Research interests
- fundamental understanding of the properties of oxides in the form of ultrathin films and nanostructures for application in catalysis, energy and biomedicine
- interaction between metal nanoparticles and oxides
- nanostructured materials for magnetic recording and spintronics
Biographical sketch
RESEARCH POSITIONS
Since 2003: CNR researcher, S3 center, Modena
2001-2003: post doc position at Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia
1999-2000: INFM post doc position
EDUCATION
Jan. 1999: PhD in Physics, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia
July 1995: Degree in Physics, Università di Modena
VISITING PERIODS AT OTHER INSTITUTIONS:
1994-1995: CNR- IMAI, Montelibretti, Roma (1 year)
1996-1997: ALOISA beamline, Elettra, Trieste (1 year)
1999:”A.F. Ioffe Institute”, S. Petersburg, Russia (4 weeks)
2007: “AGH University”, Krakow, Poland (1 week)
SUPERVISION
Co-supervisor of 9 MSc students and of 3 PhD students. Supervisor of 3 PhD students.
PUBLICATIONS
Co-author of more than 85 scientific papers, 3 book chapters, 4 synchrotron radiation highlights.
Selected publications
“Atomic Scale Structure and Reduction of Cerium Oxide at the Interface with Platinum” P. Luches, L. Giordano, V. Grillo, G. C. Gazzadi, S. Prada, M. Campanini, G. Bertoni, C. Magen, F. Pagliuca, G. Pacchioni, S. Valeri, Adv. Mater. Int. 2, 1500375 (2015).
"Structural and morphological modifications in thermally reduced cerium oxide ultrathin epitaxial films on Pt(111)" P. Luches, F. Pagliuca and S. Valeri, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 16, 18848 (2014).
"Nature of Ag Islands and Nanoparticles on the CeO2(111) Surface" P. Luches, F. Pagliuca, S. Valeri, F. Illas, G. Preda, G. Pacchioni, J. Phys. Chem. C 116 (2012) 1122.
"Depth-dependent magnetization reversal and spin structure of Fe/NiO exchange-coupled epitaxial bilayers" P. Luches, L. Pasquini, S. Benedetti, S. Valeri, R. Rüffer and F. Boscherini, Applied Physics Letters, 101 (2012) 082412.
"Morphology, stoichiometry and interface structure of CeO2 ultrathin films on Pt(111)" P. Luches, F. Pagliuca and S. Valeri, J. Phys. Chem. C 115 (2011) 10718.
"Iron oxidation, interfacial expansion and buckling at the Fe/NiO(001) interface" P. Luches, V. Bellini, S. Colonna, L. Di Giustino, F. Manghi , S. Valeri, F. Boscherini, Phys. Rev. Lett. 96 (2006) 106106.