Alonso Prieto, María

Her main interest and research experience is focused to low dimensional systems (2D, 1D, 0D) and works in ultra-high-vacuum environments, in order to obtain such materials and to analyse their chemical composition, morphology, crystal and electronic structure by means of different electron spectroscopies, diffraction and microscopy techniques. PhD Thesis in Physics studying GaAs surfaces and their e-beam stimulated oxidation. During her post-doctoral stay at Fritz-Haber Institut der MPG (Berlin) she investigated the electronic structure and properties of metal/semiconductor interfaces by photoelectron spectroscopy with synchrotron radiation; such studies allowed e.g. to experimentally identify -for some of these interfaces- the presence of quantum size effects in the metal overlayers, as well as of surface photovoltage effects in the Schottky barrier measurements. Once incorporated as scientific staff member of CSIC at the ICMM, this type of analysis is extended to more systems, investigating the activated oxidation of different surfaces and interfaces, the effects of Si and Be intralayers at III-V/III-V semiconductor heterojunctions, or the electronic and structural features of several metal/metal and metal/oxide interfaces. Most of the later research activities are oriented to: i) obtain by Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) new material systems based on metals and/or group IV semiconductors, being co-responsible (together with Dr. Ana Ruiz) of the design, implementation and development of such a MBE laboratory at ICMM; ii) study magnetic heterostructures of potential interest for technological applications. Linked to this work she has been co-supervisor of two PhD thesis, which investigated the properties of different Co/Ag magnetic multilayers grown by MBE on Si and MgO single crystal substrates, as well as the formation of crystalline metal or Si nanostructures by MBE on Si(001) and Si(111) wafers. Research oriented to the controlled production of 2D arrays of crystal nanostructures has been also performed in collaboration with other groups, obtaining arrays of in-plane GeSi nanowires along two specific orientations, or self-assembled regular distributions of Si-based nanopyramids (combining MBE growth with lithography techniques), in both cases on Si(001) surfaces.

In addition to these activities she has been responsible of competitively financed Spanish research projects (related to MBE and the study of magnetic or magneto-electronic nanostructures) and projects for beamtime measurements in European Synchrotron Radiation facilities, scientific supervisor of a "Marie Curie Action" (in the field of "Ferromagnetic-semiconductor hybrid nanostructures for Si-based spintronics") and of Master degree works, member of the AUSE executive team (2013-2015), the ICMM board (since 2010) and the ICMM occupational risk prevention commission, participating also in different teaching and outreach activities at ICMM.