Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of St Andrews, November 2007.

M.Sc. / Layered Manufacturing (LM), also known as "Rapid Prototyping", is that process in terms of which a computer-designed model is created layer by layer with the aid of specific LM hardware. Telemanufacturing constitutes an extension of this technology that allows remote submission of manufacturing jobs or assignments across a communication medium, typically the Internet, to be built at the manufacturing bureau concerned. The de facto standard of LM is the STL file. Simply put, this file consists of a number of triangles that are used to describe an object in its entirety. This file format has several advantages over other known formats and allows easy 2D rendering. Unfortunately, however, the limitations of the latter format outweigh its advantages. Since the entire model is described in terms of a collection of triangles, the original geometry of the model is lost. As a result, a certain level of degradation will occur, especially around curvatures in the model. Although an increase in the number of triangles around such areas will enhance precision, it will also result in a much larger STL file. Triangles that get lost somewhere inside the file could also give rise to holes, orphaned surfaces and zero-width walls in the projected object. It is vital, therefore, that the manufacturing bureau verify the correctness of the entire file before it is built in order to prevent machine time and materials from being wasted. Instead of transmitting the entire file again, the bureau could attempt automatically to correct and repair less critical errors, thereby saving valuable resources and time.

This master thesis is focused on characterization of electrical transport properties of one-dimensional nanostructures. First section of this work deals with theoretical description of the experimental approaches to realization of such measurements. This section involves also a detail discussion of preparation of contacts using e-beam lithography. Next, theoretical description of characterization of nanostructures using photoluminescence measurements is given. Second section describes practical application of the aforementioned electrical transport measurements. Presented results include transport and photoluminescence measurements of WS2 nanotubes, InAs and WO2.72 nanowires. The last section of this thesis deals with nanowire quantum well heterostructures. The section provides both a deeper theoretical view of the problem and results of the photoluminescence measurements are shown.

The diploma thesis deals with the switching of spin vortices in magnetic nanodisks. First, the basic concepts of (micro)magnetism are defined and existing theoretical and experimental achievements in the field of switching of the two basic characteristics (chirality and polarity) of magnetic vortex are summarized. Then the principle of dynamic switching of magnetic vortex chirality using in-plane magnetic field pulse with a well defined amplitude and duration is presented. There is no need to use a certain shape of nanodisks or asymmetry in magnetic field distribution. Nanostructures were prepared by the multi-step electron beam lithography and ion beam sputtering. Individual steps of sample preparation and optimization for the magnetization dynamics measurements are described. Finally, the experimental measurements of the dynamic switching of chirality on prepared samples obtained by transmission x-ray microscopy at the synchrotron Advanced Light Source at Berkeley, USA are presented and discussed.

This diploma thesis deals with study of resonance modes of plasmonic structures. First part provides an overview of theoretical models, which explain the resonanace modes in plasmonic structures. Next part describes technology of electron beam lithography. First section of experimental part deas with technological processes leading to an improvement of resulting structures made by electron beam lithography that is followed by lift-off process. Last part focuses on a study of reflectance spactra of plasmonic antenas and the identification of resonance modes.

This thesis describes several techniques for the optimization of the manufacturing of relief diffractive structures used as optical elements by Electron beam lithograph BS600 in the Electron beam laboratory of the Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. The Electron beam lithograph BS600 was originally developed and constructed in the Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic for Tesla in 1983, but is still developing, which was published. The Electron been lithograph BS600 is specific in these days because of its accelerating potential and is unique in the world because of the possibility to shape the beam. The optimization of manufacturing of relief diffractive structures, used as optical elements, was mostly reached by analysis, bringing optimal solution for the required effect. Moreover, an algorithm was developed for driving the electron beam position, shape, size and the time of each elementary exposition. The analysis showed that is convenient to use mathematical description of separate lines of diffractive structures. A separate subject was carried out for the calibration of the exposition field of the Electron beam lithograph BS600.

This thesis discusses the full scope of a project exploring the physics of hierarchical clusters of interacting nanomagnets. These clusters may be relevant for novel applications such as multilevel data storage devices. The work can be grouped into three main activities: micromagnetic simulation, fabrication and characterization of proof-ofconcept prototype devices, and efforts to scale down the structures by creating the hierarchical structures with the aid of diblock copolymer self assembly. Theoretical micromagnetic studies and simulations based on Landau-Lifshitz- Gilbert (LLG) equation were conducted on nanoscale single domain magnetic entities. For the simulated nanomagnet clusters with perpendicular uniaxial anisotropy, the simulation showed the switching field distributions, the stability of the magnetostatic states with distinctive total cluster perpendicular moments, and the stepwise magnetic switching curves. For simulated nanomagnet clusters with in-plane shape anisotropy, the simulation showed the stepwise switching behaviors governed by thermal agitation and cluster configurations. Proof-of-concept cluster devices with three interacting Co nanomagnets were fabricated by e-beam lithography (EBL) and pulse-reverse electrochemical deposition (PRECD). EBL patterning on a suspended 100 nm SiN membrane showed improved lateral lithography resolution to 30 nm. The Co nanomagnets deposited using the PRECD method showed perpendicular anisotropy. The switching experiments with external applied fields were able to switch the Co nanomagnets through the four magnetostatic states with distinctive total perpendicular cluster magnetization, and proved the feasibility of multilevel data storage devices based on the cluster concept. Shrinking the structures size was experimented by the aid of diblock copolymer. Thick poly(styrene)-b-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PS-b-PMMA) diblock copolymer templates aligned with external electrical field were used to fabricate long Ni/Fe magnetic nanowire array, dominant shape anisotropy was observed and compared to the result from previously reported Co nanowire array with strong crystalline anisotropy. Guided diblock copolymer poly(styrene)-b-poly(4-vinyl pyridine) (PS-b-P4VP) self assembly was performed to generate clustered microdomains. Direct e-beam patterning on PS-b-P4VP thin film showed precise and arbitrary patterning on the lateral ordering of the self assembly. Graphoepitaxy of self-assembled PS-b-P4VP copolymers on isolated SiN triangular plateaus successfully resulted in the exact clusters of three microdomains. Theoretical consideration and system modeling based on the micellar configuration of the microdomains were done, and the distribution of the cluster’s size and number of elements were explained qualitatively.

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