Neste trabalho foram estudadas as fases topológicas não triviais presentes em sistemas formados pela deposição de átomos de grafeno. Encontramos que quando um átomo hibridiza fortemente com o grafeno, apresenta um momento magnético e um forte spin-órbirta é possível a formação de uma rede hexagonal de baricentros que efetivamente gera uma estrutura de bandas característica de um efeito hall quântico anômalo. Especificamente, determinamos que o Ru satisfaz estas características. Quando este metal é depositado em uma configuração triangular no grafeno ocorrem picos na densidade de estados localizados no centro geométrico (baricentro) dos triângulos formados pelos Ru. Estes picos estão distribuídos de forma hexagonal e efetivamente geram uma estrutura de bandas que nas proximidades do nível de Fermi apresenta uma configuração de spin característica do efeito Hall quântico anômalo. Adicionalmente, encontramos que o sistema composto pela absorção de Ba ou Sr no grafeno favorece a formação do efeito Hall quântico de spin. Neste sistema, o acoplamento spin-órbita (SOC) gera um gap mais de 1000 vezes maior ao período no grafeno prístino. Para o estudo destes sistemas, implementamos no código SIESTA a aproximação on-site do acoplamento spin-órbita via o formalismo dos pseudopotenciais relativísticos de norma conservada. Nossa implementação foi testada a partir do estudo de fenômenos já conhecidos: i) o strong spin-splitting gerado no grafeno pela adsorção de Au, ii) o efeito hall quântico de spin no poço quântico de HgTe/CdTe e, iii) a formação de estados topológicos na superfície do Bi2Se3 e as fases magnéticas deste material com átomos de Mn adsorvidos. / In this work, were studied the non-trivial topological phases present in systems formed by deposition of atoms in graphene. We found that when an atom hybridizes strongly with grapheme, has a magnetic moment and a strong spin-orbit it is possible the formation of a hexagonal network of barycentres that effectively generates a structure band characteristic of a quantum anomalous Hall effect. Specifically, we determined that Ru satisfies these characteristics. When this metal is deposited in a triangular configuration in grapheme, peaks occur in the density of localized states in the geometric center (centroid) of the triangles formed by Ru. These peaks are distributed in a hexagonal structure and effectively generates a band structure that near the Fermi level has a spin configuration characteristic of the spin quantum Hall effect anomalous. Additionally, we found that the system composed by the adsorption of Ba or Sr in grapheme, promotes the formation of spin quantum Hall effect. In this system, the spin-orbit coupling (SOC) generates a gap more than 1000 times grater that predicted in pristine praphene. To study these systems, wu implemented in the code SIESTA the on-site approach of the spin-orbit coupling throught the formalism of norm conserved relativistic pseudo potentials. Our implementation was tested from the study of phenomena already known: i) the strong spin-splitting generated in graphene by adsorption of Au, ii) the quantum spin Hall effect in quantum well of HgTe / CdTe and, iii) formation of topological states in the surface of Bi2Se3 and the magnetic of this material with Mn atoms adsorved.

Orientador: Pascoal José Giglio Pagliuso / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Física Gleb Wataghin / Made available in DSpace on 2018-09-02T11:57:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Souza_JeanCarlo_M.pdf: 4438731 bytes, checksum: aaba7a375b2b45b638619e944111c41b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017 / Resumo: A ideia de topologia na Física da Matéria da Condensada, apesar de ter surgido com o efeito Hall quântico inteiro, só voltou a ser explorada recentemente na busca de novas fases da matéria depois do surgimento dos Isolantes Topológicos (ITs) 2D. Após a previsão teórica, e a descoberta experimental, foi proposto que esta nova fase poderia ser generalizada para sistemas 3D, em que o volume do material seria isolante com estados metálicos de superfície que possuiriam canais de spin polarizados. Apesar de diversos experimentos e o surgimento de outras fases topológicas da matéria subsequentes, ainda há dúvidas sobre a natureza dos ITs 3D. Os efeitos topológicos mais claros ainda não foram observados de forma inequívoca e reprodutível experimentalmente e ainda seria de extrema valia encontrar técnicas experimentais que possam complementar os mais discutidos experimentos de ARPES. Nesta dissertação foram estudadas duas famílias distintas de materiais propostas como possíveis ITs 3D: os binários Bi2Se3 e Sb2Te3 e o half-Heusler YPdBi. Utilizando a técnica de auto-fluxo e a fusão estequiométrica, os sistemas foram sintetizados dopados com os terras-rara Gd3+, Nd3+ e Er3+ para realizar estudos de ressonância de spin eletrônico (RSE) e do papel dos efeitos de campo cristalino (CEF) - no caso do half-Heusler. Para o ternário YPdBi foram feitos dois estudos. Na família dos half-Heuslers, a ordem topológica surge da relação entre o acoplamento spin-órbita e a hibridização, que está ligada com a mudança do parâmetro de rede, então os efeitos de CEF poderiam estar refletindo a transição entre a trivialidade e a não-trivialidade. A partir das medidas de susceptibilidade magnética em função da temperatura das amostras dopadas com Nd3+ e Er3+ combinadas com os estudos de RSE, foi possível extrair os parâmetros de campo cristalino (CFP) de quarta e sexta ordem. Comparando esses dados com resultados anteriores para o material, supostamente, não-trivial YPtBi, observou-se uma mudança sistemática no sinal dos CFP. Resultados prévios para as amostras de YPtBi dopadas com Nd3+ mostram uma evolução não usual para uma forma de linha difusiva com a potência de micro-onda. Neste trabalho também foi realizado um estudo da forma de linha em função da potência. Apenas a ressonância do Nd3+ para os monocristais de 10% de Nd em YPdBi mostrou uma forma de linha difusiva que evolui com a potência da micro-onda. No caso dos binários Bi2Se3 e Sb2Te3, o objetivo era otimizar a rampa de tratamento térmico para obter monocristais melhores que poderiam permitir a observação de um espectro totalmente resolvido do Gd3+. Após mudanças no crescimento dos monocristais, o espectro totalmente resolvido foi obtido para as amostras de Bi2Se3. No caso do Sb2Te3 apenas uma linha central com a estrutura fina colapsada foi observada. Acompanhando o deslocamento g e a evolução da largura de linha dH da RSE do Gd3+ com a temperatura, o comportamento negativo do deslocamento g para toda a faixa de temperatura indica que elétrons do tipo p são os grandes responsáveis pela formação da superfície de Fermi residual destes sistemas. Um aumento no coeficiente angular de dH em função da temperatura, a taxa Korringa b, foi observado em baixas temperaturas, logo diferentes concentrações de Gd3+ foram utilizadas para estudar este comportamento. Novamente observou-se um comportamento anômalo em baixas temperaturas, o que poderia estar relacionado com a evolução dos CFP com a temperatura. Todos esses resultados foram discutidos levando-se em conta a possibilidade de existência de topologia não-trivial na estrutura eletrônica desses materiais, com foco particular na relação da interação spin-órbita e os efeitos de campo cristalino com a manifestação da topologia não trivial nesses sistemas / Abstract: The idea of topological systems in Condensed Matter Physics, although already explored in the Quantum Hall Effect, has recently become a topic of intense scientific investigation. In particular, great efforts have been dedicated to the search for new quantum phases since the proposal of the Topological Insulators (TIs) in 2D. After the theoretical prediction and the experimental discovery of the TIs in the 2D case, the existence of the Quantum Hall Spin Effect in 3D, 3D TIs, was proposed, where an insulator bulk and metallic surface states with spin polarized channels could be experimentally realized. Although many experiments have been performed, and some groups claimed the direct observation of such new topological phases, there is still a lot of controversy about the nature of the 3D TIs and about the actual microscopic origin of the metallic states on the surface of the studied materials. Other signatures of the topological phases have not been unambiguously and repeatedly measured yet and there is an obvious lack of a supplementary lab technique to be compared to the most used technique to probe these states, which is ARPES. In this work we have studied two different classes of 3D TIs: the binaries Bi2Se3 and Sb2Te3 and the half-Heusler YPdBi. We have been able to grow single crystals of these materials pure and rare-earth doped with Gd3+, Nd3+ and Er3+ using the self-flux technique and the stoichiometric melting. The aim was to use these crystals to study Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) as a potential probe to investigate the existence of the metallic surface states and to explore the possible of the crystalline electrical field (CEF) effects on the formation of the non-trivial electronic structure of these materials. Regarding the YPdBi, our ESR and magnetization studies have revealed that, in the half-Heusler family, the topological order emerges from the interplay between spin-orbit coupling and the hybridization, which is connected with the changes on the lattice parameter. Thus, the CEF effects could reflect the transition from trivial to nontrivial topology. From the magnetic susceptibility data as a function of temperature from the Nd3+ and Er3+ doped samples combined with the ESR studies, it was possible to extract the fourth and sixth order crystal field parameters (CFP). Comparing our data with the previous results from YPtBi, which is a putative non-trivial material, a systematic change in the sign of the CFP was observed. Previous results with the YPtBi Nd-doped samples show an unusual evolution of the Nd3+ ESR line to a diusive-like line shape as a function of the microwave power. In this work we have performed a similar study of the Nd3+ ESR line shape as a function of the microwave power. Only for the single crystal of 10% Nd in YPdBi resonance shows a diffusive-like line shape that evolves with the microwave power. In the case of the binaries Bi2Se3 e Sb2Te3, the aim of this work was to optimize the heat treatment used in previous works of our group to obtain better single crystals that could allow the observation of the full resolved spectra from Gd3+. After many changes in the single crystal growth method, we were able to observe fully resolved Gd3+ ESR spectra in the Bi2Se3 samples. Regarding the Sb2Te3 single crystals, only a single Gd3+ Dysonian ESR line was observed. Following the Gd3+ ESR dg and dH as a function of temperature, the observed negative behavior of dg, in the whole temperature range studied, indicates that p-type electrons are the main source for the formation of the small the Fermi surface of these materials. An increase of the angular coefficient of dH as a function of temperature, the Korringa rate b, at low temperatures was observed and different concentrations of Gd3+ were required to investigate this anomaly. Again this anomalous behavior at low temperatures was observed for the all Gd-doped samples, which could be related to an evolution of CFP with temperature. We discuss our results taking into account the existence of non-trivial topological states in our samples and the role of spin-orbit and CEF effects might have in the formation of such states / Mestrado / Física / Mestre em Física / 132653/2015-0 / CNPQ / CAPES / FAPESP

Le tellurure de mercure et de cadmium (HgCdTe ou MCT) est un matériau reconnu pour la physique de la matière condensée, dont l'histoire, datant aujourd'hui de plus de cinquante ans, constitue un excellent exemple des progrès remarquables réalisés dans la recherche sur les semi-conducteurs et les semi-métaux. Notre travail est principalement motivé par l’intérêt fondamental que suscitent ces systèmes, mais notre recherche peut également avoir un impact pratique (indirect) sur la médecine, la surveillance ou la détection de l’environnement ainsi que sur les systèmes de sécurité. Cela peut aider à améliorer les performances des photodétecteurs dans la limite des grandes longueurs d'onde ou à faciliter la fabrication de dispositifs émettant de la lumière.La présente thèse de doctorat vise principalement à combler certaines des lacunes de notre compréhension de la structure de bande électronique des hétérostructures 2D et quasi-2D basées sur les matériaux HgTe/HgCdTe et InAs/InSb, qui peuvent être transformés en phase topologiquement isolante à l'aide des paramètres de croissance. Pour explorer leurs propriétés, la technique expérimentale de base, la magnéto-spectroscopie infrarouge et THz fonctionnant dans un large éventail de champs magnétiques, est combinée à des mesures complémentaires de magnéto-transport. Cette combinaison de méthodes expérimentales nous permet d’obtenir de précieuses informations sur les états électroniques non seulement à l’énergie de Fermi, mais également dans son voisinage relativement large. Diverses hétérostructures ont été étudiées avec des caractéristiques globales et/ou spécifiques déterminées principalement par les paramètres de croissance.La réponse magnéto-optique observée, due aux excitations intra-bande (résonance cyclotron) et interbandes (entre les niveaux de Landau) peut être interprétée dans le contexte d'études antérieures sur des échantillons 3D, des puits quantiques et des super-réseaux, mais également en rapport aux attentes théoriques. Ici, nous visons à obtenir une explication quantitative des données expérimentales recueillies, mais également à développer un modèle théorique fiable. Ce dernier comprend le réglage précis des paramètres de structure de bande présents dans le modèle établi de Kane, mais surtout, l'identification de termes supplémentaires pertinents (d'ordre élevé) nécessaires pour parvenir à un accord quantitatif avec nos expériences. On peut s’attendre à ce que les corrections dues à ces termes supplémentaires affectent davantage les sous-bandes de valence, généralement caractérisées par des masses effectives relativement importantes et, par conséquent, par une grande densité d’états ou, lorsque le champ magnétique est appliqué, par un espacement assez étroit (et mélange important) des niveaux de Landau. / Mercury cadmium telluride (HgCdTe or MCT) is a time-honored material for condensed matter physics, whose history  nowadays more than fifty years long  may serve as an excellent example of remarkable progress made in research on semiconductors and semimetals. The ternary compound HgCdTe implies two important aspects, which largely contributed to its undoubted success in solid-states physics.The present PhD thesis primarily aims at filling some of existing gaps in our understanding of the electronic band structure in 2D and quasi-2D heterostructures based on HgTe/HgCdTe and InAs/InSb materials, which both may be tuned into topologically insulating phase using particular structural parameter. To explore their properties, the primal experimental technique, infrared and THz magneto-spectroscopy operating in a broad of magnetic fields, is combined with complementary magneto-transport measurements. This combination of experimental methods allows us to get valuable insights into electronic states not only at the Fermi energy, but also in relatively broad vicinity.The observed magneto-optical response - due to intraband (cyclotron resonance) and interband inter-Landau level excitations - may be interpreted in the context of previous studies performed on bulk samples , quantum wells and superlattices, but also compared with theoretical expectations. Here we aim at achieving the quantitative explanation of the collected experimental data, but also further developing a reliable theoretical model. The latter includes the fine-tuning of the band structure parameters present in the established Kane model, but even more importantly, identifying additional relevant (high-order) terms and finding their particular strengths, needed to achieve quantitative agreement with our experiments. One may expect that corrections due to these additional terms will more affect the valence subbands, which are in general characterized by relatively large effective masses. Consequently, valence subbands have larger density of states compared to conduction band or, when the magnetic field is applied, rather narrow spacing (and possibly large mixing) of Landau levels.

Thesis. 1978. Ph.D.--Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ENGINEERING. / Bibliography: leaves 248-250. / Ph.D.

O conceito de preservação ambiental dos dias atuais não permite que haja exageros na utilização dos bens naturais, fazendo com que as pessoas se adaptem e reduzam a utilização, ou promovam a reciclagem de materiais. Nessa conjuntura, esse trabalho de doutorado versa sobre a especificação e a necessidade de se obter novos padrões estruturais e elétricos de cruzetas a serem utilizados nas redes de distribuição de 15 kV e procurará desenvolver opções compatíveis com a preservação do meio ambiente. Neste sentido, o principal foco está direcionado à definição de novas geometrias para as cruzetas de madeira, induzindo a uma redução direta na utilização das madeiras retiradas de florestas tropicais. Cabe colocar que quando da proposição de uma nova geometria, todos os aspectos elétricos e mecânicos relacionados à definição deste novo padrão devem ser descritos e comprovados em termos da viabilidade prática e t´técnica de aplicação, dispondo-se de várias análises e procedimentos de testes que o garantam frente às possíveis operações que o sistema elétrico, na classe de tensão de 15 kV, venha a enfrentar. Na realização do trabalho, utilizou-se três softwares, o Alternative Transients Program (ATP), o FLUX 3D e o DIgSILENT PowerFactory, para as simulações dos transitórios eletromagnéticos, simulações de campos elétricos e análises de desempenho das linhas, respectivamente. Pela metodologia aplicada, os resultados observados ressaltam uma considerável margem de segurança no comprimento da estrutura da cruzeta atualmente empregada em campo, permitindo a diminuição desejada e confiável para um modelo alternativo. / The current concept of environmental preservation does not allow any exaggeration in the use of natural resources, leading people to adapt themselves and reduce the use, or promote the recycling of materials. At this juncture, this doctoral work focuses on the specification and the need to obtain new structural and electrical patterns for crossarms to be used in 15 kV distribution networks and seek to develop compatible options with the preservation of the environment. In this sense, the main focus is directed toward the definition of new geometries for wood crossarms, inducing an evident reduction in the use of wood taken from tropical forests. It is important to place that when a new geometry is proposed, all electrical and mechanical aspects related to the definition of this new pattern should be described and demonstrated in terms of practicability and technic of application, arranging various analyzes and testing procedures that guarantee it against the possible operations that the electrical system with voltage rating of 15 kV can be face. In carrying out the work, three softwares (ATP, FLUX 3D e DIgSILENT) were used for the simulation of electromagnetic transients, the simulation of electric fields and analysis of performance of the lines, respectively. For the methodology applied, the observed results highlight a significant safety margin in the length of the crossarm structure currently employed in the field, allowing the desired and reliable reduction for an alternative model.

O conceito de preservação ambiental dos dias atuais não permite que haja exageros na utilização dos bens naturais, fazendo com que as pessoas se adaptem e reduzam a utilização, ou promovam a reciclagem de materiais. Nessa conjuntura, esse trabalho de doutorado versa sobre a especificação e a necessidade de se obter novos padrões estruturais e elétricos de cruzetas a serem utilizados nas redes de distribuição de 15 kV e procurará desenvolver opções compatíveis com a preservação do meio ambiente. Neste sentido, o principal foco está direcionado à definição de novas geometrias para as cruzetas de madeira, induzindo a uma redução direta na utilização das madeiras retiradas de florestas tropicais. Cabe colocar que quando da proposição de uma nova geometria, todos os aspectos elétricos e mecânicos relacionados à definição deste novo padrão devem ser descritos e comprovados em termos da viabilidade prática e t´técnica de aplicação, dispondo-se de várias análises e procedimentos de testes que o garantam frente às possíveis operações que o sistema elétrico, na classe de tensão de 15 kV, venha a enfrentar. Na realização do trabalho, utilizou-se três softwares, o Alternative Transients Program (ATP), o FLUX 3D e o DIgSILENT PowerFactory, para as simulações dos transitórios eletromagnéticos, simulações de campos elétricos e análises de desempenho das linhas, respectivamente. Pela metodologia aplicada, os resultados observados ressaltam uma considerável margem de segurança no comprimento da estrutura da cruzeta atualmente empregada em campo, permitindo a diminuição desejada e confiável para um modelo alternativo. / The current concept of environmental preservation does not allow any exaggeration in the use of natural resources, leading people to adapt themselves and reduce the use, or promote the recycling of materials. At this juncture, this doctoral work focuses on the specification and the need to obtain new structural and electrical patterns for crossarms to be used in 15 kV distribution networks and seek to develop compatible options with the preservation of the environment. In this sense, the main focus is directed toward the definition of new geometries for wood crossarms, inducing an evident reduction in the use of wood taken from tropical forests. It is important to place that when a new geometry is proposed, all electrical and mechanical aspects related to the definition of this new pattern should be described and demonstrated in terms of practicability and technic of application, arranging various analyzes and testing procedures that guarantee it against the possible operations that the electrical system with voltage rating of 15 kV can be face. In carrying out the work, three softwares (ATP, FLUX 3D e DIgSILENT) were used for the simulation of electromagnetic transients, the simulation of electric fields and analysis of performance of the lines, respectively. For the methodology applied, the observed results highlight a significant safety margin in the length of the crossarm structure currently employed in the field, allowing the desired and reliable reduction for an alternative model.

Dans le cadre de ce travail de doctorat, nous avons mis au point un nouveau microscope à balayage à transistor à électron unique (SET) qui fonctionne à très basse température (T = 50 mK) et à champs magnétiques intenses (18 T). Un SET se compose d'un petit îlot métallique relié aux électrodes de source et de drain par deux jonctions tunnel. En régime de blocage de Coulomb à basse température (T < 5 K), un champ électrique externe règle le courant circulant dans le SET. De plus, de petites variations du champ électrique entraînent de grandes variations du courant SET, ce qui fait de l'appareil un détecteur de charge très sensible, capable de détecter des charges inférieures à 0,01e. Ainsi, lorsque le SET scanne au-dessus d'une surface, il cartographie les propriétés électrostatiques de l'échantillon. Cependant, la mise en œuvre d'un microscope à balayage SET est extrêmement difficile car il combine la microscopie à sonde à balayage, les basses températures et les dispositifs nanoscopiques très sensibles. Pour cette raison, seuls quelques groupes ont réussi sa réalisation. Nos choix technologiques pour construire le microscope améliorent certains aspects par rapport aux instruments déjà existants.La percée est que nous fabriquons la sonde SET en utilisant des techniques lithographiques standard sur des plaquettes commerciales de silicium. C'est pourquoi il est possible de fabriquer des sondes SET par lots. De plus, grâce à une combinaison de techniques de découpage et de gravure, le SET est conçu très près du bord du substrat de Si (< 1 micromètre ). De cette façon, le SET peut être approché à quelques nanomètres de la surface de l'échantillon au moyen d'un contrôle de distance de force atomique. De plus, une électrode de grille fabriquée sur la sonde à proximité de l'îlot peut être utilisée pour régler le point de fonctionnement du SET. Une nouveauté de notre instrument est qu'avec cet électrode de grille et une boucle de rétroaction, nous avons cartographié directement le champ électrique local. Nous démontrons cette nouvelle méthode de balayage par rétroaction en imaginant un réseau interdigité d'électrodes à l'échelle nanométrique. De plus, le SET est un outil idéal pour l'étude de la localisation d'états électroniques. À l'avenir, notre microscope sera utilisé pour l'étude des systèmes d'électrons bidimensionnels en régime de l'effet Hall quantique, des isolants topologiques et de la transition métal-isolant. / In this doctoral work, we have developed a new scanning single electron transistor (SET) microscope that works at very low temperatures (T = 50 mK) and high magnetic fields (B = 18 T). A SET consists of a small metallic island connected to source and drain electrodes through two tunnel junctions. In the Coulomb blockade regime at low temperature regime (T 5 K), an external electric field tunes the current circulating through the SET. In addition,small electric field variations lead to large SET current changes that makes the device a highly sensitive charge detector, able to detect charges smaller than 0.01 e. Thus, when the SET scans above a surface, it maps the electrostatic properties of the sample. However, the implementation of a scanning SET microscope is extremely challenging since it combines scanning probe microscopy, low temperatures and sensitive nanoscopic devices. For thisreason, only a few groups have succeeded its realization. Our technological choices to build the microscope improve certain aspects with respect to the already existing instruments. The breakthrough is that we fabricate the SET probe using standard lithographic techniques on commercial silicon wafers.For that reason, batch fabrication of SET probes is possible. Furthermore, by a combination of dicing and etching techniques, the SET is engineered extremely close to the edge of the Si chip (< 1 micrometer). In this way, the SET can be approached to a few nanometer from the sample surface by means of a atomic force distance control. Additionally, an on-probe gate electrode fabricated close to the island can be used to tune the operating point of the SET. Anovelty of our instrument is that with this on-probe gate and a feedback loop we have been able to map directly the local electric field. We demonstrate this new feedback scanning method by imaging an interdigitated array of nanometer scale electrodes. Moreover, the SET is an ideal tool for the study of the localization of electronic states. In the future, our scanning SET will be used for the study of two-dimensional electron systems in the quantum Hall regime, topological insulators and the metal insulator transition.

In this thesis, we investigate strongly correlated phenomena in quantum spin systems. In the first part of this work, we study geometrically frustrated antiferromagnets (AFMs). Generalizing the SU(2) Heisenberg Hamiltonian to Sp(N) symmetry, we obtain, in the large-N limit, the mean-field phase diagrams for the planar pyrochlore and cubic AFMs. We then use gauge theories to consider fluctuation effects about their respective mean-field configurations. We find, in addition to conventional Neel states, a plethora of novel magnetically disordered phases: two kinds of spin liquids, Z2 in 2+1D and U(1)in 3+1D, and several valence bond solids such as two and three-dimensional plaquette and columnar singlet states. We use the same approach to study the diamond lattice AFM which possesses extended classical ground state degeneracy. We demonstrate that quantum and entropic fluctuations lift this degeneracy in different ways. In the second part of the thesis, we study ultracold spinor atoms confined in optical lattices. We first demonstrate the feasibility of experimental realization of rotor models using ultracold spin-one Bose atoms in a spin-dependent and disordered optical lattice. We show that the ground state of such disordered rotor models with quadrupolar interactions can exhibit biaxial nematic ordering in the disorder-averaged sense, and suggest an imaging experiment to detect the biaxial nematicity in such systems. Finally, using variational wavefunction methods, we study the Mott phases and superfluid-insulator transition of spin-three bosons in an optical lattice with an anisotropic two dimensional optical trap. We chart out the phase diagrams for Mott states with n = 1 and n = 2 atoms per lattice site. We show that the long-range dipolar interaction stabilizes a state characterized by antiferromagnetic chains made of ferromagnetically aligned spins. We also obtain the mean-field phase boundary for the superfluid-insulator transition, and show that inside the superfluid phase and near the superfluid-insulator phase boundary, the system undergoes a first order antiferromagnetic-ferromagnetic spin ordering transition.

In this thesis, we investigate strongly correlated phenomena in quantum spin systems. In the first part of this work, we study geometrically frustrated antiferromagnets (AFMs). Generalizing the SU(2) Heisenberg Hamiltonian to Sp(N) symmetry, we obtain, in the large-N limit, the mean-field phase diagrams for the planar pyrochlore and cubic AFMs. We then use gauge theories to consider fluctuation effects about their respective mean-field configurations. We find, in addition to conventional Neel states, a plethora of novel magnetically disordered phases: two kinds of spin liquids, Z2 in 2+1D and U(1)in 3+1D, and several valence bond solids such as two and three-dimensional plaquette and columnar singlet states. We use the same approach to study the diamond lattice AFM which possesses extended classical ground state degeneracy. We demonstrate that quantum and entropic fluctuations lift this degeneracy in different ways. In the second part of the thesis, we study ultracold spinor atoms confined in optical lattices. We first demonstrate the feasibility of experimental realization of rotor models using ultracold spin-one Bose atoms in a spin-dependent and disordered optical lattice. We show that the ground state of such disordered rotor models with quadrupolar interactions can exhibit biaxial nematic ordering in the disorder-averaged sense, and suggest an imaging experiment to detect the biaxial nematicity in such systems. Finally, using variational wavefunction methods, we study the Mott phases and superfluid-insulator transition of spin-three bosons in an optical lattice with an anisotropic two dimensional optical trap. We chart out the phase diagrams for Mott states with n = 1 and n = 2 atoms per lattice site. We show that the long-range dipolar interaction stabilizes a state characterized by antiferromagnetic chains made of ferromagnetically aligned spins. We also obtain the mean-field phase boundary for the superfluid-insulator transition, and show that inside the superfluid phase and near the superfluid-insulator phase boundary, the system undergoes a first order antiferromagnetic-ferromagnetic spin ordering transition.

The rapid development of organic electronics is leading to a number of promising devices in the area of energy sources and conservation (e.g., solar cells and solid-state lighting), while also advancing display technology, sensors, and thin-film transistors. One obstacle to this development is the susceptibility of these devices to water vapor and oxygen, which are well known to cause rapid degradation in many organic electronic devices. In order to guarantee the minimum lifetime needed for various applications, high barrier performance encapsulation materials and structures must be developed and has been the object of much experimental research. However, there is a dearth of comprehensive studies which link the characterization, modeling, and integration of ultra-high barrier films with organic electronics. Such studies are necessary in order to advance the understanding of thin-film encapsulation and to find methodologies which greatly improve its performance. The present work investigates the processing and development of high quality single-layer and multilayer encapsulation architectures for ultra-high barrier films. For compatibility with organic electronics, this study focuses on low temperature fabrication processes which can lead to poor film quality. To circumvent the issue of defects, multilayer encapsulation films with alternating inorganic and organic layers were used to provide ultra-low permeation films. By reducing the complexity of typical multilayer architectures, a new encapsulation processing procedure was developed which combines a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition fabricated inorganic film followed by a high quality film deposited by atomic layer deposition. The improvements that this hybrid film provided were through the quick coating of the device via plasma-based deposition followed by a short atomic layer deposition exposure to seal the defects in the first film. The barrier performance of all thin-film encapsulation was characterized in terms of the effective water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) by using Ca corrosion tests. A detailed study of the water vapor permeation mechanism through thin-film layers was presented. Finally, fully characterized encapsulation layers were integrated with organic solar cells to validate the effectiveness of the barrier layers. The compatibility of the encapsulation process with organic devices was investigated by comparing the performance parameters of organic device before and after encapsulation. The parameters of encapsulated organic devices with various encapsulation structures were compared with their initial values as a function of exposure time to atmosphere to provide a link between effective WVTR and shelf-lifetime of encapsulated organic devices.