While neutrino oscillations indicate that neutrino flavors mix and that neutrinos have mass, they do not supply information on the absolute mass scale of the three flavors of neutrinos. Currently, the only viable way to determine this mass scale is through the observation of the theoretically predicted process of neutrinoless double-beta decay (0νββ). This yet-to-be-observed decay process is speculated to occur in a handful of nuclei and has predicted half-lives greater than 10²⁵ years. Observation of 0νββ is the goal of several large-scale, multinational efforts and consists of detecting a sharp peak in the summed β energies at the Q-value of the reaction. An exceptional candidate for the observation of 0νββ is ⁷⁶Ge, which offers an excellent combination of capabilities and sensitivities, and two such collaborations, MAJORANA and GERDA, propose tonne-scale experiments that have already begun initial phases using a fraction of the material. The absolute scale of the neutrino masses hinges on a matrix element, which depends on the ground-state wave functions for both the parent (⁷⁶Ge) and daughter (⁷⁶Se) nuclei in the 0νββ decay and can only be calculated from nuclear structure models. Efforts to provide information on the applicability of these models have been undertaken at the University of Kentucky Accelerator Laboratory using gamma-ray spectroscopy following inelastic scattering reactions with monoenergetic, accelerator-produced fast neutrons. Information on new energy levels and transitions, spin and parity assignments, lifetimes, multipole mixing ratios, and transition probabilities have been determined for ⁷⁶Se, the daughter of ⁷⁶Ge 0νββ, up to 3.0 MeV. Additionally, inaccuracies in the accepted level schemes have been addressed. Observation of 0νββ requires precise knowledge of potential contributors to background within the region of interest, i.e., approximately 2039 keV for ⁷⁶Ge. In addition to backgrounds resulting from surrounding materials in the experimental setup, ⁷⁶Ge has a previously observed 3952-keV level with a de-exciting 2040-keV γ ray. This γ ray constitutes a potential background for 0νββ searches, if this level is excited. The cross sections for this level and, subsequently, for the 2040-keV γ ray has been determined in the range from 4 to 5 MeV.

Polarized deep inelastic scattering experiments play a vital role in the exploration of the spin structure of the proton. The polarized proton-proton collider at RHIC provides direct access to the gluon spin distribution through longitudinal double spin asymmetry measurements of inclusive jets, pions, and dijets. This thesis presents the measurement of the dijet double differential cross-section in proton-proton collisions at center of mass energies of √s = 500 GeV. The data represent an integrated luminosity of 8.7 pb-1 recorded by the STAR detector during the 2009 RHIC run. A comprehensive jet analysis was performed to determine the ideal jet algorithm and jet parameters used in √s = 500 GeV collisions at the STAR detector. The cross-section is measured as a function of the dijet invariant mass (30 ≤ Mij ≤ 152 GeV) in the mid rapidity region with a maximum rapidity range of |ymax| ≤ 0.8. This result shows agreement with theoretical next-to-leading order pQCD calculations, motivating the use of dijet asymmetries at STAR to further constrain the shape of Δg(x).

The ionic conductivity of the lithium ionic conductor, Li5La3Ta2O12, is studied in an attempt to better understand the intrinsic bulk ionic conductivity and extrinsic sample dependent contributions to the ionic conductivity, such as grain boundary effects and the electrode-electrolyte interface. To characterize the material, traditional AC impedance spectroscopy studies were performed as well novel in-situ nanoscale transport measurements. To perform the nanoscale measurements, higher quality samples were required and new synthesis techniques developed. The results of these new synthesis techniques was samples with higher densities, up to 96% of theoretical, and slightly higher room temperature ionic conductivity, 2x10^−5 S/cm. By combining the AC impedance spectroscopy results and in-situ nanoscale transport measurements from this study and prior reported results, as well as introducing models traditionally used to analyze supercapacitor systems, a new interpretation of the features seen in the AC impedance spectroscopy studies is presented. This new interpretation challenges the presence of Warburg Diffusion at low frequencies and the offers a new interpretation for the features that have been traditionally associated with grain boundary effects.

There is no apparent, dominant interaction in heavy transition metal oxides (TMO), especially in 5d-TMO, where all relevant interactions are of comparable energy scales, and therefore strongly compete. In particular, the spin-orbit interaction (SOI) strongly competes with the electron-lattice and on-site Coulomb interaction (U). Therefore, any tool that allows one to tune the relative strengths of SOI and U is expected to offer an opportunity for the discovery and study of novel materials. BaIrO3 is a magnetic insulator driven by SOI whereas the isostructural BaRuO3 is a paramagnetic metal. The contrasting ground states have been shown to result from the critical role of the strong SOI in the iridate. This dissertation thoroughly examines a wide array of newly observed novel phenomena induced by adjusting the relative strengths of SOI and U via a systematic chemical substitution of the Ru4+(4d4) ions for Ir4+(5d5) ions in BaIrO3, i.e., in high quality single crystals of BaIr1-xRuxO3(0.0 < x < 1.0) . Our investigation of structural, magnetic, transport and thermal properties reveals that Ru substitution directly rebalances the competing energies so profoundly that it generates a rich phase diagram for BaIr1-xRuxO3 featuring two major effects: (1) Light Ru doping (0 < x < 0.15) prompts a simultaneous and precipitous drop in both the magnetic ordering temperature TC and the electrical resistivity, which exhibits metal-insulator transition at around TC. (2) Heavier Ru doping (0.41 < x < 0.82) induces a robust metallic and spin frustration state. For comparison and contrast, we also substituted Rh4+(4d5) ions for Ir4+(5d5) ions in BaIrO3, i.e. BaIr1-xRhxO3(0.0 < x < 0.10), where Rh only reduces the SOI, but without altering the band filling. Hence, this system remains tuned at the Mott instability and is very susceptible to disorder scattering which gives rise to Anderson localization.

The focus of this dissertation is to study the star-forming regions of the interstellar medium (ISM), using two very diverse environments: the Polaris Flare, high-galactic latitude, cirrus cloud complex consisting of several starless molecular cores with no nearby hot stars; and the Orion Nebula, which is the closest massive star forming region. The two environments provide a wide range of physical conditions. It is commonly assumed that the Herschel far-infrared (FIR) fluxes are a good measure of column density, hence, mass of interstellar clouds. We find that the FIR fluxes are insensitive to the column density if AV ≳ 2. The Polaris Flare has been previously observed with the Herschel Space Telescope. We use Cloudy to model the molecular cores in MCLD 123.5+24.9 of the Polaris Flare. The Polaris Flare, 150 pc distant, is well within the Galactic disc. There are no nearby hot stars. Therefore, the cloud is illuminated by an external far-ultraviolet (FUV) flux (6-13 eV) due to the galactic background interstellar radiation field (ISRF). The dust grains absorb the incident FUV flux and re-emit in the FIR continuum emission. We use detailed grain models that suggest that the grains in dense regions are coated with water and ammonia ices, increasing their sizes and opacities. In our models, dust temperatures decline rapidly into the cloud. Therefore, the cloud interiors contribute very little additional FIR flux, leading to an underestimate of inferred column density. Cloudy also predicts mm-wavelength molecular lines for comparison with published observations. Our models suggest that at low temperatures (≲ 20K), molecules freeze-out on grain surfaces, and desorption by cosmic rays becomes important. Our models of inter-core regions in MCLD 123.5+24.9 significantly under predict molecular line strengths unless the gas is clumped into high-density regions. We use Cloudy to construct a detailed model of the Orion H ii region. This study is an improvement over the work of Baldwin et al. 1991 with the new atomic data and stellar atmosphere models, and a wealth of archival observational data obtained over last two decades. We use collisionally excited lines to determine the elemental abundance of the region.

The charge-density-wave (CDW) material orthorhombic tantalum trisulfide (TaS3) is a quasi-one dimensional material that forms long ribbon shaped crystals, and exhibits unique physical behavior. We have measured the dependence of the hysteretic voltage-induced torsional strain (VITS) in TaS3, which was first discovered by Pokrovskii et. al. in 2007, on temperature and applied torque. Our experimental results shows that the application of torque to the crystal could also change the VITS time constant, magnitude, and sign. This suggests that the VITS is a consequence of residual torsional strain originally present in the sample which twists the polarizations of the CDW when voltage is applied. This polarization twist then results in torque on the crystal. Another group of materials that may attract interest is that of small-molecule soluble organic semiconductors. Due to their assumed small phonon thermal conductivities and higher charge carrier mobilities, which will increase their seebeck coefficients with doping as compared to polymers, the small-molecule organic materials are promising for thermoelectric applications. In our experiments, we have measured the interlayer thermal conductivity of rubrene (C42H28), using ac-calorimetry. For rubrene, we find that the interlayer thermal conductivity, ≈ 0.7 mW/cm·K, is several times smaller than the (previously measured) in-plane value. Also, we have measured the interlayer and in-plane thermal conductivities of 6,13-bis((triisopropylsilyl)ethynyl) pentacene (TIPS-Pn). The in-plane value is comparable to that of organic metals with excellent π-orbital overlap. The interlayer (c-axis) thermal diffusivity is at least an order of magnitude larger than the in-plane, and this unusual anisotropy implies very strong dispersion of optical modes in the interlayer direction, presumably due to interactions between the silyl-containing side groups. Similar values for both in-plane and interlayer conductivities have been observed for several other functionalized pentacene semiconductors with related structures.

This thesis reports our study of the effect of domain wall pinning by ferromagnetic (FM) metamaterials [1] in the form of periodic antidot lattices (ADL) on spin wave spectra in the reversible regime. This study was then extended to artificial quasicrystals in the form of Penrose P2 tilings (P2T). Our DC magnetization study of these metamaterials showed reproducible and temperature dependent knee anomalies in the hysteretic regime that are due to the isolated switching of the FM segments. Our dumbbell model analysis [2] of simulated magnetization maps indicates that FM switching in P2T is nonstochastic. We have also acquired the first direct, two-dimensional images of the magnetization of Permalloy films patterned into P2T using scanning electron microscopy with polarization analysis (SEMPA). Our SEMPA images demonstrate P2T behave as geometrically frustrated networks of narrow ferromagnetic film segments having near-uniform, bipolar (Ising-like) magnetization, similar to artificial spin ices (ASI). We find the unique aperiodic translational symmetry and diverse vertex coordination of multiply-connected P2T induce a more complex spin-ice behavior driven by exchange interactions in vertex domain walls, which differs markedly from the behavior of disconnected ASI governed only by dipolar interactions.

We have developed a novel method of producing ultra-short channel graphene field effect devices on SiO2 substrates and have studied their electrical transport properties. A nonlinear current behavior is observed coupled with a quasi-saturation effect. An analytical model is developed to explain this behavior using ballistic transport, where the charge carriers experience minimal scattering. We also observe multilevel resistive switching after the device is electrically stressed. In addition, we have studied the evolution of the electrical transport properties of few-layer graphene during electrical breakdown. We are able to significantly increase the time scale of break junction formation, and we are able to observe changes occurring close to breakdown regime. A decrease in conductivity along with p−type doping of the graphene channel is observed as the device is broken. The addition of structural defects generated by thermal stress caused by high current densities is attributed to the observed evolution of electrical properties during the process of breakdown. We have also studied the effects of the local environment on graphene devices. We encapsulate graphene with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) polymer and study the electrical transport through in situ measurements. We have observed an overall decrease in doping level after low-temperature annealing in dry-nitrogen, indicating that the solvent in the polymer plays an important role in doping. For few-layer encapsulated graphene devices, we observe stable n−doping. Applying the solvent onto encapsulated devices demonstrates enhanced hysteretic switching between p and n−doped states.

The neutron Electric Dipole Moment Experiment at the Spallation Neutron Source requires an overall magnetic shielding factor of order 105 to attenuate external background magnetic fields. At present, the shielding design includes an external (room-temperature) multi-layer μ-metal magnetic shield, a cryogenic (4 Kelvin) Pb superconducting shield, and a cryogenic (4 Kelvin) ferromagnetic shield composed of Metglas ribbon. This research determined how to construct a Metglas shield using minimal material that produced axial and transverse shielding factors of ~267 and ~1500. In addition, the μ-metal and Metglas shields were modeled using finite element analysis. The FEA model includes external coils and their effect on the residual magnetic fields. This study will help with the design of the shielding.

RR Lyrae stars are old, iron-poor, Helium-burning variable stars. RR Lyraes are extremely useful for tracing phase-space structures and metallicities within the galaxy because they are easy to identify, have consistent luminosities, and are found in large numbers in the galactic disk, bulge, and halo. Here we present a new set of spectroscopic metallicity calibrations that use the equivalent widths of the Ca II K, Hγ, and Hδ lines to calculate metallicity values. Applied to spectroscopic survey data, these calibrations will help shed light on the evolution of the Milky Way and other galaxies.