Francesco Sette’s scientific interest and training is on the study of the fundamental properties of condensed matter and on their experimental determination. Aiming to relate material behaviour to the material atomic structure and dynamics, and to its chemical bonding, using synchrotron X-rays, he carried out experimental studies on materials as semiconductors, transition metal oxides and highly correlated systems, as well on states of matter as surfaces, interfaces, molecular systems, and liquids. These studies, measuring local electronic and magnetic properties with X-ray scattering and spectroscopy techniques, investigate the connection among local interatomic structures and macroscopic properties as magnetism, superconductivity, giant magneto-resistance, phase transformations, etc. To implement innovative research, Sette has engaged himself in the development of new and first-of-a-kind synchrotron-based X-ray techniques enabling new investigations. His principal scientific contributions are in the determination of the orbital and spin parts of magnetic moments of a specific atomic species in magnetic materials, and the measurement and identification of structural relaxation effects of hyper-sound propagation in disordered materials and liquids.
Since 2001, becoming Director of Research first and then Director General of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), his interest and career activities progressively turned towards science programmes development, implementation and management. Francesco Sette is considered a pioneer in synchrotron radiation research and technology, an area to which he has devoted the whole of his professional career. Francesco Sette is author of more than 300 publications in scientific journals, among which more than 60 on high-impact journals (Physical Review Letters, Nature, Science). He has received several prestigious recognitions and awards for his work, and participated in many international science programme review committees and search and interview panels.
