Research interests
Electronic, optical and transport properties of graphene nanostructures, modulated by size variations and edge covalent functionalization. DFT-based approaches (PWSCF-QuantumESPRESSO, WanT) and Hartree-Fock-based semi-empirical methods (AM1, ZINDO/S).
Biographical sketch
2012 - present: Post-doctoral fellow
02/2012: PhD in Physics at "School of Graduate Studies Nano- and Physical Sciences" at UniMORE. Thesis: "Modulating graphene nanostructures: a computational study on the electronic, optical and transport properties". Supervisors: Prof. E. Molinari and Dr. D. Prezzi
10/2008: Master degree cum laude in Physics at UniMORE. Thesis: “Edge states and magnetic interactions in graphene nanoribbons: the case of Co adsorption”. Supervisor: Prof. E. Molinari.
07/2006: Bachelor degree cum laude in Physics at Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia. Thesis: “Studio tribologico delle superfici di ruote dentate e delle boccole di bilanciamento di una pompa a ingranaggi”.
Selected publications
C. Cocchi, D. Prezzi, A. Ruini, M. J. Caldas and E. Molinari, “Electronics and Optics of Graphene Nanoflakes: Edge Functionalization and Structural Distortions", J. Phys. Chem. C 116, 17328–17335 (2012)
C. Cocchi, D. Prezzi, A. Ruini, E. Benassi, M. J. Caldas, S. Corni and E. Molinari, “Optical Excitations and Field Enhancement in Short Graphene Nanoribbons", J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 3, 924–929 (2012)
C. Cocchi, D. Prezzi, A. Ruini, M. J. Caldas and E. Molinari, “Optical Properties and Charge-Transfer Excitations in Edge-Functionalized All-Graphene Nanojunctions”, J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2, 1315–1319 (2011)
C. Cocchi, A. Ruini, D. Prezzi, M. J. Caldas and E. Molinari, “Designing all-graphene nanojunctions by covalent functionalization”, J. Phys. Chem. C 115, 2969–2973 (2011)
C. Cocchi, D. Prezzi, A. Calzolari and E. Molinari, “Spin-transport selectivity upon Co adsorption on antiferromagnetic graphene nanoribbons”, J. Chem. Phys. 133, 124703 (2010)