Stefania Benedetti

Stefania Benedetti is a Researcher at the National Research Council of Italy (CNR) Institute of Nanoscience (CNR NANO) in Modena since 2012, specializing in experimental investigation of metal/oxide nanostructures for catalysis, energy, and optoelectronics applications. She operates within the SESAMO Lab utilizing High Vacuum and UHV equipment for nanostructure growth and characterization, and has extensive experience with large-scale facilities including ELETTRA, ESRF, PETRA III, and EuXFEL.

Her educational background includes a Master's degree and PhD in Physics from Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia under Prof. Sergio Valeri, followed by postdoctoral research at CNR NANO with visiting periods (2005-2010) at Fritz-Haber-Institut, Max Planck Society in Berlin.

Benedetti's research focuses on nanoscale electronic and optical properties of metal/oxide systems, with three primary thrusts: (1) Plasmonic properties of metal nanoparticles and interfacial interactions with oxide supports using time-resolved spectroscopies to study plasmon decay and hot electron dynamics; (2) Structural and electronic properties of doped oxides (particularly Al:ZnO and ceria-based systems) for optoelectronic applications; (3) Reactivity of reducible oxides for hydrogen dissociation and clean production. Her work bridges fundamental nanoscale phenomena with energy applications through advanced spectroscopic techniques.

Analysis of her 54 journal publications and book chapter reveals consistent focus on doped metal oxides and plasmonic nanostructures, with recent work emphasizing ultrafast dynamics, hydrogen catalysis mechanisms, and optoelectronic device integration. Key methodological approaches include ambient-pressure XAS, time-resolved spectroscopies, and in-operando characterization at synchrotron and free-electron laser facilities.

She has supervised 4 PhD theses in Physics and Nanoscience and 7 degree theses at Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia. Current research projects include:

• AMONIX (2023-2025): Developing amorphous conductors for plasmonics
• ECOSISTER (2022-2025): Sustainable energy transition in Emilia-Romagna
• U-DYNAMEC (2023-2025): Ultrafast dynamics in energy conversion materials
• Sensidrogen (2024-2026): Hydrogen leak detection sensors

Her SESAMO Lab maintains specialized capabilities in UHV-based nanostructure synthesis and characterization, with strong collaborative networks across European large-scale facilities. Current work emphasizes translating fundamental plasmonic and catalytic insights into hydrogen production technologies and next-generation optoelectronic materials.