.0-85088937907 (37)

11573/1493592 - 2020 - Femtosecond-laser nanostructuring of black diamond films under different gas environments
Girolami, M.; Bellucci, A.; Mastellone, M.; Orlando, S.; Serpente, V.; Valentini, V.; Polini, R.; Sani, E.; De Caro, T.; Trucchi, D. M. - 01a Articolo in rivista
rivista: MATERIALS (Basel: Molecular Diversity Preservation International-MDPI) pp. 1-12 - issn: 1996-1944 - wos: WOS:000603009700001 (5) - scopus: 2-s2.0-85098213555 (5)

11573/1493567 - 2020 - Improving the performance of printable carbon electrodes by femtosecond laser treatment
Girolami, Marco; Bellucci, Alessandro; Mastellone, Matteo; Serpente, Valerio; Orlando, Stefano; Valentini, Veronica; Palma, Alessandro L.; Di Carlo, Aldo; Trucchi, Daniele M. - 01a Articolo in rivista
rivista: C (Basel : MDPI AG , 2015-) pp. - - issn: 2311-5629 - wos: WOS:000578945700001 (3) - scopus: (0)

11573/1421443 - 2020 - Enhanced selective solar absorption of surface nanotextured semi-insulating 6H–SiC
Mastellone, M.; Bellucci, A.; Girolami, M.; Montereali, R. M.; Orlando, S.; Polini, R.; Serpente, V.; Sani, E.; Valentini, V.; Vincenti, M. A.; Trucchi, D. M. - 01a Articolo in rivista
rivista: OPTICAL MATERIALS (Elsevier BV:PO Box 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam Netherlands:011 31 20 4853757, 011 31 20 4853642, 011 31 20 4853641, EMAIL: nlinfo-f@elsevier.nl, INTERNET: http://www.elsevier.nl, Fax: 011 31 20 4853598) pp. 109967- - issn: 0925-3467 - wos: WOS:000577081400016 (23) - scopus: 2-s2.0-85086312930 (26)

11573/1493564 - 2020 - Work function and negative electron affinity of ultrathin barium fluoride films
Mezzi, A.; Bolli, E.; Kaciulis, S.; Mastellone, M.; Girolami, M.; Serpente, V.; Bellucci, A.; Carducci, R.; Polini, R.; Trucchi, D. M. - 01a Articolo in rivista
rivista: SURFACE AND INTERFACE ANALYSIS (John Wiley & Sons Limited:1 Oldlands Way, Bognor Regis, P022 9SA United Kingdom:011 44 1243 779777, EMAIL: cs-journals@wiley.co.uk, INTERNET: http://www.wiley.co.uk, Fax: 011 44 1243 843232) pp. 968-974 - issn: 0142-2421 - wos: WOS:000544564200001 (5) - scopus: 2-s2.0-85087316863 (5)

11573/1493559 - 2020 - Ultra-thin films of barium fluoride with low work function for thermionic-thermophotovoltaic applications
Serpente, V.; Bellucci, A.; Girolami, M.; Mastellone, M.; Mezzi, A.; Kaciulis, S.; Carducci, R.; Polini, R.; Valentini, V.; Trucchi, D. M. - 01a Articolo in rivista
rivista: MATERIALS CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS (Elsevier BV:PO Box 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam Netherlands:011 31 20 4853757, 011 31 20 4853642, 011 31 20 4853641, EMAIL: nlinfo-f@elsevier.nl, INTERNET: http://www.elsevier.nl, Fax: 011 31 20 4853598) pp. - - issn: 0254-0584 - wos: WOS:000540352000026 (8) - scopus: 2-s2.0-85082682921 (10)

11573/1341229 - 2019 - Lanthanum (oxy)boride thin films for thermionic emission applications
Bellucci, A.; Mastellone, M.; Orlando, S.; Girolami, M.; Generosi, A.; Paci, B.; Soltani, P.; Mezzi, A.; Kaciulis, S.; Polini, R.; Trucchi, D. M. - 01a Articolo in rivista
rivista: APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE (- Amsterdam: Elsevier - Amsterdam: North-Holland) pp. 296-302 - issn: 0169-4332 - wos: WOS:000464931800036 (13) - scopus: 2-s2.0-85061526387 (16)

11573/1341232 - 2019 - Reproducibility analysis of diamond pixel detectors for large ionizing radiation fields
Girolami, M.; Bellucci, A.; Mastellone, M.; Serpente, V.; Trucchi, D. M. - 01a Articolo in rivista
rivista: OPTICAL MATERIALS (Elsevier BV:PO Box 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam Netherlands:011 31 20 4853757, 011 31 20 4853642, 011 31 20 4853641, EMAIL: nlinfo-f@elsevier.nl, INTERNET: http://www.elsevier.nl, Fax: 011 31 20 4853598) pp. 292-295 - issn: 0925-3467 - wos: WOS:000470938800042 (3) - scopus: 2-s2.0-85063396095 (3)

11573/1341241 - 2019 - Electrical conductivity of double textured black diamond films from RT to 800 K
Orsini, A.; Bellucci, A.; Girolami, M.; Mastellone, M.; Orlando, S.; Prestopino, G.; Valentini, V.; Salvatori, S.; Trucchi, D. M. - 01a Articolo in rivista
rivista: DIAMOND AND RELATED MATERIALS (Elsevier BV:PO Box 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam Netherlands:011 31 20 4853757, 011 31 20 4853642, 011 31 20 4853641, EMAIL: nlinfo-f@elsevier.nl, INTERNET: http://www.elsevier.nl, Fax: 011 31 20 4853598) pp. 1-7 - issn: 0925-9635 - wos: WOS:000464627200001 (5) - scopus: 2-s2.0-85060334503 (5)

11573/1179139 - 2018 - Optical characterization of double-nanotextured black diamond films
Girolami, M.; Bellucci, A.; Mastellone, M.; Orlando, S.; Valentini, V.; Montereali, R. M.; Vincenti, M. A.; Polini, R.; Trucchi, D. M. - 01a Articolo in rivista
rivista: CARBON (-CANADIAN SOC CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, 130 SLATER ST, STE 550, OTTAWA, CANADA, ONTARIO, K1P 6E2 -Elsevier Science Limited:Oxford Fulfillment Center, PO Box 800, Kidlington Oxford OX5 1DX United Kingdom:011 44 1865 843000, 011 44 1865 843699, EMAIL: asianfo@elsevier.com, tcb@elsevier.co.UK, INTERNET: http://www.elsevier.com, http://www.elsevier.com/locate/shpsa/, Fax: 011 44 1865 843010) pp. 384-389 - issn: 0008-6223 - wos: WOS:000442635300046 (29) - scopus: 2-s2.0-85053192797 (30)

11573/1179160 - 2018 - Transport properties of photogenerated charge carriers in black diamond films
Girolami, Marco; Bellucci, Alessandro; Mastellone, Matteo; Orlando, Stefano; Orsini, Andrea; Salvatori, Stefano; Trucchi, Daniele M. - 01a Articolo in rivista
rivista: CERAMICS INTERNATIONAL (Oxford, United Kingdom: Elsevier Science Ltd) pp. - - issn: 0272-8842 - wos: WOS:000463688400032 (7) - scopus: 2-s2.0-85054716007 (7)

11573/1179164 - 2018 - Investigation of work function and chemical composition of thin films of borides and nitrides
Mezzi, A.; Soltani, P.; Kaciulis, S.; Bellucci, A.; Girolami, M.; Mastellone, M.; Trucchi, D. M. - 01a Articolo in rivista
rivista: SURFACE AND INTERFACE ANALYSIS (John Wiley & Sons Limited:1 Oldlands Way, Bognor Regis, P022 9SA United Kingdom:011 44 1243 779777, EMAIL: cs-journals@wiley.co.uk, INTERNET: http://www.wiley.co.uk, Fax: 011 44 1243 843232) pp. 1138-1144 - issn: 0142-2421 - wos: WOS:000448889600029 (15) - scopus: 2-s2.0-85045842524 (18)

11573/1179583 - 2017 - Surface texturing of CVD diamond assisted by ultrashort laser pulses
Trucchi, Daniele; Bellucci, Alessandro; Girolami, Marco; Mastellone, Matteo; Orlando, Stefano - 01g Articolo di rassegna (Review)
rivista: COATINGS (Basel, Switzerland: MDPI Publishing) pp. 185- - issn: 2079-6412 - wos: WOS:000416595700008 (37) - scopus: 2-s2.0-85060437176 (42)

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