Condensed Matter Physics Commons^™

Controlled Self-Organization And Tunable Collective Phenomena In Surface-Based Nanostructures, Eun Ju Moon

Doctoral Dissertations

Nanostructure systems possessing certain desirable features can arise from the self-organization of fundamental building blocks. In this thesis we explore two types of controlled self-assembly mechanisms in hetero-epitaxy: (a) classical assembly of atom vacancies into quasi one-dimensional line structures and (b) quantum-driven assembly of atoms into atomically-smooth two-dimensional thin films. In the classical assembly phenomenon, adatom vacancies, created via elastic strain-relaxation in compressively strained atom chains on a silicon substrate, self-organize into meandering vacancy lines. The average spacing between these line defects can be varied by adjusting the chemical potential μ of the adsorbed atoms. We implemented a lattice model …

Effect Of Cosb3 Nanoparticles On The Thermoelectric Properties Of Filled And Unfilled Cosb3 Skutterudites, Paola Alboni

All Dissertations

This study explores the possibility of somewhat decoupling the electrical and thermal conduction, thereby being able to limit the thermal conduction while minimizing the effect on the electrical conduction. The approach is using a nanoparticle layer with a slight compositional mismatch as compared to the bulk skutterudite. A hydrothermal nanoparticle-plating technique has been employed to grow a layer of CoSb₃ nanoparticles on the surface of skutterudite bulk matrix grains. Skutterudites of various forms were fabricated and studied in order to assess the effect of this nano-plated layer as a viable method in the improvement of thermoelectric properties of CoSb …

The Dynamics Of Energy And Charge Transfer In Low And Hyperthermal Energy Ion-Solid Interactions, Matthew Ray

All Dissertations

The energy and charge transfer dynamics for low and hyperthermal energy (10 eV to 2 keV) alkali and noble gas ions impacting noble metals as a function of incident energy, species and scattering geometry has been studied. The experiments were performed in an ultra-high vacuum scattering chamber attached to a low and hyperthermal energy beamline.
The energy transfer was measured for K+ scattered from a Ag(001) surface along the [110] crystalline direction at a fixed laboratory angle of 90°. It was found that as the incident energy is reduced from 100 to 10 eV, the normalized scattered energy increased. Previous …

Modeling Of Compositionally Graded Barium Strontium Titanate From First Principles, Laura Elizabeth Walizer

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

"Barium Strontium Titanate (BaxSr1-xTiO3 or BST) is a Perovskite alloy of interest for both technological and intellectual reasons. Its ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties make it useful in a variety of electric components such as transducers and actuators, and BST in particular is a material of interest for the development of a ferroelectric RAM for computers. The inclusion of SrTiO3, an incipient ferroelectric, and the fact that the properties of a BST system depend strongly on its relative composition of BaTiO3 and SrTiO3 (ST), make also this a material of high interest. Compositionally graded systems are of further interest , partly …

High-Temperature Phase Transitions In Rbh2po4, Heber Jair Martinez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Recent studies have shown that the proton conductivity of MH2PO4 (M=Cs, Rb) solid-acids exhibits a sharp, several-order-of-magnitude increase upon heating above a certain temperature threshold [Boysen et al., Chem. Mater. 15, 727(2003), Boysen et al., Chem. Mater. 16, 693(2004)]. This so-called superprotonic behavior allows the above-mentioned compounds to function as fuel-cell electrolytes at intermediate temperatures [Boysen et al., Science 303, 68(2004)], a remarkable application that has attracted much interest. Yet, the crystal structures and microscopic mechanisms responsible for this heating-induced proton conductivity enhancement are not fully understood.

Our group has previously demonstrated [Botez et al., J. Chem. Phys. 127, 194701(2007)] …

X-Ray Diffraction Study Of Dysprosium Single Crystal Samples In A Diamond Anvil Cell (Dac), Ognjen Grubor-Urosevic

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

X-ray diffraction is the basis of crystallography, the study of the structure of crystals. It uses X-rays of a wavelength on the order of the size of atoms, so it can resolve the positions of individual atoms in a crystal. Illuminating the crystal with a well-collimated X-ray beam produces X-rays diffracted in a certain direction for a specific crystal orientation. By analyzing the relative phase of the incoming and outgoing scattered X-rays, the unique arrangements of atoms can be determined and the structure of the crystal can be solved.

There is a long standing controversy regarding the crystal structures and …

Ac Susceptibility And Heat Capacity Studies Of The Geometrically Frustrated Pyrochlores Terbium Titanium Tin Oxides And Holmium Titanates, Daniel Antonio

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Materials with a geometrically frustrated magnetic pyrochlore lattice have been of interest due to their unusual ground states. Tb 2 Ti 2 O 7 is known for having a spin liquid ground state which does not transition to a long-range ordered state down to at least 50 mK. Ho 2 Ti 2 O 7 has a macroscopically degenerate spin ice ground state which resembles that of the proton ordering in water ice. Heat Capacity measurements of Tb 2 Ti 2- x Sn x O 7 were done down to 0.36 K and AC magnetic susceptibility measurements of Ho 2- x …

High Pressure Phase Transistions In The Lanthanide Sesquioxides, Jason Patrick Mcclure

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Crystallizing into 5 known polymorphic forms, the rare-Earth sesquioxides RE 2 O 3 represent a family of 4-f electron compounds that have been the subject of study for many years. Aspects of the systematics in the structural phase transitions for RE 2 O 3 (RE=La, Sm, Eu, Gd, Y, Er, Yb, Lu) under pressure were studied using diamond anvil cells (DACs). As a part of this study, detailed equation of state (EOS) data for all these compounds were obtained through the use of angle-dispersive x-ray diffraction (XRD) where anomalies in compression data led to the detailed investigation into one particular …

Observed Superspin-Glass Behavior In Ni0.5zn0.5fe2o4 Nanoparticles, Antony Adair

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In this investigation we seek to identify the magnetic behavior of Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nanoparticles though AC-susceptibility and DC-magnetization measurements. Powder x-ray diffraction was performed to determine the purity and average diameter ( ~ 9nm) of the particles. Aditionally, structure was confirmed by comparison through the International Centre for Diffraction Data's Powder Diffraction File [52] (PDF # 08-0234).

Zero-field cooled and field cooled DC magnetization measurements (bifurcation and blocking temperature), as well as M(H) hysteresis (below and above the blocking temperature) lead us to initially suggest that the material may in fact be superparamagnetic. However, further investigation of the real AC susceptibility …

Static High Pressure Ft-Ir Spectroscopic Studies Of Tatb, Brian F. Yulga

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Static high-pressure experiments utilizing diamond anvil cells (DACs) provide an alternative method to shockwave studies for extracting precise information on the physical and chemical properties of energetic materials. Due to mechanical restraints (e.g. small sample sizes and apertures), synchrotron radiation sources are ideal for probing the structure of materials at the molecular level. 1,3,5-triamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene (TATB) is an insensitive (tertiary) high explosive (iHE) useful in military applications. Compared to other conventional iHEs, it is a safer and more stable energetic material. Its unique properties cause it to be of interest in the energetic materials research community. A series of Fourier-transform infrared …

The Functionalization Of Carbon Nanosheets, Ronald A. Quinlan

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Carbon nanosheets are a novel two-dimensional nanostructure made up of 2-20 graphene atomic planes oriented with their in-plane axis perpendicular to the growth substrate. Previous efforts in developing nanosheet technology have focused on the characterization of the system and their development as an electron source due to the high atomic enhancement factor (beta) and low turn on field. Further investigation of nanosheets as high surface area electrodes revealed poor wetting by polymeric material and extreme hydrophobic behavior.;Because nanosheet technology has promise as a high surface area electrode material, this thesis research has focused on three areas of interest: the enhancement …

Application And Extension Of Glauber Ising-Spin Dynamics In The Context Of A Single Chain Magnet System, Ryan Tucker Kristensen

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The Glauber Ising-spin dynamic with a local equilibrium approximation is applied to infinite and finite one-dimensional (anti-)ferromagnetic Ising chains with classic nearest neighbor interactions. The application of the Glauber dynamic and local equilibrium approximation is then extended to the one-dimensional ferrimagnetic chain with nearest neighbor interactions. Time dependant behavior and equilibrium states of the one-dimensional ferrimagnetic chain are then discussed in terms of the single chain magnet referred to as CoPhOMe, whose behavior empirical data to date suggest is consistent with a one-dimensional Ising ferrimagnet.

Doubly Curved Crystal Optics For Monochromatic And Diffraction Enhanced X-Ray Imaging, Santosh Kumar Sahoo

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

In radiographic imaging the contrast can be enhanced with the use of monochromatic radiation compared to conventional broadband source. Monochromatic beam radiation can be produced with conventional sources by diffraction off of flat monochromator crystals, but this produces a low monochromatic intensity for imaging.

Pressure Induced Phase Transformation Of Sno2: An Ab Initio Constant Pressure Study, Daniel Tesfai Yehdego

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The behavior of SnO2 under rapid hydrostatic pressures is studied using constant-pressure ab initio simulations. The rutile-type SnO2 gradually transforms into the CaCl2-type structure at 15 GPa. At a pressure of about 20 GPa, a phase transformation into a cubic fluorite-type structure is observed. The orthorhombic Pnma cotunnite-structured phase is observed above 150 GPa. The mechanisms of these phase transformations at the atomistic level are discussed.