Nanopore technology has introduced new techniques for single particle detection and analysis. A nanopore consists of a small opening in a membrane on the nanometer scale. Nanopores are found in nature and are utilized for transporting molecules through biological membranes. Researchers have been able to mimic naturally forming biological nanopores and utilize them for a variety of sensing applications. Nanopores, fabricated either organically or inorganically, can be used for detecting biomarkers such as proteins, nucleic acids, and metabolites that translocate the membrane by way of the nanopore. Constant ionic current flow is measured through the nanopore by way of a sensitive ammeter. In the presence of a biomarker, the ionic current flow will be impeded, causing the electrical signal to drop. This drop uniquely corresponds to the type of particle passing through the nanopore. In this work, the thin membrane on which the nanopore resides is created through a newly developed meniscus shaped sacrificial technique. The sacrificial polymer material starts as a liquid and is confined to the microfluidic channel through the capillary effect, giving it the meniscus profile. It is used as a structural support on which a thin silicon dioxide layer is grown. The layer of oxide takes on the same natural meniscus shape as the sacrificial material. The polymer is subsequently etched, resulting in a hollow core liquid channel with a suspended meniscus membrane. This process allows a thin membrane to be fabricated on top of a microfluidic channel that ranges from 50-200 nm in thickness. The meniscus membrane is crucial to the success of nanopore formation. The nanoscale membrane allows for smaller, more precise nanopores to be created. Reduced nanopore dimensions are advantageous for the detection of smaller biomarkers. The platform described in this dissertation integrates solid-state naturally forming meniscus membranes with solid-core and optofluidic waveguides for nanopore detection applications. The waveguides allow for a particle trap to be introduced to the system. The ability to trap particles directly under the nanopore is critical to the speed of which the nanopore can operate. This dissertation focuses on the fabrication, characterization, and testing of an optofluidic platform that features a nanopore for rapid single molecule detection and analysis.

This thesis explores the dynamics of a heteronuclear diatomic molecular ion, possessing a permanent electric dipole moment, µ, which is trapped in a linear Paul trap and can interact with an off-resonance laser field. To build our model we use the rigid-rotor approximation, where the dynamics of the molecular ion are limited to its translational and rotational motions of the center-of-mass. These dynamics are investigated by carrying out suitable numerical calculations. To introduce our numerical methods, we divide our research topic into two different subjects. First, we ignore the rotational dynamics of the ion by assuming µ = 0. By this assumption, the system resembles an atomic ion, which mainly exhibits translational motion for its center of the mass when exposed to an external trapping field. To study this translational behavior, we implement full-quantum numerical simulations, in which a wave function is attributed to the ion. Finally, we study the quantum dynamics of the mentioned wave packet and we compare our results with those obtained classically. In the latter case, we keep the permanent dipole moment of the ion and we study the probable effects of the interaction between the dipole moment and the trapping electric field, on both the translational and the rotational dynamics of the trapped molecular ion. In order to study these dynamics, we implement both classical and semi-classical numerical simulations. In the classical method, the rotational and the translational motions of the center of mass of the ion are obtained via classical equations of motion. On the other hand, in the semi-classical method, while the translational motion of the center-of-mass is still obtained classically, the rotation is treated full-quantum mechanically by considering the rotational wave function of the ion. In the semi-classical approach, we mainly study the probable couplings between the rotational states of the molecular ion, due to the interaction of the permanent dipole moment with the trapping electric field. In the end, we also present a semi-classical model, where the trapped molecular ion interacts with an off-resonance laser field.

Four trap crops were tested for their ability to intercept stinkbugs (Heteroptera pentatomidae) in a cucurbit field crop at Waterpoort, Limpopo Province. The experimental trap crops were: Sunnhemp (Crotolaria juncea), okra (Abelmoschus esculentum), mustard mixture (Brassica hirta and Brassica juncea) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata). The surveys were based on visual counts of stinkbugs from all the trap crops. Stinkbugs were collected from trap crops in a field crop trial of cantaloupe (Cucumis melo). The correlation between Brassica hirta and Brassica juncea with other trap crops had a great variance. The repeated B. hirta and B. juncea inner row experiment in 2012 interestingly lured the green stinkbug (Nezara viridula) into the cantaloupe field. Amongst the entire trap crops, stinkbugs recovered from Brassica hirta and Bassica juncea, exceeded the average of the other three trap crops. The number of adult N. viridula captured had significantly increased in March 2012 and started to drop on the B. hirta and B. juncea mixture in the first week of April. During this increase, the crops were at the seeding stage. The perimeter trap-cropping system practiced for all four trap crops varied in the attraction of stinkbugs along the perimeter of the field and inner row. B. hirta and B. juncea attracted a high number of N. viridula along the perimeter but fewer in the inner row. The B. hirta and B. juncea recorded the highest number of N. viridula in the inner rows and outer rows, compared to the other four trap crops, followed by V. ungiuculata. This study has demonstrated a significant potential of using trap crops as biological alternative for managing stinkbug pests in cucurbit crops. / Agriculture and  Animal Health / M. Sc. (Agriculture)

Potato cyst nematodes (PCN), Globodera rostochiensis and G. pallida, are economically important pests of potato (Solanum tuberosum) crops in potato growing regions worldwide. Integrated management is under threat, with effective nematicides increasingly being withdrawn on environmental and health grounds. Alternative strategies are urgently needed and trap cropping could be one of them. The non-tuber-bearing Solanum sisymbriifolium is regarded as an effective trap crop for PCN with strong hatching ability and immunity to PCN infection and has been used in the UK and The Netherlands. However, its mode of action is unknown. In order to shed light on the mode of action so that a novel control strategy could be identified, the interactions between G. pallida and S. sisymbriifolium were investigated using in vitro bioassays. In choice assays, G. pallida J2s were equally attracted to the roots of S. sisymbriifolium and to those of S. tuberosum. However, potato root diffusate (PRD), which is routinely used to induce PCN hatch, failed to attract G. pallida J2s in chemotaxis bioassays, indicating hatching factors (HFs) and soluble compounds present in PRD are not involved in attraction of G. pallida J2s to potato roots. The J2s invaded the roots of S. sisymbriifolium in large numbers but failed to develop further. To facilitate continuous observation of nematode development, a novel in vitro method was devised with the use of Pluronic F-127, which requires no sterilisation, and the life cycle of G. pallida was successfully observed in S. tuberosum roots. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analyses of defence related genes of S. tuberosum and S. sisymbriifolium infected with G. pallida revealed up-regulation of the chitinase gene (ChtC 2.1) at 3 days post inoculation in S. sisymbriifolium but not in S. tuberosum. Electrospray ionisation-mass spectrometry analyses of root exudate extracts of the two Solanum species and subsequent bioassay-guided fractionation showed that the HF of S. sisymbriifolium differs from that of S. tuberosum. Previously, attention had been solely paid to the hatching ability of the root exudate of S. sisymbriifolium, but this study revealed for the first time that the aerial part extract possesses a significant hatching ability.

In recent years there has been much progress in the field of cold and ultracold molecular physics and a variety of experimental techniques for producing cold matter now exist. In particular, the generation of trapped molecular ions at mK temperatures has been achieved by sympathetic-cooling with laser-cooled atomic ions. By implementing schemes to selectively prepare and control the internal quantum state of molecular ions, and developing detection techniques, it will be increasingly possible to study cold state-selected chemical collisions in an ion-trap. Most molecular species produced in a selected rovibrational state have a lifetime of a few seconds, before the population is redistributed across numerous rovibrational states by interaction with the ambient blackbody radiation (BBR). Consequently, the investigation of state-selected reaction dynamics at low temperatures in experiments where long time scales (minutes to hours) are required, is hindered. This thesis looks into developing strategies that maintain state selection in molecular ions, allowing one to observe state-selected reactions in cold environments, in particular the state-selected reaction between C₂H⁺₂ and ND₃. Examining reactive ion molecule collisions under cold conditions provides insight into fundamental reaction dynamics, which are thermally averaged out at higher temperatures. A theoretical model is used to investigate laser-driven, blackbody-mediated, rotational cooling schemes for several ¹Σ and ²Π diatomic species. The rotational cooling is particularly effective for DCl⁺ and HCl⁺, for which 92% and >99% (respectively) of the population can be driven into the rovibrational ground state. For the other systems a broadband optical pumping source is found to enhance the population that can be accumulated in the rovibrational ground state by up to 29% more than that achieved when exciting a single transition. The influence of the rotational constant, dipole moments and electronic state of the diatomics on the achievable rotational cooling is also studied. This approach is extended to consider the BBR interaction and rotational cooling of a linear polyatomic ion, C₂H⁺₂, which has a ²Π electronic ground state. The (1-0) band of the ν₅ cis-bending mode is infrared active and strongly overlaps the 300 K blackbody spectrum. Hence the lifetimes of state-selected rotational levels are found to be short compared to the typical timescale of ion trapping experiments. Laser cooling schemes are proposed that could be experimentally viable, which involves simultaneous pumping of a set of closely spaced Q-branch transitions on the ²Δ_5/2-²Π_3/2 band together with two ²Σ⁺– ²Π_1/2 lines. It is shown that this should lead to >70% of total population in the lowest rotational level at 300 K and over 99% at 77 K. In order to identify states of the acetylene ion that could be trapped sufficiently long enough for state-selected reactions in the ion trap with decelerated ND3, the theoretical work has been complemented by experimental investigations into the production of C₂H⁺₂ in selected states, and ion trapping of the same using sinusoidal and digital trapping voltages. Appropriate (2+1) REMPI (Resonance Enhanced Multiphoton Ionization) schemes are used to produce C₂H⁺₂ in different quantum states, with (1+1) Resonance Enhanced Multiphoton Dissociation (REMPD) employed to detect the ion thus produced. The concept of digital ion trapping for ejection onto MCPs is introduced. A comprehensive comparison between sinusoidal and digital trapping fields has been performed with respect to trap depth and stability regions. Programs have been developed to calculate the stability regions for different ions under varying experimental conditions. The trap depth has been derived for both digital and sinusoidal trapping fields. It is observed that as τ increases, the trap depth of a digital trap increases. For τ = 0.293, the trap depth and stability diagram for both sinusoidal and digital trapping fields would be equivalent. The trap depth at which the sinusoidal trap operates experimentally in our research group is ~1.36 eV. In contrast, the experimental parameters at which the digital trap operates generates a trap depth of 1.21 eV. Ca⁺ Coulomb crystals have been formed, stably trapped and stored for extended periods of time in both sinusoidally and digitally time-varying trapping fields. The sympathetic cooling of a diverse range of ions into Ca⁺ Coulomb crystals is demonstrated, again using both sinusoidal and digital trapping fields. Mass spectrometric detection of ionic reaction products using a novel ejection scheme has been developed, where ejection is achieved by switching off the trapping voltage and converting the quadrupole trap into an extractor-repeller pair by providing the ion trap electrodes with appropriate ejection pulses. This technique is developed using a digital trapping voltage rather than the sinusoidal trapping voltage, as ejection with sinusoidal trapping voltages is not clean (resonance circuitry used in the electronics induces ringing after switching off the trapping voltage). Coulomb crystals, both pure Ca⁺ and multi-component crystals, are ejected from the ion trap and the TOF trace obtained is recorded on an oscilloscope. When the integrated, base-line subtracted TOF peak is plotted against the number of ions in a Ca+ crystal and sympathetically-cooled Ca⁺ – CaF⁺ crystal, a linear relationship is obtained. This technique is found to be well mass-resolved, with the signal arising from CaOH⁺ (57 amu) and CaOD⁺ (58 amu) resolvable on the TOF trace. This technique would enable one to monitor a reaction in a Coulomb crystal where the reactant and product species are both either lighter or heavier than calcium, such as the reaction between C₂H⁺₂ and ND₃, something which has not been previously possible. It is, also, potentially a very important technique for reactions with many product channels.

A system is presented that is capable of confining an ion beam or plasma within a region that is essentially free of applied fields. An Artificially Structured Boundary (ASB) produces a spatially periodic set of magnetic field cusps that provides charged particle confinement. Electrostatic plugging of the magnetic field cusps enhances confinement. An ASB that has a small spatial period, compared to the dimensions of a confined plasma, generates electro- magneto-static fields with a short range. An ASB-lined volume thus constructed creates an effectively field free region near its center. It is assumed that a non-neutral plasma confined within such a volume relaxes to a Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution. Space charge based confinement of a second species of charged particles is envisioned, where the second species is confined by the space charge of the first non-neutral plasma species. An electron plasma confined within an ASB-lined volume can potentially provide confinement of a positive ion beam or positive ion plasma. Experimental as well as computational results are presented in which a plasma or charged particle beam interact with the electro- magneto-static fields generated by an ASB. A theoretical model is analyzed and solved via self-consistent computational methods to determine the behavior and equilibrium conditions of a relaxed plasma. The equilibrium conditions of a relaxed two species plasma are also computed. In such a scenario, space charge based electrostatic confinement is predicted to occur where a second plasma species is confined by the space charge of the first plasma species. An experimental apparatus with cylindrical symmetry that has its interior surface lined with an ASB is presented. This system was developed by using a simulation of the electro- magneto-static fields present within the trap to guide mechanical design. The construction of the full experimental apparatus is discussed. Experimental results that show the characteristics of electron beam transmission through the experimental apparatus are presented. A description of the experimental hardware and software used for trapping a charged particle beam or plasma is also presented.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Chemical Engineering / James H. Edgar / The integration of high-κ dielectrics with silicon and III-V semiconductors is important due to the need for high speed and high power electronic devices. The purpose of this research was to find the best conditions for fabricating high-κ dielectrics (oxides) on GaN or Si. In particular high-κ oxides can sustain the high breakdown electric field of GaN and utilize the excellent properties of GaN. This research developed an understanding of how process conditions impact the properties of high-κ dielectric on Si and GaN. Thermal and plasma-assisted atomic layer deposition (ALD) was employed to deposit TiO₂ on Si and Al₂O₃ on polar (c-plane) GaN at optimized temperatures of 200°C and 280°C respectively. The semiconductor surface treatment before ALD and the deposition temperature have a strong impact on the dielectric’s electrical properties, surface morphology, stoichiometry, and impurity concentration. Of several etches considered, cleaning the GaN with a piranha etch produced Al₂O₃/GaN MOS capacitors with the best electrical characteristics. The benefits of growing a native oxide of GaN by dry thermal oxidation before depositing the high-κ dielectric was also investigated; oxidizing at 850°C for 30 minutes resulted in the best dielectric-semiconductor interface quality. Interest in nonpolar (m-plane) GaN (due to its lack of strong polarization field) motivated an investigation into the temperature behavior of Al₂O₃/m-plane GaN MOS capacitors. Nonpolar GaN MOS capacitors exhibited a stable flatband voltage across the measured temperature range and demonstrated temperature-stable operation.

The aim of this thesis is to indicate positive and negative impacts of tourism on the environment and to emphasize the importance of sustainable tourism development. The thesis analyses prerequisite of the Russian Federation for the development of alternative forms of sustainable tourism. In the theoretic part are characterized geographical, sociodemografical and environmental conditions as well as current situation of tourism and sustainable tourism in the Russian Federation. The main gain of the thesis is the identification of threats and opportunities in the development of sustainable tourism in the Russian Federation.

O controle de Hypothenemus hampei é realizado basicamente com uso de inseticidas químicos, especialmente aqueles a base de endossulfan, cuja comercialização será proibida no Brasil a partir de julho de 2013. Diante disso, outras estratégias devem ser integradas buscando-se o controle desta praga com menor impacto ao ambiente. Nesse contexto, o fungo Beauveria bassiana destacase como um dos agentes de controle biológicos mais promissores. Neste estudo, buscou-se a associação da técnica de impregnação de tecido têxtil com B. bassiana associado à armadilha contendo a mistura de alcoóis metanol: etanol (1:1 v/v) como atraentes químicos para H. hampei, visando a auto-inoculação e disseminação do fungo pelo inseto, visando o seu controle. Inicialmente foi determinado em laboratório, a virulência de nove isolados de B. bassiana, através da pulverização de suspensões de 107 conídios.mL-1, diretamente sobre adultos de H. hampei. Todos os isolados apresentaram baixa virulência ao inseto, com mortalidade máxima de 38,5%. O isolado ESALQ-PL63 foi escolhido para dar continuidade aos estudos por possuir registro de comercialização. Posteriormente, sete tecidos têxteis sintéticos foram avaliados quanto à produção do isolado selecionado sobre sua superfície em duas condições de luz (fotofase de 0 e 12 horas). O tecido sintético Lã \"Sherpa\" foi selecionado por permitir uma maior produção de conídios nas duas condições testadas, atingindo até 5,44 × 108 conídios.cm-2. A exposição de H. hampei ao tecido com o fungo por apenas 5 segundos foi suficiente para causar 88,5% de mortalidade dos insetos. Em área de café sombreado foram conduzidos dois experimentos para avaliar uma armadilha de auto-inoculação contendo o patógeno produzido sobre o tecido. Foram usadas duas armadilhas controle, sendo uma armadilha de autoinoculação sem fungo e uma armadilha de eficiência reconhecida (modelo IAPAR). A eficiência de coleta da armadilha de auto-inoculação com o fungo foi menor do que a armadilha IAPAR, mas esta se mostrou eficiente na contaminação e mortalidade dos insetos pelo fungo. No primeiro experimento, a mortalidade confirmada pelo patógeno no último dia de avaliação (151 dias) foi de 64,7%. A viabilidade dos conídios passou de 98,3%, logo após a montagem das armadilhas, para 86,9% após 65 dias. Após160 dias a viabilidade reduziu para 44,0%. No segundo experimento, a última avaliação foi realizada após 40 dias, sendo nesta data observada mortalidade confirmada de 89,9% e viabilidade dos conídios de 78,1%. Em ambos os experimentos a concentração de conídios reduziu-se ao longo do tempo. O sistema de auto-inoculação apresentou resultados promissores, mas sendo necessárias alterações na armadilha para aumentar a captura de insetos e estudos epizootiológicos para avaliar a capacidade de disseminação da doença no campo pelos insetos que passaram pela armadilha. / The control of Hypothenemus hampei is accomplished primarily with the use of chemical insecticides, mainly endossulfan, whose commercialization will be prohibited in Brazil in July 2013. Therefore, other strategies must be integrated seeking control of this pest with less impact on the environment. In this context, the fungus Beauveria bassiana stands out as one of the most promising biological control agents. In this study, we associated the technique of fabric impregnated with B. bassiana with a trap containing a mixture methanol: ethanol (1:1 v/v) as an attractive chemical for H. hampei, aiming the self-inoculation and fungus dissemination by the insect, therefore their control. Initially, we determined in the laboratory, the virulence of nine isolates of B. bassiana using a spray suspension of 107 conidia.mL-1 directly on adults of H. hampei. All isolates showed low virulence to insects, with maximum mortality of 38.5%. The isolate ESALQ-PL63 was chosen to continue the studies for having a market register. Subsequently, seven synthetic fabrics were evaluated for the production of the selected isolate on its surface under two light conditions (photofase of 0 and 12 hours). The synthetic fabric Lã \"Sherpa\" was selected because it allows greater conidia production under the two conditions tested, reaching 5.44 × 108 conidia.cm-2. Exposure of H. hampei to the fabric impregnated with the fungus for only 5 seconds was enough to cause 88.5% of insect mortality. In an area of shaded coffee, two experiments were conducted to evaluate a self-inoculation trap containing the pathogen. We used two control traps without fungus: one self-inoculation trap without the fungus and a widely recognized efficient trap (IAPAR model). The collection efficiency of the self-inoculation trap with the fungus was lower than that of the IAPAR trap, however, it proved effective in contamination and insect mortality caused by the fungus. In the first experiment, mortality caused by the pathogen at the last evaluation day (151 days) was 64.7%. The viability of the conidia surpassed 98.3% after the assembly of the traps and 86.9%, after 65 days. After 160 days, the viability decreased to 44.0%. In the second experiment, the last evaluation was performed after 40 days, when we observed mortality of 89.9% and conidia viability of 78.1%. In both experiments, the conidia concentration reduced over time. The self-inoculation system showed promising results, but changes are needed to increase insect catches and further epizootiological studies to assess the possibility of disease spread in the field by insects that crossed the trap.

Neste trabalho apresentamos a construção de um novo sistema experimental para aprisionamento de átomos e moléculas. Trata-se de uma armadilha de dipolo cruzada totalmente óptica, formada por um laser de fibra com 40 W de potência com comprimento de onda em 1064 nm. Nesse sistema foi demonstrado o aprisionamento de átomos Rb e K e moléculas Rb2. Realizamos dois experimentos distintos neste se novo sistema: No primeiro, estudamos a evolução temporal de amostras dos isótopos 85Rb e 87Rb na armadilha de dipolo cruzada. Pudemos medir pela primeira vez o processo de mudança de estrutura hiperfina em átomos sem a presença de luz ressonante, e observamos a fotoassociação dos átomos pelo laser da armadilha de dipolo. E no segundo, desenvolvemos uma técnica que permite o estudo rápido e direto do decaimento no número de moléculas de Rb2 na armadilha. Com essa técnica, observamos também o comportamento dessas moléculas na presença de átomos preparados em um determinado estado hiperfino do estado fundamental. Estes resultados juntamente com um desenvolvimento teórico, nos sugerem novas perspectivas rumo a produção de um sistema que possa produzir e aprisionar moléculas KRb no estado fundamental 1Σ+ (v = 0). / In this work, we present the construction of a new experimental system for trapping atoms and molecules. It is an all optical crossed dipole trap, formed by a fiber laser with 40 W of power at 1064 nm. In this system, we have trapped K and Rb atoms as well as Rb2 molecules. We have carried out two experiments in this new system. In the first, we studied the temporal evolution of atomic samples of different isotopes, 85Rb and 87Rb, in the crossed trap dipole. We were able to measure for the first time the hyperfine-changing collisions of atoms in the absence of resonant light, and we have observed photoassociation of atoms by the dipole trap laser beam. In the other experiment, we have developed a technique that allows us to study the trapped molecule population decay in the trap. It was also observed the molecule population decay in the presence of atoms prepared in a given hyperfine state of the ground state. These results together with a theoretical development may suggest us new perspectives towards the production of a system that can produce and trap KRb molecules in the ground state 1Σ+ (v = 0).