Bruno Paulillo obtained a MSc in physics from the University of Bari (Italy) in 2012 and a PhD in physics from the University of Paris-Saclay (France) in 2016. In 2017 he joined ICFO as postdoctoral researcher and in 2018 he was awarded a MSCA fellowship (PROBIST) from the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology. At ICFO he works in the Optoelectronics group where his research focuses on developing optical surfaces based on ultra-thin materials for sensing applications. He is co-leading the Plasmonic Sensing working group in EU Graphene Flagship.

Nanophotonic management of mid-infrared and visible light for sensor and display industry

The project aims at developing new multi-functional nanostructured optical surfaces based on ultra-thin materials for relevant industrial applications in the mid-infrared (MIR) and visible (VIS) spectral range. On the one hand we will deliver the first generation of scalable MIR plasmonic sensors combining graphene nanostructures and relevant ultra-thin functional layers for the specific detection of gas molecules and/or biomarkers. This will enable a novel platform where different sensing mechanisms such as enhanced infrared absorption and graphene chemical doping can be leveraged. On the other hand we will demonstrate new industrially-scalable techniques to grow ultra-thin metal films (UTMFs, t<10 nm) of noble metals (Au, Ag) that can be electro-optically tuned using electrolyte gating. This will lead to demonstrate scalable UTMF-based optical metasurfaces with breakthrough functionalities such as active control of surface reflectivity/transparency, and spectral tuning for scattering-based displays or transparent filters.