Transparent conducting oxides (TCOs) usually have high conductivity and transparency in the visible range and have been widely used in daily life. Recently, TCOs have attracted great interest due to their potential applications in various new optical and electrical devices (flat-panel displays, energy efficient windows, etc.). Nanostructured TCOs can induce new size related properties, for example, when sizes of TCOs are controlled at the nanometer scale, various defects can introduce different defect-related optical emissions. These new nanostructured TCOs combining traditional and new size dependent properties may be used for construction of next generation optical devices. To investigate the optical properties of TCOs at nanoscale, in this thesis, several new kinds of colloidal nanocrystals (NCs) of TCOs have been synthesized and their optical emission and transparency have been explored. The first part of my work focuses on ITO (indium tin oxide) NCs demonstrates phase and size dependence of surface plasmon absorption in the near infrared region. The second part of the thesis describes colloidal synthesis of γ-Ga2O3 with size tunable photoluminescence, further study reveals that the photoluminescence is defect related and can be tuned by changing the defect concentration. In the last part of my study, I develop a methodology for lanthanide doped γ-phase Ga2O3 NCs and reveal tunable chromaticity of the lanthanide doped NCs.

Transparent conducting oxides (TCOs) usually have high conductivity and transparency in the visible range and have been widely used in daily life. Recently, TCOs have attracted great interest due to their potential applications in various new optical and electrical devices (flat-panel displays, energy efficient windows, etc.). Nanostructured TCOs can induce new size related properties, for example, when sizes of TCOs are controlled at the nanometer scale, various defects can introduce different defect-related optical emissions. These new nanostructured TCOs combining traditional and new size dependent properties may be used for construction of next generation optical devices. To investigate the optical properties of TCOs at nanoscale, in this thesis, several new kinds of colloidal nanocrystals (NCs) of TCOs have been synthesized and their optical emission and transparency have been explored. The first part of my work focuses on ITO (indium tin oxide) NCs demonstrates phase and size dependence of surface plasmon absorption in the near infrared region. The second part of the thesis describes colloidal synthesis of γ-Ga2O3 with size tunable photoluminescence, further study reveals that the photoluminescence is defect related and can be tuned by changing the defect concentration. In the last part of my study, I develop a methodology for lanthanide doped γ-phase Ga2O3 NCs and reveal tunable chromaticity of the lanthanide doped NCs.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--State University of New York at Binghamton, Dept. of Chemistry, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Nevada, Reno, 2006. / "December, 2006." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 96-100). Online version available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (D. Mus. Arts)--University of Washington, 1997. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [360]-363).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2004. / Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 102-105). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, Riverside, 2009. / Includes abstract. Available via ProQuest Digital Dissertations. Title from first page of PDF file (viewed March 12, 2010). Includes bibliographical references. Also issued in print.

Thesis (M.Sc.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2002. / Bibliography: leaves 106-110.

Thesis (Ph.D)--Chemical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2009. / Committee Chair: J. Carson Meredith; Committee Member: Hang Lu; Committee Member: Joseph Schork; Committee Member: William Koros; Committee Member: Yadong Wang. Part of the SMARTech Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Collection.

Thesis (M. Sc.), Memorial University of Newfoundland, 1998. / Bibliography: leaves 223-227.