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This work presents a spectroscopic and theoretical study of several energy materials using synchrotron-based techniques. Two classes of materials are studied: solids that have reported photocatalytic properties, and lithium compounds that are thought to form during the cycling of modern battery electrodes. An overview of synchrotron soft X-ray spectroscopic techniques is presented, along with the theory and procedures associated with performing such measurements. These measurements are compared to density functional theory (DFT) calculations, as implemented by the WIEN2k package, along with a description of the DFT method. Calculated electronic structure is shown to be a useful aid in interpreting the results of X-ray emission and X-ray near-edge absorption measurements (XES and XANES), allowing conclusions about the physical structure and properties of the materials to be reached. Two photocatalytic systems are outlined, the first of which is a solid solution of GaN and ZnO (GaN:ZnO) that exhibits an unexpected reduction in band gap. By carefully comparing common hybridized features from O, N and Zn core emission lines, a binding energy picture of the valence and conduction bands of GaN:ZnO is constructed, allowing its band gap reduction to be described as a consequence of heterojunctions between predominantly GaN and ZnO regions within the solid solution. This description attempts to resolve controversy in the literature regarding the origin of the band gap reduction, as well as to rule out a hypothesized oxynitride superlattice structure as the explanation. The second photocatalytic system studied is a carbon nitride derivative, poly(triazine imide) (PTI) that displays high crystallinity and that could be very inexpensive to produce due to its elemental abundance. Through resonant excitation, two inequivalent N sites in PTI can be probed by X-ray emission spectroscopy, indicating the material is not a conjugated polymer like other reported carbon nitrides. The band gap of the system is observed to decrease in response to disordered Li loading, an e ect that is con rmed by DFT calculation. Several potential disorder models of the Li loading of PTI are investigated with DFT force minimization in order to choose a structural candidate capable of producing calculated X-ray spectra that agree with our measurements. The presented lithium study attempts to use a modern soft X-ray absorption facility to characterize the Li surface by-products inherent to the charge-discharge cycling of a battery electrode. A survey of potential Li compounds was performed using Li K-edge XANES will be compared to DFT calculations and X-ray Raman Scattering measurements performed by collaborators in the future. Correlating measurements of the survey compounds with charge-cycled electrode measurements will be an area for future work.

An important direction in nanoscale science is to synthesize materials whereby atomic clusters serve as the building blocks. Properties of these clusters can be controlled through size and composition, and such an approach offers a pathway toward designing larger, customized materials. One way to stabilize such materials is through the use of ligated clusters. Ag4Ni2(DMSA)4 is one such cluster, the first with a bimetallic core, and has been stabilized by the experimental group of A. Sen at The Pennsylvania State University. The theoretical studies undertaken in this thesis were directed toward providing information on the atomic structure, nature of electronic states, optical spectra, and any magnetic information of this new species. Theoretical studies have also been carried out on various clusters to provide input into the fragmentation data obtained through MS/MS experiments.

Taking into account the technological demand for the controlled preparation of atomically precise graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) with well-defined properties, the present thesis is focused on the investigation of the role of the underlying metal substrate in the process of building GNRs using bottom-up strategy and on the changes in the electronic structure of GNRs induced by the GNR-metal interaction. The combination of surface sensitive synchrotron-radiation-based spectroscopic techniques and scanning tunneling microscopy with in situ sample preparation allowed to trace evolution of the structural and electronic properties of the investigated systems. Significant impact of the substrate activity on the growth dynamics of armchair GNRs of width N = 7 (7-AGNRs) prepared on inert Au(111) and active Cu(111) was demonstrated. It was shown that unlike inert Au(111) substrate, the mechanism of GNRs formation on Ag(111) and Cu(111) includes the formation of organometallic intermediates based on the carbon-metal-carbon bonds. Experiments performed on Cu(111) and Cu(110), showed that a change of the balance between molecular diffusion and intermolecular interaction significantly affects the on-surface reaction mechanism making it impossible to grow GNRs on Cu(110). It was demonstrated that deposition of metals on spatially aligned GNRs prepared on stepped Au(788) substrate allows to investigate GNR-metal interaction using angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy. In particular intercalation of one monolayer of copper beneath 7-AGNRs leads to significant electron injection into the nanoribbons, indicating that charge doping by metal contacts must be taken into account when designing GNR/electrode systems. Alloying of intercalated copper with gold substrate upon post-annealing at 200°C leads to a recovery of the initial position of GNR-related bands with respect to the Fermi level, thus proving tunability of the induced n-doping. Contrary, changes in the electronic structure of 7-AGNRs induced by the deposition of Li are not reversible.  It is demonstrated that via lithium doping 7-AGNRs can be transformed from a semiconductor into a metal state due to the partial filling of the conduction band. The band gap of Li-doped GNRs is reduced and the effective mass of the conduction band carriers is increased.

O principal objetivo dessa dissertação de mestrado é o estudo das propriedades estruturais e eletrônicas de umdosmateriaismais promissores para a nanoeletrônica, os nanotubos de carbono, na presença de defeitos do tipo vacâncias. Os defeitos estudados neste trabalho são as monovacâncias e multivacâncias em nanotubos de carbono armchair (5, 5). Para isso, realizamos cálculos quânticos de primeiros princípios baseados na teoria do funcional da densidade. Primeiramente, foi realizado um estudo sistemático das monovacâncias variando a sua concentração, para que possamos entender qual é a influência da distância entre esses defeitos no sistema. A partir de 14.784Å o efeito do potencial inserido pela vacância praticamente é desprezível. Seguindo essa sistemática, observamos também que a partir de 19.712Å a interação elástica entre defeitos é desprezível. Em todas as estruturas de bandas ocorre o surgimento de bandas de impureza, caracterizadas por uma localização de carga no defeito, principalmente no \"dangling bond\". Utilizando o procedimento NEB (nudge elastic band) obtivemos um valor de 0.55eV para a barreira de migração da vacância. Esse valor fornece um tempo aproximado de 0.156ms a 300K, para que a vacância salte de um sítio para outro na rede do nanotubo. Tendo isso, determinamos que a monovacância é um defeito que apresenta uma grande mobilidade no sistema, o que pode eventualmente ocorrer de uma encontrar-se com outras, formando sistemas maiores, como clusters de monovacâncias ou multivacâncias. Seguindo o nosso objetivo, realizamos um estudo sistemático das multivacâncias. Determinamos todas as reconstruções desses defeitos, nas quais observamos que as multivacâncias de índice par, apresentavam somente pentágonos e uma região central, e em contrapartida as de índice ímpar apresentavam pentágonos, uma região central e um dangling bond na sua estrutura final. Definidas as estruturas e as energias das multivacâncias, calculamos suas propriedades eletrônicas, onde é notório que a influência desses defeitos é muito mais drástica que as monovacâncias, devido a sua grande extensão no sistema. Realizamos cálculos de transporte eletrônico para todos os sistemas, utilizando o método de funções de Green fora do equilíbrio (NEGF-DFT), desenvolvido no nosso grupo. A partir desses cálculos, observamos que todos os defeitos modificam a estrutura eletrônica do sistema, uns mais outros menos, mas até para as multivacâncias maiores como a hexavacância, o sistema mantém o seu caráter metálico. Através das técnicas de funções de Green, mostramos que quando estamos utilizando condições periódicas de contorno há uma surgimento de minigap\'s espúrios. Estes não aparecem quando o vínculo de simetria translacional é quebrado via técnicas de funções de Green. / The main purpose of this dissertation is the study of the electronic and structural properties in the presence of different types of vacancies, in one of the most promising materials for nanoelectronics, carbon nanotubes. The defects studied in this work are monovacancy and multivacancies in (5, 5) armchair carbon nanotubes. For that purpose perform quantum ab initio calculations based on density functional theory (DFT). Firstly, was made a systematic study of monovacancies varying its concentration, so we can understand what is the influence of the distance between these defects in the system. Undergoes reconstruction pentagon nonagon from14.784Å on words the effect of the potential created by the vacancy is practically negligible. Following this systematic approach, we also found that from 19.712Å the structural interaction between the defects tends to zero. In all band structures one observes impurity bands, characterized by charge localization in the defect, mainly in the dangling bond. Using the NEB (nudge elastic band) procedure we obtained a value of 0.55eV for the migration barrier of the monovacancy. This value provides an approximate time of 0.156ms at 300K for the vacancy to jump from one site to another on the nanotube network. Hence, we determined that the monovacancy presents a great mobility in the system, which may possibly inccur in two ore more vacancies merging with others to form a larger defect, such as clusters of monovacancies or a hole multivacancy. Following our goal, we conducted a systematic study of multivacancies. We determined all reconstructions of these defects. We observed that multivacancies with and even number of carbon atoms removed had only pentagons and a central region. In contrast the CNT with and odd numbers of carbon atoms removed have pentagons, a central region and a dangling bond in its final structure. Once we have defined the structures and the energies of the multivacancies, we calculated their electronic properties. It is clear that the influence of these defects is much more drastic than the monovacancy, due to the size of the defect in the system. We calculated the electronic transport for all systems, using a non-equilibrium Green\'s functions method (NEGF-DFT), developed in our group. From these calculations, we observed that all the defects alter the electronic structure of the system, but even for the largest multivacancy, the system maintains its metallic character. Using the Green\'s functions techniques, we show that the use of periodic boundary conditions leads to the emergence of spurious mini-gap\'s. These do not appear when the translational symmetry is broken using Green\'s function approach and a true open system is considered.

Thesis advisor: Hong Ding / Thesis advisor: Ziqiang Wang / The discovery of the high-T_c superconductivity in iron-arsenic materials in 2008 immediately became one of the hottest topics in the condensed matter physics. This dissertation presents a systematic study on the pairing symmetry and electronic structure on the hole doped materials of BaFe₂As₂ (so called &ldquo;122&rdquo;-system), by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES). In the early ARPES studies on &ldquo;122&rdquo;-pnictides, we observed two hole-like Fermi surfaces (FSs) centered at the Brillouin zone (BZ) center, (&Gamma;), and two electron-like FSs centered at the zone corner (M), which is (&pi;, &pi;) in the BZ or (&pi;, 0) in the unfolded BZ. The size of these FS sheets can be changed by carrier doping, which causes change of the chemical potential. In the superconducting state, temperature (<italic>T</italic>) and momentum (<italic>k</italic>) dependence of ARPES measurements reveals the Fermi-surface-dependent nodeless superconducting gaps in this system and shows that an <italic>s</italic>-wave symmetry is the most natural interpretation for our findings in terms of the pairing order parameter. The ratio 2&Delta;/k_BT_c switches from weak to strong coupling on different FS sheets. Large superconducting gaps are observed with a strong coupling coefficient (2&Delta;/k_BT_c) on the near-nested FSs connected by the antiferromagnetic (AF) wave vector ((&pi;, &pi;) in the BZ or (&pi;, 0) in the unfolded BZ). When T_c is suppressed in the heavily overdoped materials, the near-nesting condition vanishes, or more precisely, the (&pi;, &pi;) inter-FS scattering disappears due to the absence of either the hole-like or the electron-like FS at the Fermi energy (E_F). We have also performed ARPES measurements on k_z-dependence of the superconducting gap and band structure of the optimally hole doped sample Ba_0.6K_0.4Fe₂As₂. By varying the photon energy, we can tune k_z continuously. While significant k_z dispersion of the superconducting gaps is observed on the hole-like bands, much weaker k_z dispersion of the superconducting gaps is observed on the electron-like bands. Remarkably, we find that a 3D gap function based on short-range pairing can fit the superconducting gaps on all the FS sheets. Moreover, an additional hole-like FS (referred as the &alpha;<super>&lsquo;</super> FS) predicted by local density approximation (LDA) calculations is observed around the Z point. The disappearance of intensity of the &alpha;<super>&lsquo;</super> band near E_F at k_z = &pi;/2 suggests that the &alpha;<super>&lsquo;</super> band could either sink below E_F or be degenerate with the inner hole (&alpha;) band. The studies on the &alpha;<super>&lsquo;</super> band in the superconducting state reveal a nearly isotropic superconducting gap on this FS sheet. Underdoped samples Ba_0.75K_0.25Fe₂As₂ are used to study how the AF fluctuations and superconductivity interplay in the underdoped regime that is closer to the AF phase. we observe that the superconducting gap of the underdoped pnictides scales linearly with T_c. A distinct pseudogap develops upon underdoping and coexists with the superconducting gap. Remarkably, this pseudogap occurs mainly on the FS sheets that are connected by the AF wave vector, where the superconducting pairing is stronger as well. This suggests that both the pseudogap and the superconducting gap are driven by the AF fluctuations, and the long-range AF ordering competes with the superconductivity. The observed dichotomic behaviour of the pseudogap and the SC gap on different FS sheets in the underdoped pnictides shares similarities with those observed in the underdoped copper oxide superconductors, providing a possible unifying picture for both families of high-temperature superconductors. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2010. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Physics.

Temos utilizado o método de Hartree-Fock-Roothaan, seguido da teoria de perturbação de segunda ordem, para a determinação das propriedades estruturais e eletrônicas dos aglornerados GaAs, G2As, GaAs2, Ga3As, Ga2As2, GaAs3, G4As, Ga3As2, Ga2As4, GaAs4, Ga3As3, G4Asa, Ga3As4, Ga4As4 e seus íons positivos e negativos. A estrutura de equilíbrio de cada um destes aglomerados foi determinada através de cálculos de otimização de geometria sem a imposição de vínculos espaciais de simetria sobre a função de onda. Uma vez determinadas as estruturas dos estados fundamentais destes aglomerados, obtivemos os valores de diversas propriedades eletrônicas e energéticas, como o potencial de ionização, a afinidade eletrônica, 0 bond-order, populações orbitais de Mulliken, carga sobre os átomos, natureza dos HOMO-LUMO, etc. Com estas informações, pudemos então descrever de forma detalhada cada um destes aglomerados e comparar nossos resultados com os existentes na literatura. Realizando uma analise conjunta dos resultados obtidos, deduzimos um padrão estrutural a ser seguido por estes pequenos aglomerados de GaAs, onde as formas embrionárias destes aglomerados têm SUM estruturas geométrica e eletrônica baseadas em configurações altamente simétricas, formadas pelos átomos de As. Os átomos adicionais de Ga entram em posições que favorecem um padrão de hibridização e ordenamento químico que tende ao padrão apresentado pelo cristal de GaAs. A passagem para uma estrutura em camadas e observada ocorrer ja no aglomerado estequiométrico com oito átomos. Utilizando o princípio de hard and soft acids and bases, estudamos a reatividade química do aglomerado Ga2As2 e da superfície GaAs[ll0], quando em interação com átomos externos. / Using the Hartree-Fock-Roothaan method, followed by second-order perturbation theory we determined the structural and electronic properties of the GaAs, Ga2As, GaAs2, Ga3As, Ga2As2, GaAs3, Ga4As, Ga3As2, Ga2As3, GaAs4, Ga3As3, Ga4As3, Ga4As4, Ga4As4 clusters and its positive and negative ions. The equilibrium structure for each of these clusters was determined throgh geometry optimization calculations, without spatial symmetry constraint on the wave function. Once we have determined the ground state structures of these clusters, the values of different electronic and structural properties were evaluated. This includes the ionization potential, electron affinity, bond-order, Mulliken populations, the nature of the HOMO-LUMO orbitals, etc. With these informations we described in detail each one of the clusters, and we compared our results with the experimental and theoretical published results. Analysing the assembly of the obtained results, we can deduce a structural pattern to be followed by these small clusters of GaAs, where the embrionary forms of these clusters have the geometric and electronic structures based on highly symmetrical configurations formed by the As atoms. The Ga aditional atoms enter in positions that enhance a hybridization and chemical ordering which tends to that presented by the bulk. The change for a layer structure is observed occur yet in the eight atoms stechiometric cluster. Using the hard and soft acids and bases principle, we have studied chemical reactivity of the Ga2As2 cluster and the GaAs[ll0] surface when in interaction with atoms.

As várias possibilidades de aplicações tecnológicas que o material de diamante permite na indústria de dispositivos impulsionou os avanços ele fabricação de amostras de diamante sintético de alta qualidade. O diamante sintético crescido pela técnica de alta. pressão e alta temperatura (HPHT - High Pressure-High Temperature) utiliza ligas de metais de transição corno solvente-catalizadores. Dentre as várias impurezas de metal de transição introduzidas no material resultante, as impurezas de níquel são as mais bem caraterizaclas, pois os centros relacionados com Ni apresentam características especiais nestas amostras sintéticas. Medidas ele absorção óptica e de ressonância pararnagnética eletrônica têm identificado vários centros relacionados com a impureza de níquel em diamante, tanto isolados como complexos envolvendo defeitos intrínsecos ou dopantes. Entretanto, existem ainda muitas dúvidas sobre a estrutura microscópica destes centros. Neste trabalho apresentamos uma investigação teórica das propriedades eletrônicas e estruturais de impurezas relacionadas com níquel em diamante. / High quality synthetic diamond can be grown from gmphite by high pressure-high temperate menthols, using transition metal (TM) alloys ( containing manganese, iron, nickel, and cobalt) as catalysts. Nickel is the only TM which has been unambiguously identified as present in the resulting synthetic material. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and optical absorption measurements have identified Ni-related active centers in diamond mostly isolate Ni and Ni-related complexos involving intrinsic defects or dopants. However, there is considerable controversy about the microscopic structure of those centers. We present a theoretical investigation on the structural and electronic properties of nickel impurities in diamond.

Os efeitos do campo elétrico, que surgem pela aplicação de uma voltagem no contato Schottky, na estrutura eletrônica de heteroestruturas semicondutoras utilizadas nos recentes transistores de efeito de campo (FET) e numa super-rede finita são simulados numericamente. Estas heteroestruturas apresentam poços quânticos bidimensionais e camadas que podem estar tensionadas pela diferença entre os parâmetros de rede cristalinos. Através de um procedimento numérico auto-consistente várias grandezas físicas são estudadas, os auto-estados e as densidades eletrônicas nas sub-bandas são calculadas. A variação destas grandezas é associada à capacitância e à transcondutância intrínseca, em função da voltagem no gate. Os resultados da simulação são comparados aos dados experimentais. Este procedimento possibilita a compreensão dos fenômenos quânticos envolvidos com a previsão de certas características de dispositivos sem a necessidade prévia de sua produção e testes / Eletric field effects on the electronic characteristics of semiconductor heterostructures used in recent field effect transistors (FETs) and in a finite superlattice are numerically simulated. This field is due to a voltage bias applied on a Schottky contact. These heterostructures have two-dimensional quantum wells and layers wich can be stressed due to different lattice parameters of the materials involved. Through a numerical self-consistent procedure, many physical quantities are studied, such as the eigen-states and the electronic densities at the sub-bands. The changes in such quantities are associated to the capacitance and to the intrinsic transconductance as a function of the gate voltage. The results are compared to experimental data. This procedure allows the comprehension of the quantum phenomena involved and the prediction of device characteristics, without the need to fabricate and test it

Nessa tese de doutorado apresentamos um estudo da estrutura eletronica de materiais isolantes topologicos. A teoria fundamental dos isolantes topologicos foi abordada atraves de invariantes topologicos Z2, assim como os seus metodos para o calculo desses invariantes topologicos e as consequencias da topologia de bandas nao-trivial. Assim como as propriedades atomisticas e energeticas, as propriedades eletronicas de alguns isolantes topologicos foram calculadas atraves de metodos de primeiros principios baseados na Teoria do Funcional da Densidade. Apresentamos nessa tese o estudo de quatro sistemas de interesse fisico: (1) Em isolantes topologicos do tipo Bi2Se3 e Bi2Te3 com falhas de empilhamentos, encontramos que o Bi2Te3 com falhas de empilhamentos apresentam estados metalicos na regiao do defeito; (2) Na interface Bi2Se3/GaAs com tratamento de Se na regiao do GaAs, encontramos que a interacao entre o cone de Dirac do Bi2Se3 com a banda de valencia do GaAs abre um gap de energia no ponto ; (3) Em nanoestradas de germaneno imersas em germanano com interfaces zigzag, encontramos que a partir de uma largura critica podemos observar o efeito Hall quantico de spin; e (4) nas ligas desordenadas hexagonais de SixGe1-x em duas dimensoes, o sistema desordenado compartilha a mesma topologia de bandas do siliceno e do germaneno, enquanto que a liga ordenada Si0.5Ge0.5 e um isolante trivial. As estruturas eletronicas desses sistemas foram investigadas no intuito de entender as consequencias fisicas da topologia de bandas nao-trivial nos estados de Bloch de bulk e de superficies/interfaces. / In this doctoral thesis we present a study of the electronic structure of topological insulators materials. The fundamental theory of topological insulators was addressed through the Z2 topological invariants, as well as their methods to calculate these topological invariants and the consequences of non-trivial band topology. Just as atomistic and energetic properties, the electronic properties of some topological insulators were calculated using first-principles methods based upon Density Functional Theory. We present in this thesis the study of four systems of physical interest: (1) In topological insulators like Bi2Se3 and Bi2Te3 with stacking faults, we found that the Bi2Te3 with stacking faults presents metallic states in the region of the defect; (2) For Bi2Se3/GaAs interface with Se-treatment in the GaAs region, we found that the interaction between the Dirac cone of the Bi2Se3 and the valence band of the GaAs opens a bandgap at the -point; (3) In germanene nanoroads embedded on germanane with zigzag interfaces/edge, we found that from a critical width we can observe the quantum spin Hall effect; and (4) For SixGe1x two-dimensional hexagonal disordered alloy, the system shares the same non-trivial band topology of the silicene and germanene, while the ordered alloy Si0.5Ge0.5 is a trivial insulator. The electronic structures of these systems were investigated in order to understand the physical consequences of non-trivial band topology in the bulk and surfaces/interfaces Bloch states.