The Fröhlich coupling describes the interaction between electrons and infrared-active vibrations at long wavelength in polar semiconductors and insulators, and may result in the formation of polaronic quasiparticles. Polarons are electrons dressed by a phonon cloud, which can strongly affect the electronic properties of the crystal. Despite their ubiquitous role in a broad range of technologies, first-principles investigations of the electron-phonon interaction in polar materials are scarce. In this thesis we develop a general formalism for calculating the electron-phonon matrix element in polar semiconductors and insulators from first principles, which represents a generalization of the Fröhlich model and can be used to compute the polar electron-phonon coupling as a straightforward post-processing operation. We apply this procedure to explore an important material for photovoltaics, the hybrid lead halide perovskite CH₃NH₃PbI₃. In this case we show that the temperature dependence of emission line broadening is dominated by Fröhlich coupling. Our method is formulated in conjunction with an ab initio interpolation technique based on maximally localized Wannier functions, which allows to describe all forms of electron-phonon coupling on the same footing. We demonstrate the validity of this approach on the prototypical examples GaN and SrTiO₃. Focusing on anatase TiO₂, a transition metal oxide of wide technological interest, we establish quantitatively the effect of including the ab initio Fröhlich coupling in the calculation of electron lifetimes. The rest of the thesis is devoted to exploring the quasiparticle properties in doped oxides. In particular, we investigate angle-resolved photoemission spectra from first principles in doped anatase TiO₂ by proposing a novel framework that combines our ab initio matrix elements, including the dynamical screening arising from the added carriers, and the cumulant expansion approach. We compare our results with experimental data, and show that the transition from a polaronic to a Fermi liquid regime with increasing doping concentration originates from nonadiabatic polar electron-phonon coupling. We further validate this mechanism by calculating angle-resolved photoemission spectra in the ferromagnetic semiconductor EuO.

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Processos fotofísicos em polímeros conjugados estão intimamente relacionados com a conformação dos segmentos moleculares. Filmes finos de polímeros conjugados apresentam uma anisotropia intrínseca resultante da conformação dos segmentos moleculares tornando esses materiais atrativos em estudos fotofísicos pela emissão polarizada apresentada quando excitado via radiação eletromagnética ou sob aplicação de uma diferença de potencial elétrico. Neste trabalho procuramos correlacionar o espectro de emissão fotoluminescente de filmes finos de um derivado do polifluoreno, nominalmente poli(9,9-dioctilfluorenil-2-7-diil) terminado com dimetilfenil, com sua anisotropia molecular. Filmes finos mecanicamente estirados sofrem um processo de reordenamento molecular induzindo a emissão de luz polarizada predominantemente na direção de estiramento. O estiramento ocasiona ainda um aumento no comprimento de conjugação efetivo dos segmentos moleculares influenciando no acoplamento elétron-fônon. Através da técnica de elipsometria, foi possível determinar os estados de polarização da luz (através dos parâmetros de Stokes) e medidas de fotoluminescência estacionária dependente da temperatura nos possibilitou aferirmos sobre o acoplamento elétron-fônon a partir do Princípio de Franck-Condon. Medidas de fotoluminescência de excitação (PLE) determinou que o espectro da PL consiste da sobreposição espectral de duas espécies emissoras: a espécie isolada e a espécie agregada. Para baixas temperaturas a PL apresenta picos de emissão bem definidos como resultado da dinâmica molecular do PFO correspondendo ao favorecimento de emissão da espécie isolada. Para temperaturas acima da temperatura de transição \'beta\' (~270 K), a emissão da espécie agregada é favorecida, ocorrendo uma possível transferência de energia da espécie isolada para a agregada. O estiramento induz um aumento do comprimento de conjugação, refletido na diminuição do fator de Huang-Rhys, \'S IND. ISO\'POT. LO\'|140 K = 0,40 para amostra não estirada e \'S IND. ISO\'POT.2LO\'| 140 K = 0,19 para a amostra com a maior taxa de estiramento, tornando o espectro mais resolvido. Amostras não estiradas sob excitação paralela ao estiramento apresentaram polarização total de emissão P = 3,4% linearmente paralela ao estiramento e anisotropia de fluorescência de r = 0,025 e amostras com estiramento L = 2Lo apresentaram P = 46,1% de emissão polarizada ao longo da direção de estiramento e uma anisotropia de fluorescência de r = 0,27. A emissão polarizada mostrou ser independente da temperatura. A anisotropia de fluorescência mostrou ser fortemente dependente do estiramento e da anisotropia para temperaturas acima de 340 K, temperatura característica de um inicio de transição de fase do PFO. / Photophysics processes in conjugated polymer are closely related with the molecular segments conformation. Conjugated polymers thin films has shown an intrinsic anisotropy due to the molecular segments conformation making this materials attractive in photophysics studies by its polarized emission when stimulated by light or biased. In this work, we correlated the photoluminescence spectra of a derivative PFO polymer thin films, namely poly(9,9-dioctylfluorenyl-2,7-diyl) end capped with dimethylphenyl, with the molecular anisotropy. Mechanically stretched thin films undergo a molecular rearrangement process of inducing emission of light predominantly polarized in the direction of stretch. The stretching also causes an increase in the effective conjugation length of the molecular segments influencing the electron-phonon coupling. By ellipsometry technique, it was possible to determine the polarization states of light (by the Stokes parameters) and temperature dependent stationary photoluminescence measurements enabled us to get the electron-phonon coupling from the Franck-Condon principle. Measurements of photoluminescence excitation (PLE) have determined that the PL spectrum consists of spectral overlap of the two emitting species: the isolated and aggregated species. At low temperatures the PL emission peaks has presented well-defined as a result of PFO molecular dynamics favoring the emission of the isolated species. For temperatures above the transition beta temperature (270 K), the emission of aggregated species is favored, causing a possible energy transfer isolated to aggregate species. The stretching induces an increase in the conjugation length, reflected in the decreasing Huang-Rhys factor \'S IND. ISO\' POT. LO\'|140 K = 0,40 to non-stretched samples and \'S IND. ISO\' POT. 2Lo\'| 140 K = 0,19 for the sample with the highest draw ratio, making the spectrum more resolved. Unstretched samples under polarized excitation parallel to the stretching showed total polarized emission P = 3,4% linearly parallel to the stretching and fluorescence anisotropy of r = 0,025 and the L = 2Lo samples showed P = 46,1% of polarized emission along the direction of stretching and fluorescence anisotropy r = 0,27. The polarized emission was found to be independent of temperature. The fluorescence anisotropy was found to be strongly dependent of stretching rates and for temperatures above 340 K, a characteristic onset temperature of phase transition of the PFO.

No presente estudo, amostras policristalinas ricas em Ta e com estequiometrias Ta1-xZrx; x < 0.15; foram preparadas através da mistura apropriada dos elementos metálicos, os quais foram fundidos em forno a arco elétrico sobre uma placa de cobre refrigerada a água e sob atmosfera de argônio de alta pureza. Os padrões de difração de raios-X das ligas, como fundidas (as cast) e tratadas termicamente a 850 °C por 24 h, revelaram a ocorrência de uma estrutura cristalina cúbica de corpo centrada bcc, tipo W, e parâmetros de rede que aumentam suavemente com o aumento do teor de Zr nas ligas. Medidas de susceptibilidade magnética dc, conduzidas nas condições de resfriamento da amostra em campo zero (ZFC) e do resfriamento com o campo magnético aplicado (FC), indicaram que supercondutividade volumétrica é observada abaixo de ~ 5.8, 6.9, 7.0 K em amostras com x = 0.05, 0.08, e 0.10, respectivamente. Essas temperaturas críticas supercondutoras são bastante superiores àquela observada no Ta elementar ~ 4.45 K. Medidas de resistividade elétrica na presença de campos magnéticos aplicados de até 9 T confirmaram a temperatura crítica supercondutora das amostras estudadas. O campo crítico superior Hc2 e o comprimento de coerência E foram estimados a partir dos dados de magnetorresistência. Os valores estimados de Hc2 foram de ~ 0.46, 1.78, 3.85 e 3.97 T, resultando em valores de E ~ 26.0, 13.6, 9.2 e 9.1 nm para as ligas as cast com x = 0.00, 0.05, 0.08 e 0.10, respectivamente. A partir dos dados experimentais do calor específico Cp das ligas, magnitudes estimadas do salto em Cp nas vizinhanças das transições supercondutoras indicaram valores maiores que o previsto pela teoria BCS. Utilizando as equações analíticas derivadas da teoria do acoplamento forte da supercondutividade foi então proposto que o aumento da temperatura de transição supercondutora nas ligas devido a substituição parcial do Ta por Zr está intimamente relacionado ao aumento do acoplamento elétron-fônon, visto que a densidade de estados eletrônicos no nível de Fermi foi estimada ser essencialmente constante através da série Ta1-xZrx com x < 0.10. / In the present study, polycrystalline samples of Ta-rich binary alloys with stoichiometry Ta1-xZrx; x < 0.15; were prepared by mixing appropriate amounts of the metallic elements which were arc-melted on a water-cooled hearth under high-purity argon atmosphere. The X-ray diffraction patterns of the as cast alloys and heat treated ones at 850 °C by 24 h revealed the occurrence of the body-centered cubic crystal structure bcc, type W, and lattice parameters that increase slightly with increasing Zr content. Magnetic susceptibility measurements dc, performed in zero-field cooling ZFC and field cooling FC processes, indicated that bulk superconductivity is observed below ~ 5.8, 6.9, and 7.0 K, in samples with x = 0.05, 0.08, and 0.10, respectively. These superconducting critical temperatures are higher than that of ~ 4.45 K found in elemental Ta. Electrical resistivity measurements under applied magnetic fields to 9 T corroborated the superconducting critical temperatures for the samples studied. The thermodynamic upper critical field Hc2 and the coherence length E were estimated from the magnetoresistance data. The estimated values of Hc2 were 0.46, 1.78, 3.85, and 3.97 T, leading to E 26.0, 13.6, 9.2, and 9.1 nm for the as cast alloys with x = 0.00, 0.05, 0.08, and 0.10, respectively. In addition to this, from the results of heat capacity Cp data, jumps in the vicinity of the superconducting transition were estimated and found to be larger than the one expected from the BCS theory. By using analytic equations derived from the strong coupling theory of superconductivity we argued that the enhancement of Tc in alloying Ta with Zr is due to the increase of the electron-phonon coupling, provided that the density of states in the Fermi level was found to be essentially constant in the series Ta1-xZrx; x < 0.10.

The following dissertation presents a comprehensive study of the interaction between Dirac fermion quasiparticles (DFQs) and surface phonons on the surfaces of the topological insulators Bi2Se3 and Bi2Te3. Inelastic helium atom surface scattering (HASS) spectroscopy and time of flight (TOF) techniques were used to measure the surface phonon dispersion of these materials along the two high-symmetry directions of the surface Brillouin zone (SBZ). Two anomalies common to both materials are exhibited in the experimental data. First, there is an absence of Rayleigh acoustic waves on the surface of these materials, pointing to weak coupling between the surface charge density and the surface acoustic phonon modes and potential applications for soundproofing technologies. Secondly, both materials exhibit an out-of-plane polarized optical phonon mode beginning at the SBZ center and dispersing to lower energy with increasing wave vector along both high-symmetry directions of the SBZ. This trend terminates in a V-shaped minimum at a wave vector corresponding to 2kF for each material, after which the dispersion resumes its upward trend. This phenomenon constitutes a strong Kohn anomaly and can be attributed to the interaction between the surface phonons and DFQs. To quantify the coupling between the optical phonons experiencing strong renormalization and the DFQs at the surface, a phenomenological model was constructed based within the random phase approximation. Fitting the theoretical model to the experimental data allowed for the extraction of the matrix elements of the coupling Hamiltonian and the modifications to the surface phonon propagator encoded in the phonon self energy. This allowed, for the first time, calculation of phonon mode-specific quasiparticle-phonon coupling λⱱ(q) from experimental data. Additionally, an averaged coupling parameter was determined for both materials yielding ¯λ^Te ≈ 2 and ¯λ^Se ≈ 0.7. These values are significantly higher than those of typical metals, underscoring the strong coupling between optical surface phonons and DFQs in topological insulators. In an effort to connect experimental results obtained from phonon and photoemission spectroscopies, a computational process for taking coupling information from the phonon perspective and translating it to the DFQ perspective was derived. The procedure involves using information obtained from HASS measurements (namely the coupling matrix elements and optical phonon dispersion) as input to a Matsubara Green function formalism, from which one can obtain the real and imaginary parts of the DFQ self energy. With these at hand it is possible to calculate the DFQ spectral function and density of states, allowing for comparison with photoemission and scanning tunneling spectroscopies. The results set the necessary energy resolution and extraction methodology for calculating ¯λ from the DFQ perspective. Additionally, determining ¯λ from the calculated spectral functions yields results identical to those obtained from HASS, proving the self-consistency of the approach.

The structural, electronic, and superconducting properties of one dimensional materials are calculated from first principles, using the density functional theory. Nanotubes and nanowires are important building blocks in nanotechnology, in particular for nanoelectronics. In this manuscript, the growth of carbon nanotubes is studied through the interaction between carbon and the transition metal atoms used as growth catalysts. The accepted model for a new phase of nanotube-like molybdenum disulfide is critically examined using comparisons of energetic stability and types of chemical bonding in different candidate structures which have similar compositions. The epitaxial growth of diamond carbon on (100) iridium is exceptionally favorable. The differences between various substrates used experimentally are studied, and the specificity of Ir is shown. Finally, the characteristics of the electron-phonon interaction in aluminium nanowires are determined. The structural instabilities and the differences in the electron-phonon coupling are calculated for straight monoatomic wires, zigzag wires, and thicker straight wires. The constrained geometry of the wires generates a coupling which can be very strong or almost vanish, depending on the structural details, but which is concentrated in the longitudinal high-frequency phonons.

The structural, electronic, and superconducting properties of one dimensional materials are calculated from first principles, using the density functional theory. Nanotubes and nanowires are important building blocks in nanotechnology, in particular for nanoelectronics. In this manuscript, the growth of carbon nanotubes is studied through the interaction between carbon and the transition metal atoms used as growth catalysts. The accepted model for a new phase of nanotube-like molybdenum disulfide is critically examined using comparisons of energetic stability and types of chemical bonding in different candidate structures which have similar compositions. The epitaxial growth of diamond carbon on (100) iridium is exceptionally favorable. The differences between various substrates used experimentally are studied, and the specificity of Ir is shown. Finally, the characteristics of the electron-phonon interaction in aluminium nanowires are determined. The structural instabilities and the differences in the electron-phonon coupling are calculated for straight monoatomic wires, zigzag wires, and thicker straight wires. The constrained geometry of the wires generates a coupling which can be very strong or almost vanish, depending on the structural details, but which is concentrated in the longitudinal high-frequency phonons.

For the past three decades, newly discovered carbon nanostructures such as fullerenes, graphene and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have revolutionized the field of nanoscience, introducing many practical and potential applications pertaining to their exceptional structural, mechanical, thermal, and optoelectronic properties. Raman spectroscopy has been an instrumental technique for characterizing these materials due to its non-destructive nature and high sensitivity to the material responses. While Raman spectroscopy is broadly used for identifying specific material types and quality, it has also been increasingly useful as a tool for probing the electronic and excitonic properties, as well as their interplay with the vibrational properties in the aforementioned carbon nanomaterials. In this dissertation, we present our Raman-related research on carbon nanotubes and a new member of the nano-carbon family - carbon nanohoops (cycloparaphenylenes, or CPPs). We discuss our new findings on the resonance Raman spectroscopy (RRS) of various semiconducting CNTs, with the focus on the Raman excitation profiles (REPs) for the G-band. The asymmetric lineshapes observed in the G-band REPs for the second excitonic (E22) transition of these CNTs contradict a long-held approximation, the Franck-Condon principle, for the vibronic properties of the carbon nanotubes. In addition, the G-band REPs from the closely spaced E33 and E44 transitions are investigated, and we demonstrate that these excitonic levels exhibit significant quantum interference effects between each other. We also present the first comprehensive study of Raman spectroscopy of CPPs. Analogously to CNTs, we show that Raman spectroscopy can be used to identify CPPs of different sizes. A plethora of Raman modes are observed in these spectra, including modes that are comparable to those of CNTs, such as the G-band, as well as Raman peaks that are unique for CPPs. Calculated Raman spectra using density functional theory (DFT) are compared with the experimental results for the assignment of different modes. Furthermore, we refine our knowledge of the CPP Raman modes by concentrating on the even-numbered CPPs. By taking advantage of the symmetry arguments in the even [n]CPPs, we are able to utilize group theory and accurately identify the size dependences of different Raman-active modes.

The polaron problem is studied, on an infinite lattice, using the continuous-time path-integral quantum Monte Carlo scheme The method is based on the Feynman technique to analytically integrate out the phonon degrees of freedom. The transformed problem is that of a single electron with retarded self-interaction in imaginary time. The Metropolis algorithm is used to sample an ensemble of electron trajectories with twisted (rather than periodic) boundary conditions in imaginary time, which allows dynamic properties of the system to by measured directly. The method is numerically "exact", in the sense that there are no systematic errors due to finite system size, trotter decomposition or finite temperature The implementation of the algorithm in continuous imaginary time dramatically increases computational efficiency compared with the traditional discrete imaginary time algorithms.