Melanoma incidence is increasing faster than any other cancer in the world today. Disease detected early can be cured by surgery, but once melanoma progresses to the metastatic stage it is lethal, with an overall median survival of less than one year. The poor prognosis for late stage melanoma patients is attributed to the intrinsic resistance of melanoma to all Federal Drug Administration approved melanoma therapies. Therefore, there is a critical need for novel treatment approaches that circumvent melanoma therapy resistance. Emerging evidence suggests that differences in melanoma metabolism relative to non-malignant cells represents a potential target for therapeutic intervention. The research presented here demonstrates the potential for using triphenylphosphonium-based compounds as a new therapeutic platform for metastatic melanoma that is designed to take advantage of these metabolic differences. In vitro experiments demonstrate that triphenylphosphonium-based compounds modified with an aliphatic side chain target melanoma cell mitochondria and promote melanoma cell death via mitochondria metabolism inhibition and subsequent reactive oxygen species production. Increased reactive oxygen species production results in decreased glutathione levels and an oxidized cellular state. There is also a structure-activity relationship between side chain length, metabolic disruption, and melanoma cell cytotoxicity. Further, results demonstrate that traditional in vivo triphenylphosphonium drug administration routes such as oral gavage, intraperitoneal injection, and intravenous injection do not result in significant tumor accumulation of triphenylphosphonium drugs. However, the use of a thermosensitive hydrogel delivery system localizes triphenylphosphonium drugs directly at the melanoma tumor site and decreases melanoma tumor growth rate. These results suggest that a hydrogel-based triphenlyphosphonium delivery system could potentially be a therapeutic strategy that circumvents melanoma resistance mechanisms in order to provide durable therapy for an increasing number of metastatic melanoma patients worldwide.

Carbon/molecule/Cu/Au molecular junctions were fabricated on 4-inch silicon wafers using microfabrication techniques common in commercial semiconductor manufacturing. Electron-beam deposited carbon films are introduced as substrates, and the junctions exhibited high yield and excellent reproducibility. Current density-voltage characteristics of the devices were area scaling, weakly dependent on temperature and exponentially on molecular film thickness, and quantitatively similar to those of devices made with other techniques reported previously in our group, which contained pyrolyzed photoresist films as substrates. Furthermore, the test of cycle life and thermal stability reveals that the devices can survive at least under several millions of potential cycles at room temperature in air, and elevated temperature up to 150 C in vacuum for >40 hours. Parallel fabrication, thermal stability, and high yield are required for practical applications of molecular electronics, and the reported results provide important steps toward integration of molecular electronic devices with commercial processes and devices.

Electron transport and relaxation may be substantially different in low-dimensional systems compared to that observed in bulk material. In the present work, Monte Carlo models are used for the solution to the Boltzmann transport equation, with scattering rates calculated quantum mechanically for superlattice and quantum wells. Carrier relaxation following optical excitation is examined in multiple quantum well systems. Simulated results of the carrier relaxation process in coupled asymmetric wells and modulation doped wells are in good agreement with published experimental results on similar structures. Scattering rates in superlattices due to polar optical phonons, intervalley phonons, ionized impurities and carrier-carrier scattering are derived. Carrier transport through high energy superlattice minibands is examined in superlattice base hot electron transistors. Additionally, transport in the ballistic limit in periodic quantum wire structures, including geometric superlattices, is examined utilizing a mode matching method. / Graduation date: 1992

Es conocido que a escalas nanométricas se debe tratar con en el problema de muchas partículas a la hora de estudiar dispositivos electrónicos. Es estos escenarios, la ecuación de Schrödinger dependiente del tiempo para muchas partículas solo se puede resolver para unos pocos grados de libertad. En este sentido, diferentes formalismos han sido desarrollados en la literatura (tales como time-dependent Density Functional Theory, Green's functions técnicas o Quantum Monte Carlo técnicas) para tratar sistemas cuánticos de muchos electrones. Estas aproximaciones modelizan de forma razonable el transporte electrónico en sistemas de muchas partículas. Una propuesta alternativa ha sido desarrollada por el Dr. Oriols para descomponer la ecuación de Schrödinger de N-partículas en un sistema de N-ecuaciones de Schrödinger para una sola partícula usando trayectorias (cuánticas) de Bohm. Basado en esta propuesta se presenta un 3D, general, versátil y dependiente del tiempo simulador de transporte de dispositivos electrónicos llamado BITLLES (Bohmian Interacting Transport for non-equiLibrium eLEctronic Structures). Las novedades que aporta el simulador BITLLES se basan en dos puntos. El primero, éste representa un modelo de transporte cuántico de electrones para muchas partículas en el cual se tiene en cuenta de forma explicita las correlaciones de Coulomb y de intercambio entre electrones usando trayectorias de Bohm. En segundo lugar, el simulador proporciona una completa información de los momentos de la corriente (i.e., DC, AC, fluctuaciones o incluso momentos mayores). A continuación resumimos las contribuciones que esta tesis aporta al desarrollo del simulador BITLLES. De esta forma, introducimos de forma explicita la interacción de intercambio entre electrones. En este contexto, mostramos como la interacción de intercambio es la responsable final para determinar la corriente total a través del sistema. Además presentamos una nueva aproximación para estudiar sistemas de muchas partículas donde los espines de los electrones tienen diferente orientación. Hasta donde llega nuestro conocimiento, es la primera vez que la interacción de intercambio es introducida de forma práctica en un simulador de transporte de electrones. Además presentamos la computación de la corriente total dependiente del tiempo en un contexto de alta frecuencia donde se tienen que tener en cuenta las variaciones del campo eléctrico dependientes del tiempo (i.e., la corriente de desplazamiento) para asegurar la conservación de la corriente. También discutimos el cálculo de la corriente total (conducción más desplazamiento) usando los teoremas de Ramo-Shockley-Pellegrini. Diferentes capacidades del simulador BITLLES como AC y fluctuaciones de la corriente se presentan para el diodo túnel resonante. También hemos usado el simulador BITLLES para testear un nuevo tipo de dispositivo nanoeléctronico diseñado para procesar señales dentro del espectro de los THz. Hemos llamado a este dispositivo Driven Tunneling Device. Se trata de un dispositivo de tres terminales donde la conductancia entre el drain y el source se controla por el terminal del gate el cual oscila a frecuencias de THz. También presentamos ejemplos prácticos de la funcionalidad de este dispositivo como un rectificador y un multiplicador de frecuencia. Finalmente, hemos desarrollado una aproximación numérica para resolver la ecuación de Schrödinger usando el modelo de tight-binding con el propósito de mejorar la descripción de la estructura de bandas del simulador BITLLES. / It is known that at nanoscale regime we must deal with the many-particle problem in order to study electronic devices. In this scenario, the time-dependent many-particle Schrödinger equation is only directly solvable for very few degrees of freedom. However, there are many electrons (degrees of freedom) in any electron device. In this sense, many-particle quantum electron formalisms (such as time-dependent Density Functional Theory, Green's functions techniques or Quantum Monte Carlo techniques) have been developed in the literature to provide reasonable approximations to model many-particle electron transport. An alternative proposal has been developed by Dr. Oriols to decompose the N-particle Schrödinger equation into a N-single particle Schrödinger equation using Bohmian trajectories. Based on this proposal a general, versatile and time-dependent 3D electron transport simulator for nanoelectronic devices, named BITLLES (Bohmian Interacting Transport for non-equiLibrium eLEctronic Structures) is presented. The novelty of the BITLLES simulator is based on two points. First, it presents a many-particle quantum electron transport model taking into account explicitly the Coulomb and exchange correlations among electrons using Bohmian trajectories. Second, it provides full information of the all current distribution moments (i.e. DC, AC, fluctuations and even higher moments). We summarize the important contributions of this thesis to the development of BITLLES simulator. Thus, we introduce explicitly the exchange correlations among electrons. In this context, we show how exchange interaction is the final responsible for determining the total current across the system. We also present a new approximation to study many-particle systems with spin of different orientations. Some practical examples are studied taking into account the exchange interaction. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first time that the exchange interaction is introduced explicitly (imposing the exchange symmetry properties directly into the many-particle wavefunction) in practical electron transport simulators. We present the computation of the time-dependent total current in the high-frequency regime where one has to compute time-dependent variations of the electric field (i.e. the displacement current) to assure current conservation. We discuss the computation of the total (conduction plus displacement) current using Bohmian trajectories and the Ramo-Shockley-Pellegrini theorems. Different capabilities of BITLLES simulator such as AC and current fluctuations are presented for Resonant Tunneling Devices. We have used the BITLLES simulator to test a new type of nanoelectronic device designed to process signals at THz regime named Driven Tunneling Device. It is a three terminal device where the drain-source conductance is controlled by a gate terminal that can oscillate at THz frequencies. We also present practical examples on the functionality of this device such as rectifier and frequency multiplier. Finally, we have developed a numerical approximation to solve the Schrödinger equation using tight-binding model to improve the band structure description of the BITLLES simulator.

In this study, the current densities in three different directions (r, φ and z) have been measured above the target during a HiPIMS discharge by the use of a Rogowski coil. This was done to examine the key transport parameter Jφ/JD┴ = ωge TEFF throughout the whole measured area, which is a key parameter describing how electrons are transported across magnetic field lines. The coil was adapted to the certain plasma environment that is present during a HiPIMS discharge in consideration due to the extreme environment that is present during the experiment. The thin film deposition system, where the measurements were performed, had a background pressure of ~10-6Torr and during the discharges the chamber were filled with an Ar to the partial pressure of 3mTorr. The previously reported anomalous fast transport of charged particles was verified and the faster-than-Bohm cross-B transport was found to be present in the chamber during the whole discharge but occupying a diminishing area closer to pulse turn off.

A series of experiments have been performed to understand fast electron generation from ultra intense laser-solid interaction, and their transports through a cold material. Using Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS), we contrived various shape of cone and wedge targets. The first set of experiment was for investigating hot electron generations by measuring x-ray production in different energy ranges. K[alpha] and hard x-ray yields were compared when the laser was focused into pyramidal shaped cone targets and wedge shaped targets. Hot electron production is highest in the wedge targets irradiated with transverse polarization, though K[alpha] is maximized with wedge targets and parallel polarization. These results are explained with particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations utilizing PICLS and OOPIC codes. We also investigate hot electron transport in foil, wedge, and cone targets by observing the transition radiation emitted from the targets rear side along with bremsstrahlung x-ray measurement. Twodimensional images and spectra of 800 nm coherent transition radiation (CTR) along with ballistic electron transport analysis have revealed the spatial, temporal, and temperature characteristics of hot electron micro-pulses. Various patterns from different target-laser configurations suggest that hot electrons were guided by the strong static electromagnetic fields at the target boundary. Evidence about fast electron guiding in the cone is also observed. CTR at 400 nm showed that two distinct beams of MeV electrons are emitted from the target rear side at the same time. This measurement indicates that two different mechanisms, namely resonance absorption and j x B heating, create two populations of electrons at the targets front side and drive them to different directions, with distinct temperatures and temporal characteristics. This interpretation is consistent with the results from 3D-PIC code Virtual Laser Plasma Laboratory (VLPL). / text

Dielectrics have been an integral part of the electron devices and will likely resume playing a significant role in the future of nanoelectronics. An important step in assessing graphene potential as an alternative channel material for future electron devices is to benchmark its transport characteristics when integrated with dielectrics. Using back-gated and dual gated graphene field-effect transistors with top high-k metal-oxide dielectric, we study the dielectric thickness dependence of the carrier mobility. We show the carrier mobility decreases after deposition of metal-oxide dielectrics by atomic layer deposition (ALD) thanks to the Coulomb scattering by charged point defects in the dielectric. We investigate a novel method for the ALD of metal-oxide dielectrics on graphene, using an ultrathin nucleation layer that enables the realization of graphene field-effect transistors with aggressively scaled gate dielectric thickness. We show the nucleation layer significantly affects the quality of the subsequently deposited dielectric. In addition, we study transport characteristics of double layer systems. We demonstrate heterostructures consisting of two rotationally aligned bilayer graphene with an ultra-thin hexagonal boron nitride dielectric in between fabricated using advanced layer-by-layer transfer as well as layer pickup techniques. We show that double bilayer graphene devices possess negative differential resistance and resonant tunneling in their interlayer current-voltage characteristics in a wide range of temperatures. We show the resonant tunneling occurs either when the charge neutrality points of the two bilayer graphene are energetically aligned or when the lower conduction sub-band of one layer is aligned with the upper conduction sub-band of the opposite layer. Finally, we study the Raman spectra and the magneto-transport characteristics of A-B stacked and rotationally misaligned bilayer graphene deposited by chemical-vapor-deposition (CVD) on Cu. We show that the quantum Hall states (QHSs) sequence of the CVD grown A-B stacked bilayer graphene is consistent with that of natural bilayer graphene, while the sequence of the QHSs in the CVD grown rotationally misaligned bilayer graphene is a superposition of monolayer graphene QHSs. From the magnetotransport measurements in rotationally misaligned CVD-grown bilayer we determine the layer densities and the interlayer capacitance. / text

Not available / text

published_or_final_version / abstract / Physics / Master / Master of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Physics / Master / Master of Philosophy