Domenico Pacifici

Domenico Pacifici is an Associate Professor of Engineering and Physics at Brown University and serves as the Director of the Brown Nanofabrication Central Facility. He holds joint appointments in the School of Engineering and the Department of Physics, reflecting his interdisciplinary research that bridges engineering principles with fundamental physics. Pacifici also maintains significant external collaborations, currently serving as a CNST Visiting Fellow at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and a Visiting Associate Professor at the University of Maryland College Park in the Institute for Research In Electronics & Applied Physics (IREAP).

Pacifici received his M.Sc. (2000) and Ph.D. (2004) in Physics, both summa cum laude, from the University of Catania in Italy, where he studied the optical, structural and electrical properties of silicon quantum dots. Prior to joining Brown University in 2009 as an assistant professor, he spent four years as a postdoctoral scholar in the Department of Applied Physics at the California Institute of Technology. His doctoral work earned him an award from STMicroelectronics for the best PhD thesis performed in collaboration with industry.

Domenico Pacifici's research focuses on manipulating light and surface plasmons at the nanometer scale for applications in integrated bio-sensing, optical communication, energy harvesting, and quantum optics. His work pioneers the field of plasmonic interferometry and explores innovative approaches to overcome limitations in conventional photovoltaic technologies through the use of plasmonic concentrators. Pacifici's group has made significant contributions to germanium quantum dot photodetectors that demonstrate record-high internal quantum efficiency, broadband spectral response, and fast response times, while maintaining CMOS compatibility. His research has enabled unprecedented guiding and routing capabilities of optical signals in compact devices with component footprints less than 45 nm.

Analysis of Pacifici's publication record reveals a strong focus on nanoscale optical phenomena with particular emphasis on plasmonics and photonics. His work spans fundamental investigations of light-matter interactions at the nanoscale to applied research in biosensing, energy harvesting, and optical communication. The research demonstrates consistent innovation in developing novel plasmonic structures for enhanced light manipulation, with applications ranging from high-efficiency photodetectors to compact biochemical sensors and improved solar cell technologies.

• Richard B. Salomon Faculty Research Award (2010)
• Brown Research Seed Awards (multiple years)
• Dedicated Faculty Award from Brown's School of Engineering and Tau Beta Pi (2012)
• Henry Merritt Wriston Fellowship (2013)
• Best Ph.D. Thesis Award from STMicroelectronics (2004)
• Best Master of Science Thesis Award from Accademia Gioenia (2001)
• Foundation BLANCEFLOR Boncompagni-Ludovisi Award (2011)
• Doris M. and Norman T. Halpin Prize (2011-2012)

Professor Pacifici has received significant research funding from prestigious organizations including the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Office of Naval Research (ONR), and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). His current and recent grants include a NSF-CBET grant on multispectral plasmonic interferometry for cytokine detection, a NSF-DMR grant on germanium nanostructures for silicon-compatible optoelectronics, and a JDRF grant on plasmonic interferometry for insulin detection. Pacifici has mentored numerous graduate and undergraduate students, with several of his advisees contributing to high-impact publications in top journals. His teaching portfolio includes courses on semiconductor device design, electricity and magnetism, and the physics of solar cells.

As Director of the Brown Nanofabrication Central Facility (NCF), Pacifici oversees a state-of-the-art facility that supports nanotechnology research across multiple disciplines. His research group, known as the Pacifici Research Group, focuses on advancing high-efficiency, broadband, and high-speed optoelectronics through innovative approaches to nanoscale light manipulation. The group collaborates extensively with other researchers at Brown University, including Professors David Paine, G. Tayhas Palmore, Alexander Zaslavsky, and Rashid Zia, as well as with external partners at NIST and the University of Maryland.