My research focuses on the development and optimization of advanced laser manufacturing processes for micro and nanofabrication, as well as on optical methods for the three-dimensional characterization of materials. Key examples of our work in this area include the use of acoustically-driven optofluidic lenses for high-speed 3D imaging and particle tracking, laser induced forward transfer for printing multifunctional materials and micro-optical elements, as well as beam shaping for high-throughput/high-resolution laser processing.
Short bio:
I studied physics at the University of Barcelona, where I also obtained my Ph.D. in physics in 2010 on the study of the fundamentals of a laser printing technique for the fabrication of biosensors. From 2010 to end of 2013 I was a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Princeton University, in Prof. Craig B. Arnold’s group, where I studied adaptive optical systems for laser processing and imaging applications. At the end of 2013 I joined the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia as a researcher in the Nanophysics Department.
As Principal Investigator:
'Sistema ultra-veloce per il tracciamento 3D di oggetti nanometrici', from Compagnia di San Paolo, SIME: 2015-0682 (Codice ROL 9687) (2015)
‘Ultra-high speed z-scanning for laser manufacturing’, from the National Science Foundation; SBIR Phase I, federal award ID 1315667 (2013)
S. Surdo, R. Carzino, A. Diaspro, M. Duocastella, Single‐Shot Laser Additive Manufacturing of High Fill‐Factor Microlens Arrays. Adv. Optical Materials 6 1701190 (2018)
S. Piazza, P. Bianchini, C. Sheppard, A. Diaspro , F. De Angelis M. Duocastella, Enhanced volumetric imaging in two-photon microscopy via acoustic lens beam shaping. J. Biophotonics 11 e20170005 (2018)
M. Duocastella, G. Sancataldo, P. Saggau, P. Ramoino, P. Bianchini, A. Diaspro, Fast inertia-free light sheet microscope. ACS Photonics 4 1797 (2017)
S. Surdo, A. Diaspro, M. Duocastella, Micromixing with spark generated cavitation bubbles, Microfluid. Nanofluidics 21 82 (2017)
G. Sancataldo, L. Scipioni, T. Ravasenga, L. Lanzano, A. Diaspro, A. Barberis, M. Duocastella, 3D multiple-particle tracking with nanometric precision over tunable axial ranges, Optica 4 367 (2017)
M.P. Arciniegas, A. Castelli, S. Piazza, S. Dogan, L. Ceseracciu, R. Krahne, M. Duocastella, L. Manna, Laser-Induced Localized Growth of Methylammonium Lead Halide Perovskite Nano and Microcrystals on Substrates. Adv. Function. Materials 27 1701613 (2017)
M. Duocastella, G. Vicidomini, K. Korobchevskaya, K. Pydzińska, M. Ziółek, A. Diaspro, G. de Miguel, Improving the Spatial Resolution in Direct Laser Writing Lithography by Using a Reversible Cationic Photoinitiator. The Journal of Physical Chemistry C 121 16970 (2017)
M. Duocastella, F. Tantussi, A. Haddadpour , R. Proietti Zaccaria , A. Jacassi , G. Veronis , A. Diaspro , F. De Angelis, Combination of scanning probe technology with photonic nanojets. Sci. Reports 7 3474 (2017)
M. Duocastella, C.B. Arnold, J. Puchalla, Selectable light-sheet uniformity using tuned axial scanning, Microsc. Res. Tech. 80 250 (2017)
C. Florian, S. Piazza, A. Diaspro, P. Serra, M. Duocastella, Direct laser printing of polymeric microlenses, ACS Appl. Matt. Interfaces 8 17028 (2016)
M. Duocastella, C. Theriault, C.B. Arnold, Three-dimensional particle tracking via tunable color-encoded multiplexing, Opt. Lett. 41 863 (2016)
S. Surdo, S. Piazza, L. Ceseracciu, A. Diaspro, M. Duocastella, Towards nanopatterning by femtosecond laser ablation of pre-stretched elastomers, Appl. Surf. Sci. 374 151 (2016)
S. Tozza, R. Mecca, M. Duocastella, A. Del Bue, Direct Differential Photometric Stereo Shape Recovery of Diffuse and Specular Surfaces, J. Math. Imaging Vis. 56 57 (2016)
M. Duocastella, C. Florian, P. Serra and A. Diaspro, Sub-wavelength laser nanopatterning using droplet lenses, Sci. Reports 5 16199 (2015)
G. de Miguel, G. Vicidomini, M. Duocastella, A. Diaspro, Selective fluorescence functionalization of dye-doped polymerized structures fabricated by direct laser writing (DLW) lithography, Nanoscale 7 20164 (2015)
G. de Miguel, M. Duocastella, G. Vicidomini, A. Diaspro, λ/20 axial control in 2.5 D polymerized structures fabricated with DLW lithography, Opt. Express 23 24850 (2015)
M. Duocastella, G. Vicidomini, A. Diaspro, Simultaneous multiplane confocal microscopy using acoustic tunable lenses, Opt. Express 22 19293 (2014)
32. M. Elmeranta, G. Vicidomini, M. Duocastella, A. Diaspro, and G. de Miguel[1], Characterization of nanostructures fabricated with two-beam DLW lithography using STED microscopy, Opt. Matt. Express 6 (2016) 3169
L’Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT) è una fondazione di diritto privato - cfr. determinazione Corte dei Conti 23/2015 “IIT è una fondazione da inquadrare fra gli organismi di diritto pubblico con la scelta di un modello di organizzazione di diritto privato per rispondere all’esigenza di assicurare procedure più snelle nella selezione non solo nell’ambito nazionale dei collaboratori, scienziati e ricercatori ”.
IIT è sotto la vigilanza del Ministero dell'Istruzione, dell'Università e della Ricerca e del Ministero dell'Economia e delle Finanze ed è stato istituito con la Legge 326/2003. La Fondazione ha l'obiettivo di promuovere l'eccellenza nella ricerca di base e in quella applicata e di favorire lo sviluppo del sistema economico nazionale. La costruzione dei laboratori iniziata nel 2006 si è conclusa nel 2009.
Lo staff complessivo di IIT conta circa 1440 persone. L’area scientifica è rappresentata da circa l’85% del personale. Il 45% dei ricercatori proviene dall’estero: di questi, il 29% è costituito da stranieri provenienti da oltre 50 Paesi e il 16% da italiani rientrati. Oggi il personale scientifico è composto da circa 60 principal investigators, circa 110 ricercatori e tecnologi di staff, circa 350 post doc, circa 500 studenti di dottorato e borsisti, circa 130 tecnici. Oltre 330 posti su 1400 creati su fondi esterni. Età media 34 anni. 41% donne / 59 % uomini.
Nel 2015 IIT ha ricevuto finanziamenti pubblici per circa 96 milioni di euro (80% del budget), conseguendo fondi esterni per 22 milioni di euro (20% budget) provenienti da 18 progetti europei, 17 finanziamenti da istituzioni nazionali e internazionali, circa 60 progetti industriali
La produzione di IIT ad oggi vanta circa 6990 pubblicazioni, oltre 130 finanziamenti Europei e 11 ERC, più di 350 domande di brevetto attive, oltre 12 start up costituite e altrettante in fase di lancio. Dal 2009 l’attività scientifica è stata ulteriormente rafforzata con la creazione di dieci centri di ricerca nel territorio nazionale (a Torino, Milano, Trento, Parma, Roma, Pisa, Napoli, Lecce, Ferrara) e internazionale (MIT ed Harvard negli USA) che, unitamente al Laboratorio Centrale di Genova, sviluppano i programmi di ricerca del piano scientifico 2015-2017.
Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT) is a public research institute that adopts the organizational model of a private law foundation. IIT is overseen by Ministero dell'Istruzione, dell'Università e della Ricerca and Ministero dell'Economia e delle Finanze (the Italian Ministries of Education, Economy and Finance). The Institute was set up according to Italian law 326/2003 with the objective of promoting excellence in basic and applied research andfostering Italy’s economic development. Construction of the Laboratories started in 2006 and finished in 2009.
IIT has an overall staff of about 1,440 people. The scientific staff covers about 85% of the total. Out of 45% of researchers coming from abroad 29% are foreigners coming from more than 50 countries and 16% are returned Italians. The scientific staff currently consists of approximately 60 Principal Investigators, 110 researchers and technologists, 350 post-docs and 500 PhD students and grant holders and 130 technicians. External funding has allowed the creation of more than 330 positions . The average age is 34 and the gender balance proportion is 41% female against 59% male.
In 2015 IIT received 96 million euros in public funding (accounting for 80% of its budget) and obtained 22 million euros in external funding (accounting for 20% of its budget). External funding comes from 18 European Projects, other 17 national and international competitive projects and approximately 60 industrial projects.
So far IIT accounts for: about 6990 publications, more than 130 European grants and 11 ERC grants, more than 350 patents or patent applications, 12 up start-ups and as many which are about to be launched. The Institute’s scientific activity has been further strengthened since 2009 with the establishment of 11 research nodes throughout Italy (Torino, Milano, Trento, Parma, Roma, Pisa, Napoli, Lecce, Ferrara) and abroad (MIT and Harvard University, USA), which, along with the Genoa-based Central Lab, implement the research programs included in the 2015-2017 Strategic Plan.
