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Full-Text Articles in Physics

Using Superatomic Clusters And Charge Transfer Ligands To Control Electronic Characteristics Of Phosphorene Nanoribbons And Phosphorene Monolayer, Ryan Lambert Jan 2023

Using Superatomic Clusters And Charge Transfer Ligands To Control Electronic Characteristics Of Phosphorene Nanoribbons And Phosphorene Monolayer, Ryan Lambert

Theses and Dissertations

Phosphorene is a two-dimensional electron poor p-type semiconductor with high carrier mobility and great promise for applications in electronics and optoelectronics. As the main theme in this dissertation, the following work represents different investigations of various electronic properties associated with phosphorene. Most notable are the findings on charge transfer doping with metal-chalcogenide superatoms which displays novel control of the two most important properties of a semiconductor – the band gap energy and the nature of carriers. By tuning the width of the gap and p-/n-type character of conduction, we gain control over a material’s capacity to play a certain role …


Periodic Trends In The Infrared And Optical Absorption Spectra Of Metal Chalcogenide Clusters, Alain Ward Jan 2022

Periodic Trends In The Infrared And Optical Absorption Spectra Of Metal Chalcogenide Clusters, Alain Ward

Theses and Dissertations

We have investigated the Optical absorption, Infrared spectra, Binding Energies, and various other cluster properties to determine the existence of periodic trend for Transition Metal Chalcogenide Clusters ligated with CO ligands. We were motivated to answer the question of whether periodic behavior can be observed in properties of octahedral metal-chalcogenide clusters. We have used the Amsterdam Density Functional code to calculate the electronic structure of Transition Metal Chalcogenide Clusters using gradient-corrected density functional theory. We determined the existence of several periodic trends in properties of octahedral Transition Metal Chalcogenide Clusters TM6Se8(CO)6. To investigate these …


Equations Of State For Warm Dense Carbon From Quantum Espresso, Derek J. Schauss Jan 2021

Equations Of State For Warm Dense Carbon From Quantum Espresso, Derek J. Schauss

Theses and Dissertations

Warm dense plasma is the matter that exists, roughly, in the range of 10,000 to 10,000,000 Kelvin and has solid-like densities, typically between 0.1 and 10 grams per centimeter. Warm dense fluids like hydrogen, helium, and carbon are believed to make up the interiors of many planets, white dwarfs, and other stars in our universe. The existence of warm dense matter (WDM) on Earth, however, is very rare, as it can only be created with high-energy sources like a nuclear explosion. In such an event, theoretical and computational models that accurately predict the response of certain materials are thus very …


Ligand Effects On Electronic, Magnetic, And Catalytic Properties Of Clusters And Cluster Assemblies, Dinesh Bista 9288522 Jan 2021

Ligand Effects On Electronic, Magnetic, And Catalytic Properties Of Clusters And Cluster Assemblies, Dinesh Bista 9288522

Theses and Dissertations

Ligands commonly protect metallic clusters against reacting with outside reactants. However, ligands can also be used to control the redox properties enabling the formation of super donors/acceptors that can donate/accept multiple electrons. This thesis focuses on how the ligands can be used to control the electronic and magnetic features of clusters and ligand stabilized cluster-based assemblies, leading to nano pn junctions with directed transport, the possibility of light-harvesting, and catalysts for cross-coupling reactions. The thesis addresses three distinct classes of clusters and their applications. The first class of cluster “metal chalcogen clusters” is the central idea of the thesis focused …


Electric Field Control Of Fixed Magnetic Skyrmions For Energy Efficient Nanomagnetic Memory, Dhritiman Bhattacharya Jan 2020

Electric Field Control Of Fixed Magnetic Skyrmions For Energy Efficient Nanomagnetic Memory, Dhritiman Bhattacharya

Theses and Dissertations

To meet the ever-growing demand of faster and smaller computers, increasing number of transistors are needed in the same chip area. Unfortunately, Silicon based transistors have almost reached their miniaturization limits mainly due to excessive heat generation. Nanomagnetic devices are one of the most promising alternatives of CMOS. In nanomagnetic devices, electron spin, instead of charge, is the information carrier. Hence, these devices are non-volatile: information can be stored in these devices without needing any external power which could enable computing architectures beyond traditional von-Neumann computing. Additionally, these devices are also expected to be more energy efficient than CMOS devices …


The Structure And Stability Of Cationic Metal-Benzene Clusters, Daniel P. Rabayda Jan 2019

The Structure And Stability Of Cationic Metal-Benzene Clusters, Daniel P. Rabayda

Theses and Dissertations

We have investigated the size-dependent stability and structure of benzene, aluminum-benzene, and vanadium-benzene clusters. Motivated by gas-phase experimental studies performed by an experimental collaborator, we have used first-principle electronic structure methods to identify the structure of Al+(Bz)n, V+(Bz)n, and Bzn clusters. Our studies reveal that cationic aluminum-benzene clusters have a magic number of 13, and that its high stability may be understood by analyzing the structure of the cluster. We also investigate the structure of vanadium-benzene clusters which have a magic number of 2. Here I examine the benzene-cation and benzene-benzene …


Straintronic Nanomagnetic Devices For Non-Boolean Computing, Md Ahsanul Abeed Jan 2019

Straintronic Nanomagnetic Devices For Non-Boolean Computing, Md Ahsanul Abeed

Theses and Dissertations

Nanomagnetic devices have been projected as an alternative to transistor-based switching devices due to their non-volatility and potentially superior energy-efficiency. The energy efficiency is enhanced by the use of straintronics which involves the application of a voltage to a piezoelectric layer to generate a strain which is ultimately transferred to an elastically coupled magnetostrictive nanomaget, causing magnetization rotation. The low energy dissipation and non-volatility characteristics make straintronic nanomagnets very attractive for both Boolean and non-Boolean computing applications. There was relatively little research on straintronic switching in devices built with real nanomagnets that invariably have defects and imperfections, or their adaptation …


Theoretical Studies Of The Structure And Stability Of Metal Chalcogenide Crntem (1≤N≤6, 1≤M≤8) Clusters, Fnu Sweta Prabha Jan 2019

Theoretical Studies Of The Structure And Stability Of Metal Chalcogenide Crntem (1≤N≤6, 1≤M≤8) Clusters, Fnu Sweta Prabha

Theses and Dissertations

In the presented work, first principle studies on electronic structure, stability, and magnetic properties of metal chalcogenide, CrnTem clusters have been carried out within a density functional framework using generalized gradient functions to incorporate the exchange and correlation effects. The energetic and electronic stability was investigated, and it was found that they are not always correlated as seen in the cluster Cr6Te8 which has smaller gap between its HOMO (Highest Occupied Molecular Orbital) and LUMO (Lowest Unoccupied Molecular Orbital) and a high electron affinity of 3.39 eV indicating lower electronic stability whereas higher fragmentation …


Electronic And Geometric Structure Of Alnom And Alnom +, Albert R. Armstrong Jan 2019

Electronic And Geometric Structure Of Alnom And Alnom +, Albert R. Armstrong

Theses and Dissertations

Generally, the electronic stability of aluminum clusters is associated with either closed electronic shells of delocalized electrons, or aluminum in the +3 state. To explore alternative routes for electronic stability in aluminum oxide clusters, theoretical methods were used to examine the geometric and electronic structure of AlnOm (2≤n≤7; 1≤m≤10) clusters. Two types of electronically stable clusters with large HOMO-LUMO gaps were identified the first being Al2nO3m clusters with a +3 oxidation state on the aluminum, and the second being planar clusters such as Al4O4, Al5O3, Al …


Photoluminescence From Gan Co-Doped With C And Si, Mykhailo Vorobiov Jan 2018

Photoluminescence From Gan Co-Doped With C And Si, Mykhailo Vorobiov

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis devoted to the experimental studies of yellow and blue luminescence (YL and BL relatively) bands in Gallium Nitride samples doped with C and Si. The band BLC was at first observed in the steady-state photoluminescence spectrum under high excitation intensities and discerned from BL1 and BL2 bands appearing in the same region of the spectrum. Using the time-resolved photoluminescence spectrum, we were able to determine the shape of the BLC and its position at 2.87 eV. Internal quantum efficiency of the YL band was estimated to be 90\%. The hole capture coefficient of the BLC …


Study Of The Photoluminescence Spectra Of Mg-Doped Gan, Puranjan Ghimire Jan 2017

Study Of The Photoluminescence Spectra Of Mg-Doped Gan, Puranjan Ghimire

Theses and Dissertations

We have studied luminescence properties of Mg-doped GaN grown by hydride vapor phase epitaxy. Steady state photoluminescence (PL) spectra have been analyzed. Exciton, ultraviolet luminescence (UVL) and blue luminescence (BL) bands are the dominant PL bands in the spectra. At low temperature, Exciton and UVL bands show almost no shift with excitation intensity, whereas the BL band blueshifts by almost 0.4 ���� with increasing excitation intensity by seven orders of magnitude. Such shifting nature of bands with excitation intensity is explained by assuming that the BL band is detected from the region of the sample where potential fluctuations are very …


Time-Resolved Photoluminescence Studies Of Point Defects In Gan, Joy Dorene Mcnamara Jan 2016

Time-Resolved Photoluminescence Studies Of Point Defects In Gan, Joy Dorene Mcnamara

Theses and Dissertations

Time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) measurements paired with steady-state photoluminescence (SSPL) measurements can help to determine the PL lifetime, shape and position of unresolved bands, capture coefficients, and concentrations of free electrons and defects.PL bands that are obscured in the SSPL spectra can be accurately revealed by TRPL measurements. TRPL measurements are able to show if the PL band originates from an internal transition between different states of the same defect. The main defect-related PL bands in high-purity GaN grown by hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE) which have been investigated are the ultraviolet, blue, green, yellow and red luminescence bands (UVL, BL, …


Electronic Structure And Stability Of Ligated Superatoms And Bimetallic Clusters, William H. Blades Jan 2016

Electronic Structure And Stability Of Ligated Superatoms And Bimetallic Clusters, William H. Blades

Theses and Dissertations

Quantum confinement in small metal clusters leads to a bunching of states into electronic shells reminiscent of shells in atoms. The addition of ligands can tune the valence electron count and electron distribution in metal clusters. A combined experimental and theoretical study of the reactivity of methanol with AlnIm clusters reveals that ligands can enhance the stability of clusters. In some cases the electronegative ligand may perturb the charge density of the metallic core generating active sites that can lead to the etching of the cluster. Also, an investigation is conducted to understand how the bonding …


Non-Conventional Approaches To Syntheses Of Ferromagnetic Nanomaterials, Dustin M. Clifford Jan 2016

Non-Conventional Approaches To Syntheses Of Ferromagnetic Nanomaterials, Dustin M. Clifford

Theses and Dissertations

The work of this dissertation is centered on two non-conventional synthetic approaches to ferromagnetic nanomaterials: high-throughput experimentation (HTE) (polyol process) and continuous flow (CF) synthesis (aqueous reduction and the polyol process). HTE was performed to investigate phase control between FexCo1-x and Co3-xFexOy. Exploration of synthesis limitations based on magnetic properties was achieved by reproducing Ms=210 emu/g. Morphological control of FexCo1-x alloy was achieved by formation of linear chains using an Hext. The final study of the FexCo1-x chains used DoE to …


Surface Photovoltage Transients For P-Type Algan, Karen L. Phumisithikul Jan 2015

Surface Photovoltage Transients For P-Type Algan, Karen L. Phumisithikul

Theses and Dissertations

There is an understanding of surface photovoltage (SPV) behavior for GaN, yet little is known about the SPV behavior for AlGaN. In this work, a Kelvin probe was used to measure the SPV for p-type AlGaN. Very slow SPV transients were found in AlGaN, which could not be explained with a simple thermionic model. A possible explanation of this behavior is the segregation of impurities to the surface, which causes significant reduction of the depletion region width (down to 2 nm), with carrier tunneling and hopping becoming the dominant mechanisms responsible for the SPV transients. To verify this assumption, …


Silicon Nanostructures For High Capacity Anodes In Lithium Ion Batteries, Tyler M. Selden Jan 2015

Silicon Nanostructures For High Capacity Anodes In Lithium Ion Batteries, Tyler M. Selden

Theses and Dissertations

In this study we looked at several different silicon nanostructures grown for the purpose of optimizing anodes for lithium ion batteries. We primarily focused on two distinct types of structures, nanospirals, and Rugate structures. The samples were designed to have the mechanical robustness to endure the massive expansion caused by lithiation of silicon. All of the samples were grown using an electron beam evaporator. Scanning electron microscope images show that we have achieved the desired structural growth. The spirals were shown to have an average diameter of 343 nm on polished copper, and 366 nm on unpolished copper. The Rugate …