Personale docente

Professional Summary

Nicola Delmonte joined the Devices, Electronic Applications and Sensors (DEAS) research group at the University of Parma as a post-laurea fellow in 2002. He received his Ph.D degree in Information Technology from the University of Parma in March 2006.

Before his PhD studies, he collaborated with INFM (Istituto Nazionale per la Fisica dei Materiali) to set up a photolithographic process to fabricate ohmic contacts on GaAs.

His PhD studies were focused on commercial PHEMT breakdown phenomena, high-field accelerated stress on PHEMT, microtechnologies for RF test structures with thin ceramic films, and FEM analysis of thermo-mechanical problems in power devices and hybrid modules.

Today, Dr. Delmonte joins with Electronics for Renewable Energy Systems (E4RES) research group at the University of Parma as an Associate Professor. His research interest includes the design and simulation of power modules and devices, microwave characterization of dielectric thin film and devices, reliability of electronic devices, thermal management of power electronics, PV cells microtechnologies, wave energy converters, and smart grids.

He participates in different national and international research projects. Among these, two PRIN (national (Italy) research projects) on power converter development and reliability in harsh environments, and the APOLLO project in association with the INFN (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Pavia Section), to simulate and characterize the Main Converter for an upgrade of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) experiments at CERN.

Delmonte has occasionally collaborated with the Power Electronics, Machines and Control (PEMC) Research Group of the University of Nottingham, where he was a visiting researcher in November-December 2016, for the characterization and the numerical analysis of innovative power modules.

He occasionally collaborates with the research group APERT (Applied Electronics Research Team) of the University of the Basque Country of Bilbao (Spain) to develop power modules for automotive applications.

Since 2018, he has collaborated with the Department of Medicine and Surgery of the University of Parma for the development of biomedical systems. Currently, the collaboration takes place mainly for the development of a highly automated incubator for the in-vitro study of transmissible (cardiac) pathologies with personalized organoids. An incubator of this type is fundamental for the production, characterization, and functionalization of human organoids in vitro (organ-on-a-chip, OOAC), i.e., engineered tissues that mimic the real organ, leading to the study of pathologies genetically transmissible from the hospital bed to the laboratory.

At the moment, he is the principal investigator of a University of Parma research project for the development of an Electrical Resistivity Tomography system to detect contaminant plumes in groundwater.

Prof. Delmonte is also currently coordinating two self-funded research projects at the Department of Engineering and Architecture of the University of Parma. One project focuses on developing a LoRaWAN system for grid-connected agrivoltaics systems. As the project is still in its initial stages, the goal is to establish a sensor network that monitors electricity production, the various components of the photovoltaic system, and aspects related to agricultural activity. In addition to creating an innovative sensor network primarily based on LoRa technology, significant attention is also being paid to cybersecurity. To address this, the team is developing firmware and software that incorporate encryption algorithms, such as Crystals-Kyber for key encapsulation and Dilithium 3-AES for digital signature. The second project instead aims to develop a system for monitoring and controlling the atmospheric and climatic conditions of a clean room intended for the production of semiconductor devices and sensors. Also in this case, to guarantee the safety and reliability of the monitoring system, the use of Post-Quantum Cryptography is being tested.

Finally, Prof. Delmonte is currently involved in two research projects of the Emilia-Romagna Innovation Ecosystem financed by the PNRR, one for the development of charging systems for electric buses and micro-grids with sources from renewable sources and one for the development of vibration monitoring systems for civil structures.

Beyond publicly funded projects, he has been and is the scientific supervisor of research projects with national and international private companies.

 

Work Experience

Associate Professor in Electronics

January 2018 – present

Department of Engineering and Architecture – University of Parma, Parma (Italy)

Main research activities: Reliability studies on electronic systems and components; Power electronics for renewables; Smart grids; Smart systems for biology and medical applications.

Teaching activities on Electronics, Power Electronics and Power Generation by Renewables.

 

Association as scientific researcher

February 2021 – present

National Institute of Nuclear Physics (INFN), Milano section, Milano (Italy)

Research activities: Development of power converters for cryogenic applications.

 

Association as Visiting Scientist User

July 2022 – present

CERN, Geneva (Switzerland)

Research activities: member of DUNE project.

 

Assistant Professor

January 2014 – December 2017

Until December 2016 - Department of Information Engineering – University of Parma, Parma (Italy)       

From January 2017 - Department of Engineering and Architecture – University of Parma, Parma (Italy)

Main research activities: Reliability studies on electronic systems and components; Power electronics for renewables; Smart systems.

Teaching activities on Electronics, Power Electronics, and Power Generation by Renewables.

 

Association as a technologist

January 2011 – December 2016

National Institute of Nuclear Physics (INFN), group 5, Pavia section, Pavia (Italy)

Research activities: Analysis and thermal characterization of electronic converters for applications in hostile environments; reliability studies on electronic systems and components.

 

Professional Engineer Designer

March 2008 – December 2013

Energhes Firm of Engineers, Sorbolo (Italy)

Professional activities: consulting, design, and energy certification of buildings; design of power plants.

 

Research fellow

August 2005 – December 2013

Department of Information Engineering – University of Parma, Parma (Italy)

Main research activities: reliability studies on electronic systems and components; power electronics for renewables.

Teaching activities on Power Electronics.

 

Research collaborations

March 2005

Department of Information Engineering – University of Parma, Parma (Italy)

Simulations to design “Innovative actuators and converters for automotive applications” (a COFIN 2003 national research project).

 

March 2004 – September 2004

National Institute for Matter Physics (INFM), Genova (Italy) – Unit of Parma (Department of Physics – University of Parma)

Testing of microelectronic technologies to produce ohmic contacts on hetero-structures GaAs and InP-based, for high efficiency photovoltaic cells.

 

January 2004 – September 2004

Faculty of Engineering – University of Parma, Parma (Italy)

Setup of simple techniques for the characterization of electronic devices and preparation of multimedia learning modules for the Electronic Measurements course as part of the CampusOne project of the University of Parma.

 

February 2003 – April 2003

National Institute for Matter Physics (INFM), Genova (Italy) – Unit of Parma (Department of Physics – University of Parma)

Testing of microelectronic technologies for the fabrication of test patterns on samples of InGaP / GaAs.

 

November 2002 – December 2002

National Institute for Matter Physics (INFM), Genova (Italy) – Unit of Parma (Department of Physics – University of Parma)

Testing of microelectronic technologies for fabricating metal contacts on GaAs-based photovoltaic cells.

 

R&D projects

Funded by public resources

• University of Parma, “Bando di Ateneo per la ricerca 2023 – Action A”, “Electrical Resistivity Tomography to detect contaminant plumes in groundwater”; In progress since March 2024; Principal investigator.
• Regione Emilia Romagna, Ministero dell’Università e della Ricerca, European Union (Next generation EU): “ECOSISTER (Ecosystem for sustainable transition in Emilia Romagna)”, “Spoke 2: Clean Energy production, storage and saving” and “Spoke 3: Green manufacturing for a sustainable economy”; in progress since January 2023; Unit member.
• YOUNG INDEPENDENT RESEARCH GROUP (YIRG) 2021 ORGAN-ON-A-CHIP: customized organoids for the in-vitro study of transmissible (cardiac) diseases, in progress from July 2022, Co-Supervisor.
• FIL 2019, ECOCAR: Energy & Cost Optimization for Cooperative Autonomous Robots, (Dec 2019 – May 2022), Unit Member.
• “Sharc25”, a Horizon 2020 action on the development of thin film CIGS PV cells, 7 months (sept 2015- mar 2016), Unit Member.
• Simulation of complex electrical systems for automotive and industrial applications - EM2APS (Enhanced Materials, Methods & Applications for Power devices & Systems)”, in collaboration with KAI/Infineon Technologies Austria AG, co-funded by Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG, Project No. 854247) and Carinthian Economic Promotion Fund (KWF, contract KWF-1521/28101/40388), 3 years from 1^st October 2014, co-Supervisor.
• FIL 2014 “Development of a DC Nano-Smart-Grid” research project, 12 months, Team Leader.
• “Multichamber oscillating water column device for harvesting Ocean Renewable Energy (MORE)”, supported by MARINET (Marine Renewable Infrastructure Network for Emerging Energy Technologies) an EC-funded infrastructure, 18 months, Team Leader.
• INFM 2011: “APOLLO - Alimentatori di POtenza per aLti Livelli di. RadiaziOni (Power supply for high energy experiments)”, 36 months, Unit Member.
• “SIER: Laboratorio per Sistemi Ibridi Elettrici Retrofit,” an R&D project funded by Regione Emilia Romagna (DGR n. 1631/2009), 24 months, Unit Member.
• Industria 2015 2009/11 project: “PED4PV - Pulsed Electron Deposition for Photovoltaic”, 24 months, Unit Member.
• PRIN 2007: “Alimentazione di potenza in ambiente ostile: applicazione ad esperimenti di fisica delle alte energie” (national research project on power supply in the hostile environment of high energy physics experiments), 24 months, Unit Member.
• PRIN 2004: “Convertitori Integrati DC/DC a Commutazione Risonante per Alimentazione Distribuita” (national research project on DC/DC resonant converters for a distributed power supply system at CERN), 24 months, Unit Member.
• National Research program COFIN 2003: “Attuazioni e conversioni innovative in campo automotive", (Innovative actuators and converters for automotive applications) 1 month, Unit Member.
• COST action 528: Chemical Solution Deposition of Thin Films, 24 months, Unit Member.
• ARS/ASI/2001: “Development of InGaP-InGaAs based materials and technologies for advanced space photovoltaic devices”, 9 months, Unit Member.

 

Collaborations with private companies

• Research project with Infineon Technologies Austria AG for the “Development of a simulation methodology to model the transient electrical and thermal behavior of power distribution networks in the automotive environment," 1 year from November 2020 - Project leader.
• Research project with All Access Ability S.r.l.s. (Modena – Italy) for the "development of a system for remote medical monitoring of people in home care," 3 months from July 2020 - Scientific supervisor
• Research project with SMEG S.p.A. (Guastalla – Italy) for the "evaluation of innovative controls of vapor generators for kitchen ovens," (12 months from 1st February 2022) - Scientific supervisor
• Research project with Federal Mogul Powertrain Italy S.r.l. (Carpi– Italy) on the “Model-based design for ACIS Gen 2” (24 months from 1st December 2021) - Scientific supervisor
• Scientific consultancy for Laboratorio Getotecnologico Emiliano s S.r.l. (Parma, Italy) for the "TDR measurements applied to reinforced concrete structures," 2 months from July 2025 - Scientific supervisor
• Scientific consultancy for Fornovogas S.r.l. (Traversetolo, Italy) for the "Evaluation of electromagnetic interference between power and signal cables of an electric drive for an industrial system," 2 months from July 2025 - Scientific supervisor
• Research project with Baumer Sensors S.r.l. (Chiari -Italy) on "the use of AI for the definition and characterization of the Kalman filter parameters in a 6-axis angular sensor," 7 months from July 2025 - Scientific supervisor

 

Collaborations with private companies as an academic tutor for students

Sidel (Parma – Italy) – Development of cobots and wireless power devices (from 2019 – present)

Project Group srl (San Polo d’Enza – Italy) – Development of monitoring systems for photovoltaic plants and robot programming (October 2020 – September 2021)

 

Education

Doctor of Philosophy in Information Technologies                                                                                  2006

University of Parma – Parma (Italy)

 

Master’s degree in Electronic Engineering                                                                                             , 2002

University of Parma – Parma (Italy)

 

Awards and Honors

• Best Paper Award at the International Conference on Innovations in Science, Engineering and Technology 2024 (ICISET 2024), October 26-27, 2024, Kumira, Chattogram, Bangladesh, for the paper titled “Performance Enhancement of Single-Ended Primary-Inductor Converter for Low Power and Photovoltaic Application”.
• Melvin Jones Fellowship, awarded by Lions Club International Foundation, January 24, 2024.
• Best Paper Award at the 31st European Symposium on Reliability of Electron Devices, Failure Physics and Analysis, ESREF 2020, for the paper titled “CFD Modelling of Additive Manufacturing Liquid Cold Plates for More Reliable Power Press-Pack Assemblies”.
• Best Poster Award at the GE 2012 National Conference, for the paper titled “Converters thermal modelling at device, package, board, and system level”.
• Second place award at the International Ideas Competition “Renewable energy for smaller islands and marine protected areas” - 2011 Edition, promoted by Marevivo, GSE, ENEA, Citera of the University of Rome La Sapienza, Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities, Ministry of the Environment and Protection of Land and Sea, with the project idea "E-piers: Design idea to build two electric piers" in Cala del Pozzale - Palmaria Island of Porto Venere (La Spezia)".
• National Scientific Qualification as Associate Professor (April 4, 2017).
• National Scientific Qualification as Full Professor (March 15, 2025).

 

Scientific identifiers

ORCID iD https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2082-267X

Scopus Author Identifier 55903249900

Web of Science ResearcherID A-2366-2013