The present work focuses on analyses of the experimental 57 Fe nuclear magnetic resonance data and the results of ab initio calculations in order to achieve deeper insight into the hyperfine and electronic structure of magnetite both below and above the Verwey phase transition. Parameters of hyperfine interactions and electronic structure data of the Cc phase of magnetite were extracted from the results of ab initio calculations based on the recently reported crystal structure. Published experimental dependences of the 57 Fe nuclear magnetic resonance frequencies on the external magnetic field direction were quantitatively reanalyzed, yielding hyperfine anisotropy data, which were compared to the analogous hyperfine field parameters from the ab initio calculations. The findings were interpreted in the context of up-to-date charge ordering models for magnetite. Attention was also paid to the impact of various cationic substitutions and defects on the electronic structure and hyperfine interactions in magnetite manifested in the 57 Fe nuclear magnetic resonance spectra: below the Verwey transition, signal intensity shifts in the spectra were analyzed; above the Verwey transition, the mean field model was adapted for an analysis of temperature dependence of satellite signal frequencies, while the anomalous...

The hyperfine interaction between carrier spins and nuclear spins is an important component in exploring spin-dependent properties in materials with strong spin orbit interaction.However hyperfine interaction has been less studied in bismuth (Bi), a heavy element exhibiting a strong Rashba-like spin-orbit interaction in its two-dimensional surface states due to the broken spatial inversion symmetry. In this dissertation we experimentally explore the carrier spin polarization due to transport under strong spin-orbit interaction and the nuclear polarization resulting from the relatively unexplored hyperfine interaction on Bi(111) films.The carrier and nuclear spin polarizations are expected to dynamically interact, a topic with ramifications to other materials where surface states with noteworthy properties play a role.To achieve this goal, an optimized van der Waals epitaxy growth technique for Bi(111) on mica substrates was developed and used, resulting in flat Bi surfaces with large grain sizes and a layered step height of 0.39±0.015 nm, corresponding to one Bi(111) bilayer height. A comparison between Bi(111) films grown on three different substrates (mica, InSb(111)B, and Si(111)) is discussed, for which scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy are applied to obtain the structural and morphological characteristics on the film surface. Magnetotransport measurements are carried out to extract the transport properties of theBi(111) films. Using the high quality Bi(111) film deposited on mica, we develop quantum magnetotransport techniques as delicate tools to study hyperfine interaction. The approach is based on measuring quantum corrections to the conductivity due to weak antilocalization, which depend on the coherence of the spin state of the carriers. The carrier spin polarization is generated by a strong DC current in the Bi(111) surface states (here called the Edelstein effect), which then induces dynamic nuclear polarization by hyperfine interaction. Quantum transport antilocalization measurements in the Bi(111) thin-films grown on mica indicate a suppression of antilocalization by the in-plane Overhauser field from the nuclear polarization, and allow for the quantification of the Overhauser field, which is shown to depend on both polarization duration and the DC current magnitude. Various delay times between the polarization and the measurement result in an exponential decay of the Overhauser field, driven by relaxation time T1. We observe that in the Bi surface states, the appreciable electron density and strong spin-orbit interaction allow for dynamic nuclear polarization in the absence of an external magnetic field. / Doctor of Philosophy / This dissertation focuses on the heavy element bismuth (Bi), a semimetal with strong spin-orbit interaction at its two-dimensional surface. Given the challenge to grow high qualityBi(111) films, we present an optimized van der Waals epitaxy technique to grow Bi(111)films on mica substrates, which show a flat surface with large grain sizes and a layered step height of 0.391±0.015 nm, corresponding to one Bi(111) bilayer height. To demonstrate the high quality of the Bi(111) surface, a comparison of surface morphology was conducted among Bi(111) films deposited on three different substrates (mica, Si(111), and InSb(111)B),along with a comparison between their electronic transport properties. By applying a DC current on the high quality Bi(111) film on mica, a carrier spin polarization is established via mainly what we here call the Edelstein effect, which then induces dynamic nuclear polarization by hyperfine interaction and generates a non-equilibrium nuclear spin polarization without externally applied magnetic field. We quantified the Overhauser field from the nuclear polarization all-electrically by conducting quantum transport antilocalization experiments, which showed a suppression of antilocalization by the in-plane Overhauser field.Comparative measurements indicated that the magnitude of the Overhauser field depends onthe spin-polarizing DC current magnitude and the polarization duration. The experiments also show that antilocalization forms a sensitive probe for hyperfine interaction and nuclear polarization.

The research described in this thesis employs a variety of Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) techniques for the study of the electronic and structural properties of artificial supramolecular porphyrin systems and of protein complexes of biological relevance. The electron delocalisation in the cationic radical and photoexcited triplet states of linear and cyclic Π-conjugated multiporphyrin arrays was investigated. In the radical cations, information on the extent of delocalisation can be inferred from the measurement of hyperfine couplings, either indirectly from the continuous wave EPR spectrum or directly using pulsed hyperfine EPR techniques. The results of room temperature EPR experiments showed complete delocalisation of the electron on the timescale of the EPR experiments, but frozen solution EPR measurements revealed localisation onto mainly two to three porphyrin units in the larger porphyrin systems. Information on the delocalisation of the triplet state in the same porphyrin systems is contained both in the hyperfine couplings and in the zero-field splitting (ZFS) interaction. The results outlined in this thesis show that the hyperfine couplings provide a much more accurate estimate of the extent of delocalisation. The trends in proton and nitrogen hyperfine couplings with the size of the porphyrin systems indicate uneven spin density distributions over the linear arrays, but complete delocalisation in the cyclic systems. Time-resolved EPR and magnetophotoselection experiments have shown a reorientation of the zero-field splitting tensor between a single porphyrin unit and longer linear arrays, resulting in alignment of the main optical transition moment and the Z axis of the ZFS tensor. Continuous wave and pulsed dipolar EPR techniques were employed for the determination of the structure of two different protein complexes, the homomultimeric twin-arginine translocase A (TatA) protein channel and the ferredoxin-P450 complex of the electron transport chain in Novosphingobium aromaticivorans. The interaction between nitroxide spin labels introduced at different positions of the TatA monomer was investigated in the complex reconstituted in detergent micelles by analysing the dipolar broadening of the EPR spectra and the results of three- and four-pulse Double Electron-Electron Resonance (DEER) measurements. In combination with results from NMR and molecular dynamics calculations, a structure for the channel complex was proposed. The structure of the ferredoxin-cytochrome P450 complex was investigated by orientation-selective DEER between nitroxide labels introduced on the cytochrome P450 protein and the iron-sulfur cluster of the ferredoxin. The distance and orientation information contained in the experimental DEER data was interpreted in terms of a structural model of the protein complex by orientation-selective DEER simulations combined with a modelling approach based on protein-protein docking.

Neste trabalho foi realizada a investigação de interações hiperfinas em amostra nano estruturadas e filmes finos de dióxido de háfnio por meio da técnica de correlação angular gama-gama perturbada (CAP), com o intuito de realizar um estudo sistemático do comportamento dos parâmetros quadrupolares com a temperatura de tratamento térmico. Para a realização destas medidas foi utilizada a ponta de prova 181Hf -> 181Ta que foi produzida na própria amostra por irradiação, no reator IEA-R1 do IPEN. As amostras foram obtidas através do processo químico sol-gel e as análises dos compostos realizadas por difração de raios-X, EDS e MEV. As amostras em forma de pó foram todas produzidas pelo Laboratório de Interações Hiperfinas do IPEN, no entanto o filme fino com espessura de 10nm foi produzido pelo Centro de Lasers e Aplicações (CLA) do IPEN e o filme fino de espessura de 409nm foi produzido pelo Laboratório de Interações Hiperfinas da Universidade de Lisboa. As medidas foram realizadas todas à temperatura ambiente e os resultados mostraram que a fase monoclínica encontra-se presente em todas as amostras e sua fração tende a aumentar sempre com o aumento da temperatura de tratamento térmico na qual foram submetidas às amostras. A impurificação de algumas amostras com elementos Co e Fe foi realizada com a intenção de se observar o comportamento da amostra em função da temperatura de tratamento térmico e também verificar a existência de ferromagnetismo à temperatura ambiente. / Hyperfine interactions in the powder samples and nanostructured thin films of hafnium dioxide have been studied through the perturbed angular correlation (PAC) technique in order to perform a systematic study of the behavior of quadrupole parameters with the annealing temperature. The PAC measurements were performed with the 181Hf -> 181Ta probe. The probe was produced by the neutron irradiation in the IEA-R1 nuclear reactor of IPEN. Samples were prepared using sol-gel chemical process. The samples were analyzed by X-ray diffraction, SEM and EDS. The powder samples were all produced in the Laboratory of Hyperfine Interactions of IPEN, however the thin film with a thickness of 10nm was produced by the Lasers and Applications Center (CLA) of IPEN and the thin film of a thickness of 409nm were produced by the Hyperfine Interactions Laboratory of the Lisbon University. All the measurements were perform at room temperature and showed that the monoclinic phase is present in all the samples and their fraction tends to increase with increasing annealing temperature to which the samples were submitted. Some of the samples were doped with 3d elements Co and Fe in order to observe the possible existence of ferromagnetism at room temperature.

O estudo computacional da interação de biomoléculas com metais de transição é bastante desafiador. Sendo assim, investigamos computacionalmente diferentes propriedades eletrônicas, estruturais e hiperfinas de complexos metálicos, a saber: a) o gradiente do campo elétrico de Crown thioethers coordenados à Ag e ao Cd e comparado com as medidas da técnica espectroscópica Time Differential Perturbed Angular Correlation durante o decaimento nuclear 111Ag -> 111Cd ; b) o acoplamento hiperfino no metal coordenado à bases de Schiff e comparado com as medidas de ressonância eletrônica paramagnética durante o equilíbrio ceto-enol; c) a interação termodinâmica entre o complexo [Cu(isaenim)]2+ e o sulco menor do DNA, por meio da dissociação do complexo supramolecular [Cu(isaenim)]2+-DNA, comparada com a energia livre experimental fornecida pela constante de equilíbrio de formação deste sistema; e d) por meio do cálculo do acoplamento hiperfino realizamos alguns passos na direção da caracterização teórica do complexo supramolecular no estado ligado. Utilizamos a teoria do funcional da densidade no esquema de Kohn-Sham para obter as propriedades hiperfinas eletrônicas e magnéticas dos complexos metálicos. No estudo do equilíbrio ceto-enol utilizamos simulações de dinâmica molecular clássica e híbrida QMMM para estimar as distancias Cu-Oágua. No caso do complexo supramolecular [Cu(isaenim)]2+-DNA, simulações de dinâmica molecular e metadinâmica clássica foram utilizadas para propor uma rota de reconhecimento molecular em um oligômero de DNA. / Computational study of the interaction of biomolecules with transition metals is very challenging. Thus, we have investigated different electronic, structural and hyperfine properties of the metal complexes: a) the electric field gradient properties of Crown thioethers coordinated with Ag and Cd and compared to Time Differential Perturbed Angular Correlation measurements during nuclear decay; b) the hyperfine coupling in the metal of Schiff basis coordinated with copper and compared to electronic paramagnetic resonance measurements during the keto-enol equilibrium; c) the thermodynamic interaction between [Cu(isaenim)]2+ complex and the DNA minor groove, by the dissociation of this supramolecular complex, comparing its free energy experimental provided by the formation constant; and d) through the calculation of the hyperfine coupling in the Cu, we characterized the bound state of this supramolecular complex. We used the density functional theory in the Kohn-Sham scheme in order to obtain the electric and magnetic hyperfine properties of the metal complexes. In the keto-enol equilibrium study, we used classic and QMMM molecular dynamics to estimate the Cu-Owater distances. Regarding [Cu(isaenim)]2+-DNA system, classical molecular dynamics and metadynamics simulations were used to propose a molecular recognition route in a DNA oligomer.

Neste trabalho foi realizada a investigação de interações hiperfinas em amostra nano estruturadas e filmes finos de dióxido de háfnio por meio da técnica de correlação angular gama-gama perturbada (CAP), com o intuito de realizar um estudo sistemático do comportamento dos parâmetros quadrupolares com a temperatura de tratamento térmico. Para a realização destas medidas foi utilizada a ponta de prova 181Hf -> 181Ta que foi produzida na própria amostra por irradiação, no reator IEA-R1 do IPEN. As amostras foram obtidas através do processo químico sol-gel e as análises dos compostos realizadas por difração de raios-X, EDS e MEV. As amostras em forma de pó foram todas produzidas pelo Laboratório de Interações Hiperfinas do IPEN, no entanto o filme fino com espessura de 10nm foi produzido pelo Centro de Lasers e Aplicações (CLA) do IPEN e o filme fino de espessura de 409nm foi produzido pelo Laboratório de Interações Hiperfinas da Universidade de Lisboa. As medidas foram realizadas todas à temperatura ambiente e os resultados mostraram que a fase monoclínica encontra-se presente em todas as amostras e sua fração tende a aumentar sempre com o aumento da temperatura de tratamento térmico na qual foram submetidas às amostras. A impurificação de algumas amostras com elementos Co e Fe foi realizada com a intenção de se observar o comportamento da amostra em função da temperatura de tratamento térmico e também verificar a existência de ferromagnetismo à temperatura ambiente. / Hyperfine interactions in the powder samples and nanostructured thin films of hafnium dioxide have been studied through the perturbed angular correlation (PAC) technique in order to perform a systematic study of the behavior of quadrupole parameters with the annealing temperature. The PAC measurements were performed with the 181Hf -> 181Ta probe. The probe was produced by the neutron irradiation in the IEA-R1 nuclear reactor of IPEN. Samples were prepared using sol-gel chemical process. The samples were analyzed by X-ray diffraction, SEM and EDS. The powder samples were all produced in the Laboratory of Hyperfine Interactions of IPEN, however the thin film with a thickness of 10nm was produced by the Lasers and Applications Center (CLA) of IPEN and the thin film of a thickness of 409nm were produced by the Hyperfine Interactions Laboratory of the Lisbon University. All the measurements were perform at room temperature and showed that the monoclinic phase is present in all the samples and their fraction tends to increase with increasing annealing temperature to which the samples were submitted. Some of the samples were doped with 3d elements Co and Fe in order to observe the possible existence of ferromagnetism at room temperature.

Neste trabalho investigou-se o comportamento sistemático do campo hiperfino magnético nos compostos intermetálicos Gd(Ni,Pd,Cu)In , Tb(Ni,Pd)In, Dy(Ni,Pd)In e Ho(Ni,Pd)In, com a técnica de Correlação Angular γ-γ Perturbada, nos sítios dos elementos terras raras com o núcleo de prova 140Ce e no sítio do In com o núcleo de prova 111Cd. Os resultados obtidos da dependência com a temperatura do Campo Hiperfino Magnético (Bhf) de cada composto foram primeiramente comparados com a teoria do campo molecular por meio da função de Brillouin, da qual foram extrapolados os valores de saturação de Bhf para cada composto estudado. Os valores extrapolados a zero Kelvin de Bhf (Bhf(T=0)) para os compostos estudados neste trabalho foram usados na comparação com valores de Bhf da literatura para outros compostos contendo o mesmo elemento R (R=Terra Rara). O resultado mostrou uma dependência linear com a temperatura de ordenamento magnético, o mesmo previsto pelo modelo RKKY o que indica que a principal contribuição para Bhf vem da polarização dos elétrons de condução (CEP) via interação de contato de Fermi. O comportamento de Bhf saturado para cada família de compostos de terras raras pesados RNiIn e RPdIn como função da projeção do spin 4f do elemento R mostrou também uma relação linear, com exceção dos resultados para os compostos RNiIn obtidos com 111Cd onde foi observado um leve desvio da linearidade. Foi feita uma investigação dos parâmetros hiperfinos elétricos em função da temperatura para os compostos RPdIn e GdNiIn com o núcleo de prova 111Cd, e os resultados mostram que para o composto GdPdIn pode ocorrer desordem Gd-In a altas temperaturas. / Systematic behavior of magnetic hyperfine field (Bhf) in the intermetallic compounds Gd(Ni,Pd,Cu)In , Tb(Ni,Pd)In, Dy(Ni,Pd)In and Ho(Ni,Pd)In was studied by Perturbed Gamma-Gamma Angular Correlation spectroscopy. The measurements of Bhf were carried out at the rare earth atom and In sites using the nuclear probes 140Ce and 111In respectively. The variation of hyperfine field with temperature, in most cases, follows the Brillouin function predicted from the molecular field theory. The hyperfine field values at rare earth atom sites obtained from 140Ce probe as well as at In sites obtained from 111In probe for each series of compounds were extrapolated to zero Kelvin Bhf(T=0) from these curves. These values were compared with the values of the literature for other compounds containing the same rare earth element and all of them show a linear relationship with the ordering temperature. This indicates that the main contribution to Bhf comes from the conduction electron polarization (CEP) through Fermi contact interaction and the principal mechanism of magnetic interaction in these compounds can be described by the RKKY type interaction. The values of Bhf(T=0) for each family of intermetallic compounds RNiIn and RPdIn when plotted as a function of 4f spin projection of rare earth element also shows a linear relationship. Exceptions are the results for the compounds RNiIn obtained with 111Cd probe where a small deviation from linearity is observed. The results of the measurements carried out with the 111Cd probe were also analyzed to obtain the hyperfine parameters of the quadrupole interaction as a function of temperature for RPdIn and GdNiIn compounds. The results show that for the compound GdPdIn there might be some Gd-In disorder at high temperature.

Neste trabalho investigou-se o comportamento sistemático do campo hiperfino magnético nos compostos intermetálicos Gd(Ni,Pd,Cu)In , Tb(Ni,Pd)In, Dy(Ni,Pd)In e Ho(Ni,Pd)In, com a técnica de Correlação Angular γ-γ Perturbada, nos sítios dos elementos terras raras com o núcleo de prova 140Ce e no sítio do In com o núcleo de prova 111Cd. Os resultados obtidos da dependência com a temperatura do Campo Hiperfino Magnético (Bhf) de cada composto foram primeiramente comparados com a teoria do campo molecular por meio da função de Brillouin, da qual foram extrapolados os valores de saturação de Bhf para cada composto estudado. Os valores extrapolados a zero Kelvin de Bhf (Bhf(T=0)) para os compostos estudados neste trabalho foram usados na comparação com valores de Bhf da literatura para outros compostos contendo o mesmo elemento R (R=Terra Rara). O resultado mostrou uma dependência linear com a temperatura de ordenamento magnético, o mesmo previsto pelo modelo RKKY o que indica que a principal contribuição para Bhf vem da polarização dos elétrons de condução (CEP) via interação de contato de Fermi. O comportamento de Bhf saturado para cada família de compostos de terras raras pesados RNiIn e RPdIn como função da projeção do spin 4f do elemento R mostrou também uma relação linear, com exceção dos resultados para os compostos RNiIn obtidos com 111Cd onde foi observado um leve desvio da linearidade. Foi feita uma investigação dos parâmetros hiperfinos elétricos em função da temperatura para os compostos RPdIn e GdNiIn com o núcleo de prova 111Cd, e os resultados mostram que para o composto GdPdIn pode ocorrer desordem Gd-In a altas temperaturas. / Systematic behavior of magnetic hyperfine field (Bhf) in the intermetallic compounds Gd(Ni,Pd,Cu)In , Tb(Ni,Pd)In, Dy(Ni,Pd)In and Ho(Ni,Pd)In was studied by Perturbed Gamma-Gamma Angular Correlation spectroscopy. The measurements of Bhf were carried out at the rare earth atom and In sites using the nuclear probes 140Ce and 111In respectively. The variation of hyperfine field with temperature, in most cases, follows the Brillouin function predicted from the molecular field theory. The hyperfine field values at rare earth atom sites obtained from 140Ce probe as well as at In sites obtained from 111In probe for each series of compounds were extrapolated to zero Kelvin Bhf(T=0) from these curves. These values were compared with the values of the literature for other compounds containing the same rare earth element and all of them show a linear relationship with the ordering temperature. This indicates that the main contribution to Bhf comes from the conduction electron polarization (CEP) through Fermi contact interaction and the principal mechanism of magnetic interaction in these compounds can be described by the RKKY type interaction. The values of Bhf(T=0) for each family of intermetallic compounds RNiIn and RPdIn when plotted as a function of 4f spin projection of rare earth element also shows a linear relationship. Exceptions are the results for the compounds RNiIn obtained with 111Cd probe where a small deviation from linearity is observed. The results of the measurements carried out with the 111Cd probe were also analyzed to obtain the hyperfine parameters of the quadrupole interaction as a function of temperature for RPdIn and GdNiIn compounds. The results show that for the compound GdPdIn there might be some Gd-In disorder at high temperature.

Optical spin injection in InAs/GaAs quantum dots (QDs) structures under cryogenic temperature has been investigated in this work using continuous-wave optical orientation spectroscopy. Circularly polarized luminescence from trions in the QDs was used as a measure for the degree of spin polarization of the carriers in the QD ground states. The efficiency of spin conservation of the carriers during the injection process into the QDs and also the influence of the nuclear spins in the QDs were studied both under zero and external magnetic field. It was shown in zero magnetic field that the spin states were less conserved during the injection process for correlated excitons and hot free carriers. While under the external magnetic field, measurements were done in Faraday configuration. Confined electron motion yielding the quantized Landau levels in the InGaAs wetting layer (WL) and lifting of the Landau level spin degeneracy was observed. Also possible spin thermalization in the InGaAs WL during spin injection process was found. Finally, the quench of hyperfine induced spin relaxation by dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) in the QDs was discovered and believed to be a stronger effect under weak/zero magnetic field.

O estudo computacional da interação de biomoléculas com metais de transição é bastante desafiador. Sendo assim, investigamos computacionalmente diferentes propriedades eletrônicas, estruturais e hiperfinas de complexos metálicos, a saber: a) o gradiente do campo elétrico de Crown thioethers coordenados à Ag e ao Cd e comparado com as medidas da técnica espectroscópica Time Differential Perturbed Angular Correlation durante o decaimento nuclear 111Ag -> 111Cd ; b) o acoplamento hiperfino no metal coordenado à bases de Schiff e comparado com as medidas de ressonância eletrônica paramagnética durante o equilíbrio ceto-enol; c) a interação termodinâmica entre o complexo [Cu(isaenim)]2+ e o sulco menor do DNA, por meio da dissociação do complexo supramolecular [Cu(isaenim)]2+-DNA, comparada com a energia livre experimental fornecida pela constante de equilíbrio de formação deste sistema; e d) por meio do cálculo do acoplamento hiperfino realizamos alguns passos na direção da caracterização teórica do complexo supramolecular no estado ligado. Utilizamos a teoria do funcional da densidade no esquema de Kohn-Sham para obter as propriedades hiperfinas eletrônicas e magnéticas dos complexos metálicos. No estudo do equilíbrio ceto-enol utilizamos simulações de dinâmica molecular clássica e híbrida QMMM para estimar as distancias Cu-Oágua. No caso do complexo supramolecular [Cu(isaenim)]2+-DNA, simulações de dinâmica molecular e metadinâmica clássica foram utilizadas para propor uma rota de reconhecimento molecular em um oligômero de DNA. / Computational study of the interaction of biomolecules with transition metals is very challenging. Thus, we have investigated different electronic, structural and hyperfine properties of the metal complexes: a) the electric field gradient properties of Crown thioethers coordinated with Ag and Cd and compared to Time Differential Perturbed Angular Correlation measurements during nuclear decay; b) the hyperfine coupling in the metal of Schiff basis coordinated with copper and compared to electronic paramagnetic resonance measurements during the keto-enol equilibrium; c) the thermodynamic interaction between [Cu(isaenim)]2+ complex and the DNA minor groove, by the dissociation of this supramolecular complex, comparing its free energy experimental provided by the formation constant; and d) through the calculation of the hyperfine coupling in the Cu, we characterized the bound state of this supramolecular complex. We used the density functional theory in the Kohn-Sham scheme in order to obtain the electric and magnetic hyperfine properties of the metal complexes. In the keto-enol equilibrium study, we used classic and QMMM molecular dynamics to estimate the Cu-Owater distances. Regarding [Cu(isaenim)]2+-DNA system, classical molecular dynamics and metadynamics simulations were used to propose a molecular recognition route in a DNA oligomer.