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Position/Role
Senior Scientist at the STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
Professional career
Mariastefania De Vido received a Master of Science cum laude in Engineering Physics from Politecnico di Milano in 2013. After graduation, she joined the STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in the UK where she is working on the development of high energy laser technology.
In 2018 she received a prestigious fellowship from the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 allowing her to establish a laboratory and a research group for the study and optimisation of optical materials.
In parallel with her job, between 2016 and 2020 she completed an Engineering Doctorate at Heriot-Watt University with a thesis on the scaling of output energy and pulse rate in solid-state lasers.
In 2021 she was promoted to Technical Leader responsible for the development of new generation high energy lasers operating at 100 Hz (100 pulses per second). In this role, she is responsible for staff and equipment of significant value (multi-million pounds), as well as taking the scientific lead in design and development activities.
Since 2019, De Vido delivers lectures at the University of York on laser technology for inertial confinement nuclear fusion. Since 2021 she is a member of the Management Committee of the Centre for Doctoral Training in Applied Photonics (University of St Andrews, Glasgow, Strathclyde, Edinburgh, Dundee and Heriot-Watt).
At the end of 2023 she will complete a Master of Business Administration at the Edinburgh Business School.
Scientific results
During her research work at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Mariastefania De Vido led high impact research studies aimed at advancing the development of high energy, high average power solid-state laser technology.
Her work led to an improvement in the power and efficiency of such lasers, making them attractive for future applications such as treatments of materials for aerospace, healthcare diagnostics and treatments and development of energy sources based on inertial confinement nuclear fusion.
She worked to the design and commissioning of lasers for international research centres, including the two most powerful nanosecond lasers in the world: DiPOLE100 at the HiLASE Centre (Czech Republic) and DiPOLE100X at the European XFEL (Germany).
With her team at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory she developed cutting edge theoretical and experimental tools for the development and characterisation of optical materials, advancing the understanding of the thermo-optical effects in laser components and developing new solutions for the optimisation of laser performance.
Her research work on optical materials is funded by grants from the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851, by the European Commission and by the Royal Society.
Editorial work and publications
She is author of large number of international publications and patents, including:
[2021] De Vido M., Mason P. D., Fitton M., Eardley R. W., Quinn G., Clarke D., Ertel K., Butcher T. J., Phillips P. J., Banerjee S., Smith J., Spear J., Edwards C., Collier J. L. Modelling and measurement of thermal stress‑ induced depolarisation in high energy, high repetition rate diode‑pumped Yb:YAG lasers. Optics Express, 29(4): 5607‑23.
[2021] Divoký M., Pilař J., Hanuš M., Navrátil P., Denk O., Severová P., Mason P., Butcher T., Banerjee S., De Vido M., Edwards C., Collier J., Smrž M., Mocek T. 150 J DPSSL operating at 1.5 kW level. Optics Letters, 46(22): 5771‑3.
[2021] Phillips J. P., Banerjee S., Mason P., Smith J., Spear J., De Vido M., Ertel K., Butcher T., Quinn G., Clarke D., Edwards C., Hernandez‑Gomez C., Collier J. L. Second and third harmonic conversion of a kilowatt average power, 100‑J‑level diode pumped Yb:YAG laser in large aperture LBO. Optics Letters, 46(8): 1808‑11.
[2020] De Vido M., Wojtusiak A., Ertel K., High‑resolution absorption measurement at the zero phonon line of Yb:YAG between 80 K and 300 K. Optical Materials Express 10[3]: 717‑723.
[2020] Phillips J. P., Banerjee S., Ertel K., Mason P., Smith J., Butcher T., De Vido M., Edwards C., Hernandez‑Gomez C., Collier J. L. Stable high‑energy, high repetition rate, frequency doubling in a large aperture temperature‑ controlled LBO at 515 nm. Optics Letters 45(10): 2946‑9.
[2019] De Vido M., Ertel K., Wojtusiak A., Mason P. D., Phillips P. J., Banerjee S., Smith J. M., Butcher T. J., Edwards C. Optical rotatory power of quartz between 77 K and 325 K for 1030 nm wavelength. Optical Materials Express, 9(6): 2708‑15.
[2018] De Vido M., Mason P. Laser amplifier module, International Patent Application no. PCT/GB2018/051405, PCT publication no. WO2018215771A1.
[2017] De Vido M., Walsh T. J., Kirkpatrick S., Svrluga R., Ertel K., Phillips P. J., Mason P. D., Banerjee S., Smith J. M., Butcher T. J., Edwards C., Hernandez‑Gomez C., Collier J.L. Impact of gas cluster ion and accelerated neutral atom beam surface treatments on the laser‑induced damage threshold of ceramic Yb:YAG. Optical Materials Express, 7(9): 3303‑11.
[2017] De Vido M., Meissner D., Meissner S., Ertel K., Phillips P. J., Mason P. D., Banerjee S., Butcher T. J., Smith J. M., Edwards C., Hernandez‑Gomez C., Collier J. L. Characterisation of adhesive‑free bonded crystalline Yb:YAG for high energy laser applications. Optical Materials Express, 7(2): 425-32.
[2017] Mason P., Divoky M., Ertel K., Pilar J., Butcher T., Hanus M., Banerjee S., Phillips J., Smith J., De Vido M., Lucianetti A., Hernandez‑Gomez C., Edwards C., Mocek T., Collier J. L. Kilowatt average power 100 J‑level diode pumped solid state laser. Optica, 4(4): 438‑9.
[2017] De Vido M. Laser‑chain alignment, International Patent Application no. PCT/GB2017/050603, PCT publication no. WO/2017/163009.
[2016] Banerjee S., Mason P. D., Ertel K., Phillips P. J., De Vido M., Chekhlov O., Divoky M., Pilar J., Smith J., Butcher T., Lintern A., Tomlinson S., Shaikh W., Hooker C., Lucianetti A., Hernandez‑Gomez C., Mocek T., Edwards C., Collier J. L. 100 J‑level nanosecond pulsed diode pumped solid state laser. Optics Letters, 41(9): 2089‑92.
Awards and prizes
Mariastefania De Vido received several grants and awards, including:
2018: Industrial Fellowship from the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 for research on advanced laser materials.
2018: 1st presentation prize for young researchers at the Advanced Solid-State Laser Congress (Boston, US).
2019: Young UK Laser Engineer Prize by the Association of industrial Laser Users in recognition of her work carried out in developing and optimising high energy, high-power nanosecond laser sources for industrial applications.
2020: Staff Recognition Prize by the Science and Technology Facilities Council for “inspirational line management”, recognising her efforts in employee development and retention.
2020: MacFarlane Prize from Heriot-Watt University, presented to the doctoral graduate who has made the most outstanding contribution to the research of the whole of the University.
2021: she was selected among other 30 professionals from UK academia, research, industry and government to join the Foundation for Science and Technology’s “Future Leaders” programme. As part of this, she engaged in policy advice and organised debates on future R&D challenges.
2021: she received, as principal investigator, an International Exchanges Grant by the Royal Society to establish a new research collaboration with the Italian National Research Council (CNR) on novel manufacturing techniques for laser ceramic materials.
