<p>Ultracold atoms in an optical lattice Bloch oscillate when subject to a constant force. In the first work presented in this thesis we have theoretically studied the scenario where the optical lattice potential is provided by the electric field inside an optical cavity. The coherent atom-light interaction in a cavity gives rise to a backaction effect on the light field which can modify the intracavity field amplitude and phase. In our first treatment of this problem we model the cavity light field and atoms by classical fields and solve the coupled atom-light equations of motion. As a result, we find that the amplitude and phase of the transmitted light field is modulated at the Bloch frequency. Remarkably, the Bloch frequency itself is not modified by the backaction. Thus the transmitted light field can be used to observe the oscillations continuously, allowing high-precision measurement with small clouds of atoms.</p> <p>In the second problem presented in this thesis, we explore the band structure of the steady state solutions of the atom-cavity system. A crucial first step towards determining the band structure is the identification of an energy functional that describes the coupled atom-light system. Although, we do not include direct atom-atom interactions in our models, the coupling of the atoms to the single mode light field of the cavity introduces an effective mutual interaction which is correctly taken into account by the energy functional we introduce. Corresponding to each point in the band there exists a steady state light field associated with an average cavity photon number. The dispersive nonlinear atom-light interaction can lead to bistable solutions for this intracavity photon number. For parameters where the atom-cavity system exhibits bistability, the atomic band structure develops loop structures akin to the ones predicted for Bose-Einstein condensates in ordinary (non-cavity) optical lattices. However, in our case the nonlinearity derives from the cavity backaction rather than from direct interatomic interactions. We find both bi- and tri-stable regimes associated with the lowest band, and show that the multistability we observe can be analysed in terms of swallowtail catastrophes. Dynamic and energetic stability of the meanfield solutions is also studied, and we show that the bistable solutions have, as expected, one unstable and two stable branches. The presence of loops in the band structure can lead to a breakdown in adiabaticity during Bloch oscillations as the entire band is sampled during the dynamics. We therefore use the insight gleaned from this work in choosing parameters for the Bloch oscillation measurement proposal presented in the rest of the thesis.</p> <p>In the third work presented in the thesis, we go beyond the mean field description and consider effects of the quantised nature of the light and atomic fields. The cavity light field is always in contact with external electromagnetic fields through the partially transmissive mirrors. This coupling to the external modes enters as quantum noise in the dynamics of the intracavity field and can also be viewed as a manifestation of quantum measurement backaction corresponding to the continuous observation of the transmitted light field. We solve the Heisenberg-Langevin equations for linearized fluctuations about the atomic and optical meanfields and examine how this influences the signal-to-noise ratio of a measurement of external forces using this system. In particular, we investigate the effects of changing the number of atoms, the intracavity lattice depth, and the atom-light coupling strength, and show how resonances between the Bloch oscillation dynamics and the quasiparticle spectrum have a strong influence on the signal-to-noise ratio as well as heating effects. One of the hurdles we overcome along the way is the proper treatment of fluctuations about time-dependent meanfields in the context of cold atom cavity-QED.</p> / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Many quantum information tasks require measurements to distinguish between different quantum-mechanically entangled states (Bell states) of a particle pair. In practice, measurements are often limited to linear evolution and local measurement (LELM) of the particles. We investigate LELM distinguishability of the Bell states of two qubits (two-state particles) and qutrits (three-state particles), via standard projective measurement and via generalized measurement, which allows detection channels beyond the number of orthogonal single-particle states. Projective LELM can only distinguish 3 of 4 qubit Bell states; we show that generalized measurement does no better. We show that projective LELM can distinguish only 3 of 9 qutrit Bell states that generalized LELM allows at most 5 of 9. We have also made progress on distinguishing qubit $\times$ qutrit hyperentangled Bell states, which are made up of tensor products of the qubit Bell states and the qutrit Bell states, showing that the maximum number distinguishable with projective LELM measurements is between 9 and 11.

Theoretical study of energy levels, oscillator strengths, transition probabilities, and lifetimes of Si III lines has been reported in this thesis. These atomic parameters are required for the interpretation of emission and absorption lines of Si III and for the modeling of astrophysical plasmas including Galactic High Velocity Clouds (HVCs), the Sun, and white dwarf stars. We used Hartree-Fock (HF) and Multiconfiguration Hartree-Fock (MCHF) methods in our calculations. We have considered 58 levels of the 3s2, 3s3p, 3p2, 3s3d, 3s4s, 3s4p, 3s4d, 3s4f, 3s5s, 3s5p, 3s5d, 3s6s, and 3s5f configurations. The relativistic corrections are included in Breit-Pauli approximation by using one-body Darwin, mass correction, spin-orbit operators, and two-body spin-other-orbit and spin-spin operators. The results have been compared with previous theoretical results and available experimental data, and generally a good agreement is found.

Elements when bombarded with neutrons emit a gamma ray that is characteristic of the isotope that underwent a neutron induced nuclear reaction; this is known as neutron activation. The characteristic gamma energy of an isotope can then be detected and recorded. One can then analyze the gamma energies captured and determine the elemental makeup of the sample. This form of analysis can be used in an underwater environment making it potentially a valuable tool for agencies tasked with maritime security of ports and waterways, or clean-up operations. This thesis will focus on the feasibility of neutron interrogation using pulsed fast/thermal neutrons in an underwater environment for detecting various chemical substances in metal containers. A hermetically sealed, submersible container was used to test a d-T neutron generator’s and semiconductor detector’s functionality underwater in regards to detecting such chemicals as sulfur, nitrogen and chlorine rich materials.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Physics / Daniel Rolles / Modern laser sources can produce bursts of light that surpass even the fastest molecular vibrations. With durations this short even moderate pulse energies generate peak powers exceeding the average power output of the entire globe. When focused, this can result in an ultrafast electric field greater than the Coulomb potential that binds electrons to nuclei. This strong electric field strips electrons away from atoms in a process known as strong-field ionization. The first experimental realization of photoionization with intense laser pulses occurred only a few years after the invention of the laser. Yet, despite decades of intensive investigation, open questions remain. At the same time, the knowledge gained has led to the creation of multiple exciting fields such as attoscience, femtochemistry, and ultrafast nano-photonics. In this thesis I present my work to advance the fundamental understanding of intense, ultrafast light-matter interactions as well as efforts to expand the technological capabilities of ultrafast light sources and measurement techniques. This includes the photoionization pro- cess of atoms and nanoparticles subject to intense, mid-infrared laser fields. The resulting photoelectron emission is measured, with high precision, in a velocity map imaging spec- trometer. Other parts of this thesis detail my work on the generation and characterization of non-Gaussian optical pulses. Femtosecond Bessel beams are used to drive and study high harmonic generation with the ultimate goal of creating a compact, high-flux XUV source. Further studies include few-cycle pulses and the carrier-envelope phase, specifically methods of locking and tagging the carrier-envelope phase. A single-shot, all optical tagging method is developed and directly compared to the standard tagging method, the carrier-envelope phase meter. Finally, both experimental and computational studies are presented investigating the ultrafast thermal response cycle of nanowires undergoing femtosecond heating.

Gold monolayer-protected nanoclusters (MPCs) with average diameters of 1-5 nm protected by alkane- and arenethiolates were synthesized. Mixed-monolayer protected nanoparticles (MMPCs) were prepared by functionalizing hexanethiolate-protected MPCs with either 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid (MUA-MMPC), 11-mercaptoundecanol (MUO-MMPC), or 4-aminothiophenol (ATP-MMPC) using ligand place exchange. Presentation of various chemical reagents such as nucleophile, acid, or base and change in physical environment through ultrasonic and thermal irradiation resulted in changes to particles and their physical properties. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was used to measure maximum temperature of the derivated thermogravimetric peaks (Tmax,DTG) as a means of comparing temperature dependence of mass loss. The absorption spectrum within the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) band was monitored over time throughout chemical and ultrasonic treatments to assess stability of these particles in solution. MUA-MMPCs and ATP-MMPCs were self-assembled with Cu2+, poly(sodium 4- styrenesufonate), poly(allylamine hydrochloride), generation 2 polyamidoamine dendrimer, and C60 fullerene as linking molecules on functionalized glass substrates using a layer-by-layer approach resulting in nanoparticle multi-layer films. The thin films were characterized using UV-vis spectroscopy during deposition, and then before and after chemical treatment, and thermal and ultrasonic irradiation to assess stability of nanocomposites. Finally, an in-situ cross-linking approach was used to deposit gold MPC-C60 thin film nanocomposite on functionalized glass substrate. UV-vis spectroscopy was used to monitor deposition rates of the resulting film in comparison with the MPC-C60 multilayer film assembled layer-by-layer. These MPC-C60 nanocomposites were also characterized using conductive atomic force microscopy (C-AFM).

Gyromagnetic Faraday rotation offers a new method to probe limits on properties of simple spin systems such as the possible magnetic moment of asymmetric dark matter or as a polarization monitor for polarized targets. Theoretical calculations predict the expected rotations of linearly polarized light due to the magnetization of spin-1/2 particles are close to or beyond the limit of what can currently be measured experimentally (10−9 rad). So far, this effect has not been verified. Nuclear spin polarized 3He provides an ideal test system due to its simple structure and ability to achieve high nuclear spin polarization via spin-exchange optical pumping (SEOP). To maximize the expected signal from 3He, a SEOP system is built with a modern narrowband pumping laser and a 3He target designed to use with a multipass cavity. Additionally, a sensitive triple modulation apparatus for polarimetry is utilized and further developed to detect Faraday rotations on the order of nanoradians. This works presents the results of the measurement of the magnetic Faraday effect.

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, and usually at very high energy relative to the binding energy of molecules. For most materials this modifies the sample at a small scale and as we work increasingly towards the nano-scale, this is a serious problem. The Neutral Atom Microscope (NAM) uses a beam of thermal energy (under 70 meV) non-charged atoms or molecules to probe an atomic surface. For several decades scientists have been interested in this possibility, using a focused beam. Scattering of neutral atoms provides a uniquely low-energy, surface-sensitive probe, as is known from molecular beam experiments. We have developed a new approach, operating with the sample at a close working distance from an aperture, the need for optics to focus the beam is obviated. The demonstrated, practical performance of this "Pinhole" NAM exceeds all other attempts by great lengths by many measures. The unique images resulting and contrast mechanism discoveries are described. The future potential for nano-scale resolution is shown.

The contrast mechanism in Kerr imaging is the apparent angle through which the plane of polarization is rotated upon reflection from a magnetic surface. This can be calculated for a well characterized surface given the polarization state of the incident light. As in traditional optical microscopy, the spatial resolution is limited by diffraction to roughly half the wavelength of the illumination light. The diffraction limit can be circumvented through the use of near-field scanning optical microscopy, in which the illumination source is an evanescent field at the tip of a tapered optical fiber. A novel probe design for near-field optical imaging in reflection mode will be proposed, and experimental work on the development of a near-field Kerr microscope performed up to this point will be presented. The complication in merging these two techniques arises from the complex polarization profile of the evanescent field. This profile can be characterized for a given probe geometry with the use of electromagnetic field modeling software, allowing for subsequent modeling of the polarization profile of the optical response. An algorithm for predicting the optical response to a near-field probe tip from a generalized multilayer thin-film is presented.

In the last 50 years, the semiconductor industry has been scaling the silicon transistor to achieve faster devices, lower power consumption, and improve device performance. Transistor gate dimensions have become so small that short channel effects and gate leakage have become a significant problem. To address these issues, performance enhancement techniques such as strained silicon are used to improve mobility, while new high-k gate dielectric materials replace silicon oxide to reduce gate leakage. At some point the fundamental limit of silicon will be reached and the semiconductor industry will need to find an alternate solution. The advent of graphene led to the discovery of other layered materials such as the transition metal dichalcogenides. These materials have a layered structure similar to graphene and therefore possess some of the same qualities, but unlike graphene, these materials possess sizeable bandgaps between 1-2 eV making them useful for digital electronic applications. Since initially discovered, most of the research on these films has been from mechanically exfoliated flakes, which are easily produced due to the weak van der Waals force binding the layers together. For these materials to be considered for use in mainstream semiconductor technology, methods need to be explored to grow these films uniformly over a large area. In this research, atomic layer deposition (ALD) was employed as the growth technique used to produce large area uniform thin films of several different transition metal dichalcogenides. By optimizing the ALD growth parameters, it is possible to grow high quality films a few to several monolayers thick over a large area with good uniformity. This has been demonstrated and verified using several physical analytical tests such as Raman spectroscopy, photoluminescence, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, transmission electron spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy, which show that these films possess the same qualities as those of the mechanically exfoliated films. Back-gated field effect transistors were created and electrical characterization was performed to determine if ALD grown films possess the same electronic properties as films produced from other methods. The tests revealed that the ALD grown films have high field effect mobility and high current on/off ratios. The WSe2 films also exhibited ambipolar electrical behavior making them a possible candidate for complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology. Ab-initio density functional theory calculations were performed and compared to experimental properties of MoS2 and WSe2 films, which show that the ALD films grown in this research match theoretical predictions. The transconductance measurements from the WSe2 devices used, matched very well with the theoretical calculations, bridging the gap between experimental data and theoretical predictions. Based upon this research, ALD growth of TMD films proves to be a viable alternative for silicon based digital electronics.