Beatrice Fraboni is Full Professor at the Department of Physics and Astronomy  of the University of Bologna, where she coordinates the “Semiconductor Physics group”. She received the IEEE-RTSD (Room Temperature Semiconductor Detector) Scientist Award in  2021 and the IITWIN (Italian Association of Inventor and Innovator women) “Best Woman Inventor of the year” Award in 2016.

Over the past 20 years she investigated the interaction of ionizing radiation with matter (from GaAs and CZT to organic and inorganic and perovskite semiconductors), targeting the development of solid state radiation detectors. The focus of the research activity is on the electronic/optoelectronic transport properties, on the role of defects, interfaces and quantum confinement on the final detector performance

Perovskite photodetectors

The demand for large area high-energy radiation detection systems for medical imaging and public security, has pushed the research to develop novel detectors combining high sensitivity and low-cost fabrication processes. Recently, lead-halide perovskites emerged as a very promising novel class of materials for X- and gamma-ray detection. Their success can be attributed to the excellent perovskite optoelectronic properties. The presence of heavy elements like Pb, Br or I coupled to excellent charge transport properties play a crucial role. Moreover, these materials can be deposited at low temperature from solution onto non-conventional substrates, opening the possibility to low-cost, large-area and flexible detectors.