Physics Commons^™

Tracking Real-Time Nanoparticle Positions And Measuring Three-Dimensional Solution Flow With A Four-Focus Confocal Microscope, James Andrew Germann

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation presents the development of instrumentation for measuring the position of a single emitter within the sample volume of a confocal fluorescence microscope with sub-diffraction limited precision in three dimensions together with applications for determining solution flow and for tracking a fluorescent nanoparticle as it undergoes Brownian diffusion. The localization method is based on comparing photon counts from alternating excitation of the emitter by four laser beams, which are focused at slightly offset positions in a tetrahedral pattern within the confocal volume. Two experimental set-ups are constructed. In the first, the four beams are from a femtosecond laser, which …

Extracting The Structure And Conformations Of Biological Entities From Large Datasets, Ali Dashti

Theses and Dissertations

In biology, structure determines function, which often proceeds via changes in conformation. Efficient means for determining structure exist, but mapping conformations continue to present a serious challenge. Single-particles approaches, such as cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and emerging "diffract & destroy" X-ray techniques are, in principle, ideally positioned to overcome these challenges. But the algorithmic ability to extract information from large heterogeneous datasets consisting of "unsorted" snapshots - each emanating from an unknown orientation of an object in an unknown conformation - remains elusive.

It is the objective of this thesis to describe and validate a powerful suite of manifold-based algorithms …

A Study Of The Optical And Negative Ion Properties Of Selected Chiral Molecules, Jason Michael Lambert

Doctoral Dissertations

Chirality is subtle geometric property where objects lack reflection plane symmetry. In this thesis I study three chiral molecules using a combination of experimental and theoretical methods to elucidate the relationships between conformation freedom, solvent choice, and temperature. The importance of nuclear motion when predicting the optical rotation is explored. For carvone, corrections with each nuclear mode coordinate is important. Predictions of the ORD have the incorrect sign without the inclusion of vibrational corrections. For the case of two newly synthesized amino acid derivatives the vibrational corrections did not correct the sign of the calculated ORD to bring it into …

Molecular Dynamics Model Of Carbon Nanotubes In Epon 862/Detda Polymer, Guttormur Arnar Ingvason

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The aerospace industry is interested in increasing the strength while reducing the weight of carbon fiber composite materials. Adding single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) to a polymer matrix can achieve that goal by improving delamination properties of the composite. Due to the complexity of polymer molecules and the curing process, few 3-D Molecular Dynamics simulations of a polymer-SWCNT composite have been run. Our model runs on the Large-scale Atomic/Molecular Massively Parallel Simulator (LAMMPS), with a COMPASS (Condensed phase Optimized Molecular Potential for Atomistic Simulations Studies) potential to represent the interactions between the atoms of the polymer and the SWCNT. This …

Measurement Of A Weak Transition Moment Using Coherent Control, Dionysios Antypas

Open Access Dissertations

We have developed a two-pathway Coherent Control technique for measurements of weak optical transition moments. We demonstrate this technique through a measurement of the transition moment of the highly-forbidden magnetic dipole transition between the 6s²S_1/21/2 and 7s²S_1/21/2 states in atomic Cesium. The experimental principle is based on a two-pathway excitation, using two phase-coherent laser fields, a fundamental field at 1079 nm and its second harmonic at 539.5 nm. The IR field induces a strong two-photon transition, while the 539.5 nm field drives a pair of weak one-photon transitions: a Stark-induced transition of …

Experimental Studies Of Lirb: Spectroscopy And Ultracold Molecule Formation By Photoassociation, Sourav Dutta

Open Access Dissertations

Heteronuclear polar molecules have recently attracted enormous attention owing to their ground state having a large electric dipole moment. The long range anisotropic dipole-dipole interaction in such systems is the basis for a variety of applications including quantum computing, precision measurements, ultracold chemistry and quantum simulations. Heteronuclear bi-alkali molecules, only a small subset of polar molecules, have received special attention mainly because the constituent alkali atoms are easy to laser cool and can be relatively easily associated to form molecules at ultracold temperatures. Our choice, the LiRb molecule, is motivated by the relatively high dipole moment (4.1 Debye) of the …

Applicability Of Continuum Fracture Mechanics In Atomistic Systems, Shao-Huan Cheng

Open Access Dissertations

By quantitating the amplitude of the unbounded stress, the continuum fracture mechanics defines the stress intensity factor K to characterize the stress and displacement fields in the vicinity of the crack tip, thereby developing the relation between the stress singularity and surface energy (energy release rate G). This G-K relation, assigning physical meaning to the stress intensity factor, makes these two fracture parameters widely used in predicting the onset of crack propagation. However, due to the discrete nature of the atomistic structures without stress singularity, there might be discrepancy between the failure prediction and the reality of nanostructured materials. Defining …

Fabricating Cost-Effective Nanostructures For Biomedical Applications, Erden Ertorer

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

In this thesis we described inexpensive alternatives to fabricate nanostructures on planar substrates and provided example applications to discuss the efficiency of fabricated nanostructures.

The first method we described is forming large area systematically changing multi-shape nanoscale structures on a chip by laser interference lithography. We analyzed the fabricated structures at different substrate positions with respect to exposure time, exposure angle and associated light intensity profile. We presented experimental details related to the fabrication of symmetric and biaxial periodic nanostructures on photoresist, silicon surfaces, and ion-milled glass substrates. Behavior of osteoblasts and osteoclasts on the nanostructures was investigated. These results …

The Study Of Nanophotonic Switching Mechanisms In Photonic And Metallic Heterostructures, Joel Cox

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

In this thesis, nanophotonic switching mechanisms and light-matter interactions are explored in photonic and metallic heterostructures and nanocomposites. These heterostructures are made using various combinations of photonic crystals (PCs), quantum dots (QDs), and graphene or metal nanoparticles (MNPs).

PC heterostructures are formed by combining different PCs so that photons in a specific energy range can propagate in certain regions along one direction and cannot propagate in others. This band structure engineering is used to form photonic quantum wells (PQWs) that have discrete energy states along one dimension. By simulating the photon transmission along the direction of confinement, resonant photon tunnelling …

Three-Dimensional Electrokinetic Trapping Of A Single Fluorescent Nanoparticle In Solution, Jason Keith King

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation presents the development of an instrument for effectively trapping a single fluorescent nanoparticle that is freely diffusing in solution in all three dimensions. The instrument is expected to have applications for studies of single nanoparticles or molecules for which prolonged observations are required, but without immobilization or proximity to a surface, which may alter behavior. The trapping technique depends on rapid three-dimensional position measurements of the nanoparticle with sub-micron precision, which are used for real-time control of induced electrokinetic motion, so as to counteract Brownian motion. While anti-Brownian electrokinetic trapping experiments in one and two dimensions have previously …

Pinhole Neutral Atom Microscopy, Philip James Witham

Dissertations and Theses

This work presents a new form of microscopy, the instrument constructed to demonstrate it, the images produced and the image contrast mechanisms seen for the first time. Some of its future scientific potential is described and finally, recent work towards advancing the method is discussed.

Many forms of microscopy exist, each with unique advantages. Of several broad categories that they could be grouped into, those that use particle beams have proven very generally useful for micro and nano-scale imaging, including Scanning Electron, Transmission Electron, and Ion Beam microscopes. These have the disadvantage, however, of implanting electric charges into the sample, …

Crystallographic Image Processing With Unambiguous 2d Bravais Lattice Identification On The Basis Of A Geometric Akaike Information Criterion, Taylor Thomas Bilyeu

Dissertations and Theses

Crystallographic image processing (CIP) is a technique first used to aid in the structure determination of periodic organic complexes imaged with a high-resolution transmission electron microscope (TEM). The technique has subsequently been utilized for TEM images of inorganic crystals, scanning TEM images, and even scanning probe microscope (SPM) images of two-dimensional periodic arrays. We have written software specialized for use on such SPM images. A key step in the CIP process requires that an experimental image be classified as one of only 17 possible mathematical plane symmetry groups. The current methods used for making this symmetry determination are not entirely …

Tilt Angle And Birefringence Of Smectic Liquid Crystal Materials, Taylor Van Winkle

Physics

No abstract provided.

Theoretical Modeling Of Near-Threshold Shape Resonance Behaviour In Photodetachment Experiments, Laurentiu Dan Dumitriu

Masters Theses

This thesis attempts to better understand the results obtained from photodetachment experiments of Fe-, made by the Western Michigan University experimental atomic physics group at the Advanced Light Source (ALS), Lawrence Berkeley National laboratory.

After a relevant description of the quantum mechanics and theoretical atomic physics concepts and formulas involved in this subject, a physically realistic model, based on the square well potential, is developed. Based on this model, the theoretical photodetachment cross section is computed in order to reproduce the qualitative behavior of the experimental photodetachment cross section measured at ALS.

This development, involving programming in Fortran and numerical …

Experimenting With Polymer Blend Solar Cells And Active Layer Thickness, Ryan Blumenthal

Physics

Bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaics utilize the electrical characteristics of semi-conductive polymers. These solution processable materials are beneficial because of their low material cost, light weight, and simple fabrication requirements. Our devices employ multiple photoactive polymers, P3HT and PCPDTBT, to absorb photons over a wide spectral range. We optimized various device characteristics including thickness and thermal anneal usage to reach a power conversion efficiency of 3.0% in AM1.5 sunlight. Device performance degrades over time due to atmospheric water and oxygen, prompting us to investigate device packaging to extend cell lifetime for additional testing.

Effects Of Electric And Magnetic Fields On Moving Liquid Paint On A Glass Surface, John J. Blalock

Theses & Honors Papers

A Tesla coil is a special type of step-up transformer. It takes an input current at a given frequency and voltage, increases the frequency and voltage via resonant induc­ tive coupling, and outputs a very high frequency, high voltage current . While it was originally intended as a means of wirelessly transferring energy, the output from a Tesla coil been used in the arts to move paint around on a glass surface using extremely high voltages on the order of 1 megavolt (MV) or 1000000 volts (V). The aim of this project was to scientifically determine what these mechanisms are …

Active Galactic Nuclei Mergers And Outflows: Observations From Optical And Ultraviolet Emission Lines, Robert Scott Barrows

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

I have investigated the nature of a subset of active galactic nuclei (AGN) which show double peaks in their characteristic optical and ultraviolet emission lines. I have performed this investigation through studies of the broad emission line regions (BLRs), which are produced less than 1 pc from the central supermassive black hole (SMBH), and the narrow emission line regions (NLRs), which originate at larger (kpc) distances. The BLR studies consist of detailed line modeling of two individual quasars with double-peaked broad emission line profiles. The modeling suggests there are two primary interpretations of the complex broad line profiles. The first …

Nested Gaussian Laser Beams - A Blue-Detuned One-Dimensional Lattice Of Optical Dipole Traps For Quantum Computing, Travis Daniel Frazer

Physics

No abstract provided.

Theory Of Model Kohn-Sham Potentials And Its Applications, Alex P. Gaiduk

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The purpose of Kohn-Sham density functional theory is to develop increasingly accurate approximations to the exchange-correlation functional or to the corresponding potential. When one chooses to approximate the potential, the resulting model must be integrable, that is, a functional derivative of some density functional. Non-integrable potentials produce unphysical results such as energies that are not translationally or rotationally invariant. The thesis introduces methods for constructing integrable model potentials, developing properly invariant energy functionals from model potentials, and designing model potentials that yield accurate electronic excitation energies. Integrable potentials can be constructed using powerful analytic integrability conditions derived in this work. …

Upgrades To Nrlmol Code, Luis Basurto

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This project consists of performing upgrades to the massively parallel NRLMOL electronic structure code in order to enhance its performance by increasing its flexibility by: a) Utilizing dynamically allocated arrays, b) Executing in a parallel environment sections of the program that were previously executed in a serial mode, c) Exploring simultaneous concurrent executions of the program through the use of an already existing MPI environment; thus enabling the simulation of larger systems than it is currently capable of performing. Also developed was a graphical user interface that will allow less experienced users to start performing electronic structure calculations by aiding …

Invisibility: A Mathematical Perspective, Austin G. Gomez

CMC Senior Theses

The concept of rendering an object invisible, once considered unfathomable, can now be deemed achievable using artificial metamaterials. The ability for these advanced structures to refract waves in the negative direction has sparked creativity for future applications. Manipulating electromagnetic waves of all frequencies around an object requires precise and unique parameters, which are calculated from various mathemat- ical laws and equations. We explore the possible interpretations of these parameters and how they are implemented towards the construction of a suitable metamaterial. If carried out correctly, the wave will exit the metamaterial exhibiting the same behavior as when it had entered. …

Experimental Generation And Manipulation Of Quantum Squeezed Vacuum Via Polarization Self-Rotation In Rb Vapor, Travis Scott Horrom

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Nonclassical states of light are of increasing interest due to their applications in the emerging field of quantum information processing and communication. Squeezed light is such a state of the electromagnetic field in which the quantum noise properties are altered compared with those of coherent light. Squeezed light and squeezed vacuum states are potentially useful for quantum information protocols as well as optical measurements, where sensitivities can be limited by quantum noise. We experimentally study a source of squeezed vacuum resulting from the interaction of near-resonant light with both cold and hot Rb atoms via the nonlinear polarization self-rotation effect …

Studies Of Molecular Dynamics Of Fmoc-Alanine-D3 Through Solid State Deuteron Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Jianhua Sun

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.