L'homologie instanton-symplectique est un invariant associé à une variété de dimension trois close orientée, qui a été dé?ni par Manolescu et Woodward, et qui correspond conjecturalement à une version symplectique d'une homologie des instantons de Floer. Dans cette thèse nous étudions le comportement de cet invariant sous l'effet d'une somme connexe, d'une chirurgie de Dehn, et d'un cobordisme de dimension quatre. Nous établissons une formule de Künneth pour la somme connexe : si Y et Y' désignent deux variétés closes orientées de dimension trois, l'homologie instanton-symplectique associée à leur somme connexe est isomorphe à la somme directe du produit tensoriel de leurs groupes d'homologie instantonsymplectique respectifs, et de leur produit de torsion (après décalage des degrés). Nous définissons des versions tordues de cette homologie, et prouvons un analogue de la suite exacte de Floer, reliant les groupes associés à une triade de chirurgie. Cette suite exacte nous permet de calculer le rang des groupes associés à des familles de variétés, notamment les revêtements doubles ramifiés d'entrelacs quasi-alternés, des chirurgies entières de grande pente le long de certains noeuds, ainsi que certaines variétés obtenues par plombage de fibrés en disques au-dessus de sphères. Nous définissons enfin des invariants pour des cobordismes de dimension 4 prenant la forme d'applications entre groupes d'homologie instantonsymplectique des bords, et prouvons que deux des morphismes intervenant dans la suite exacte de chirurgie s'interprètent comme de telles applications, associées aux cobordismes d'attachement d'anses. Nous donnons également un critère d'annulation pour de telles applications associées à des éclatements. / Symplectic instanton homology is an invariant for closed oriented three-manifolds, defined by Manolescu and Woodward, which conjecturally corresponds to a symplectic version of a variant of Floer's instanton homology. In this thesis we study the behaviour of this invariant under connected sum, Dehn surgery, and four-dimensional cobordisms. We prove a Künneth-type formula for the connected sum: let Y and Y' be two closed oriented three-manifolds, we show that the symplectic instanton homology of their connected sum is isomorphic to the direct sum of the tensor product of their symplectic instanton homology, and a shift of their torsion product. We define twisted versions of this homology, and then prove an analog of the Floer exact sequence, relating the invariants of a Dehn surgery triad. We use this exact sequence to compute the rank of the groups associated to branched double covers of quasi-alternating links, some plumbings of disc bundles over spheres, and some integral Dehn surgeries along certain knots. We then define invariants for four dimensional cobordisms as maps between the symplectic instanton homology of the two boundaries. We show that among the three morphisms in the surgery exact sequence, two are such maps, associated to the handle-attachment cobordisms. We also give a vanishing criteria for such maps associated to blow-ups.

Le but de ce travail de thèse est de réaliser des vannes de spin « naturelles » constituées d’un matériau unique. Le matériau en question doit contenir une alternance de feuillets magnétiques et non magnétiques et présenter différents états magnétiques. Ce système modèle ne présenterait alors ni d’inter diffusion ni de rugosité aux interfaces magnétiques/non-magnétiques et pourrait constituer un système modèle pour les études des phénomènes de transport dépendant de spin. Le CoV2O6 est un oxyde polymorphe de basse dimensionnalité. Les deux phases (α et γ) présentent chacune plusieurs plateaux d’aimantation induits par un champ magnétique. Le premier objectif est de comprendre la structure cristalline et magnétique de ce composé, ce qui a été réalisé par des mesures d’aimantation, de diffraction des rayons X et de neutrons sur des poudres et monocristaux. Les résultats de la phase α sont appuyés par des calculs ab initio. Le second objectif est de déposer ce matériau en couche mince afin d’analyser ses propriétés de transport. Des films épitaxiés de γ CoV2O6 ont été obtenus sur TiO2(100) et TiO2/Pt(111) par ablation laser. Le dépôt sur l’électrode de Pt montre la présence de six variants entrainant l’observation de plateaux d’aimantation supplémentaires. / The purpose of this work is to synthesize “natural” spin valves within one unique material. The material needs a crystalline structure formed by stacking magnetic and non-magnetic sheets as well as different magnetic states. Such model system could be used for the study of spin dependent transport properties as no-roughness or diffusion at the magnetic/non-magnetic interfaces is allowed. The polymorph low-dimensional oxide CoV2O6 is such a material. Both phases (α and γ) exhibit field induced magnetization plateaus. This study’s first aim is to understand crystalline and magnetic structures. Investigations were performed on powders and single crystals using magnetization measurements as well as X-ray and neutron diffraction measurements. The magnetic properties of α CoV2O6 were supported by ab initio calculations. The second aim is to grow CoV2O6 thin films in order to analyze further the transport properties. Epitaxial γ CoV2O6 thin films were obtained by pulsed laser ablation on both TiO2(100) and TiO2/Pt(111) substrates. Films grown on Pt electrode exhibit six variants which allows observing additional magnetization plateaus.

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / Os avanÃos nas tÃcnicas de crescimento tornaram possÃvel a fabricaÃÃo de estruturas semicondutoras quase-unidimensionais em escalas nanomÃtricas, chamadas pontos, fios, poÃos e anÃis quÃnticos. Interesse nessas estruturas tem crescido consideravelmente, nÃo sà devido Ãs suas possÃveis aplicaÃÃes em dispositivos eletrÃnicos e à sua manipulaÃÃo quÃmica fÃcil, mas tambÃm porque eles oferecem a possibilidade de explorar experimentalmente vÃrios aspectos de confinamento quÃntico, espalhamento e fenÃmenos de interferÃncia. Em particular, neste trabalho, investigamos as propriedades eletrÃnicas e de transporte em poÃos quÃnticos, fios e anÃis, cujas dimensÃes podem ser alcanÃados experimentalmente. Para isto, resolvemos a equaÃÃo de SchrÃdinger dependente do tempo utilizando o mÃtodo Split-operator em duas dimensÃes. Nesta tese, abordamos quatro trabalhos, sendo o primeiro uma analogia ao Paradoxo de Braess para um sistema mesoscÃpico. Para isso, utilizamos um anel quÃntico com um canal adicional na regiÃo central, alinhado com os canais de entrada e saÃda. Este canal extra faz o papel do caminho adicional em uma rede de trÃfego na teoria dos jogos, similar ao caso do paradoxo de Braess. Calculamos as auto-energias e a evoluÃÃo temporal para o anel quÃntico. Surpreendentemente, o coeficiente de transmissÃo para algumas larguras do canal extra diminuiu, semelhante ao que acontece com redes de trÃfego, onde a presenÃa de uma via extra nÃo necessariamente melhora o fluxo total. Com a analise dos resultados obtidos, foi possÃvel determinar que neste sistema o paradoxo ocorre devido a efeitos de interferÃncia e de espalhamento quÃntico. No segundo trabalho, foi feita uma extensÃo do primeiro, (i) aplicando-se um campo magnÃtico, onde foi possÃvel obter o efeito Aharonov-Bohm para pequenos valores do canal extra e controlar efeitos de interferÃncia responsÃveis pelo paradoxo mencionado, e (ii) fazendo tambÃm a aplicaÃÃo de um potencial que simula a ponta de um microscÃpio de forÃa atÃmica (AFM) interagindo com a amostra - este potencial à repulsivo e simula um possÃvel fechamento do caminho em que o pacote de onda se propaga. Assim, neste trabalho, realizamos uma contra-prova do primeiro, onde observamos que com o posicionamento da ponta do AFM sobre canal extra, se diminui o efeito de reduÃÃo de corrente devido ao paradoxo de Braess. No terceiro trabalho, realizamos uma anÃlise de tunelamento entre dois fios quÃnticos separados por uma certa distÃncia e calculamos qual a menor distÃncia para qual ocorre tunelamento significativo nesse sistema eletrÃnico. Este trabalho à de fundamental importÃncia para o manufaturamento de dispositivos nanoestruturados, porque nos permite investigar qual a distÃncia mÃnima para a construÃÃo de um circuito eletrÃnico sem que haja interferÃncias nas transmissÃes das informaÃÃes. No quarto e Ãltimo trabalho desta tese, investigamos a energia de ligaÃÃo do elÃtron-impureza em GaN/HfO2 para um poÃo quÃntico. Consideramos simultaneamente as contribuiÃÃes de todas as interaÃÃes das auto-energias devido ao descasamento das constantes dielÃtricas entre os materiais. Foram estudados poÃos largos e estreitos, comparando os resultados para diferentes posiÃÃes da impureza e a contribuiÃÃo da auto-energia para o sistema. / Advances in growth techniques have made possible the fabrication of quasi one-dimensional semiconductor structures on nanometric scales, called quantum dots, wires, wells and rings. Interest in these structures has grown considerably not only due to their possible applications in electronic devices and to their easy chemical manipulation, but also because they offer the possibility of experimentally exploring several aspects of quantum confinement, scattering and interference phenomena. In particular, in this work, we investigate the electronic and transport properties in quantum wells, wires and rings, whose dimensions can be achieved experimentally. For this purpose, we solve the time-dependent SchrÃdinger equation using the split-operator method in two dimensions. We address four different problems: in the first one, the electronic transport properties of a mesoscopic branched out quantum ring are discussed in analogy to the Braess Paradox of game theory, which, in simple words, states that adding an extra path to a traffic network does not necessarily improves its overall flow. In this case, we consider a quantum ringindex{Quantum ring} with an extra channel in its central region, aligned with the input and output leads. This extra channel plays the role of an additional path in a similar way as the extra roads in the classical Braess paradox. Our results show that in this system, surprisingly the transmission coefficient decreases for some values of the extra channel width, similarly to the case of traffic networks in the original Braess problem. We demonstrate that such transmission reduction in our case originates from both quantum scattering and interference effects, and is closely related to recent experimental results in a similar mesoscopic system. In the second work of this thesis, we extend the first system by considering different ring geometries, and by investigating the effects of an external perpendicular magnetic field and of obstructions to the electrons pathways on the transport properties of the system. For narrow widths of the extra channel, it is possible to observe Aharonov-Bohm oscillations in the transmission probability. More importantly, the Aharonov-Bohm phase acquired by the wave function in the presence of the magnetic field allows one to verify in which situations the transmission reduction induced by the extra channel is purely due to interference. We simulate a possible closure of one of the paths by applying a local electrostatic potential, which can be seen as a model for the charged tip of an atomic force microscope (AFM). We show that positioning the AFM tip in the extra channel suppresses the transmission reduction due to the Braess paradox, thus demonstrating that closing the extra path improves the overall transport properties of the system. In the third work, we analyze the tunneling of wave packets between two semiconductor quantum wires separated by a short distance. We investigate the smallest distance at which a significant tunneling between the semiconduting wires still occur. This work is of fundamental importantance for the manufacturing of future nanostructured devices, since it provides information on the minimum reasonable distances between the electron channels in miniaturized electronic circuits, where quantum tunnelling and interference effects will start to play a major role. In the last work of this thesis, we investigate the binding energy of the electron-impurity pair in a GaN/HfO2 quantum well. We consider simultaneously the contributions of all interactions in the self-energy due to the dielectric constant mismatch between materials. We investigate the electron-impurity bound states in quantum wells of several widths, and compared the results for different impurity positions.

The properties of bulk 3D materials of metals or semiconductors are manifested with various length scales(e.g., Bohr excitonic radius, magnetic correlation length, mean free path etc.) and are important in controlling their properties. When the size of the material is smaller than these characteristics length scales, the confinement effects operate reflecting changes in their physical behavior. Materials with such confinement effects can be designated as low dimensional materials. There are exceedingly large numbers of low dimensional materials and the last half a century has probably seen the maximum evolution of such materials in terms of synthesis, characterization, understanding and modification of their properties and applications. The field of” nanoscience and nanotechnology”, have become a mature field within the last three decades where, for certain application, synthesis of materials of sizes in the nanometer range can be designed and controlled. Interface plays a very important role in controlling properties of heterogeneous material of every dimensionality. For example, the interface forms in 2D thin films or interface of heterogeneous nanoparticles(0D). In recent times, a large number of remarkable phenomena have triggered understanding and controlling properties arises due to nature of certain interface. In the field of nanoparticles, it is well known that the photoluminescence property depends very strongly on the nature of interface in heterostructured nanoparticles. In the recent time a large variety of heterostructured nanoparticles starting from core-shell to quantum dot-quantum well kind has been synthesized to increase the photoluminescence efficiency up to 80%. Along with improvement of certain properties due to heterostructure formation inside the nanoparticles, the techniques to understand the nature of those interfaces have improved side by side. It has been recently shown that variable energy X-ray Photoemission Spectroscopy (XPS) can be employed to understand the nature of interfaces (internal structure) of such heterostructure nanoparticles in great detail with high accuracy. While most of the previous studies of variable energy XPS, uses photonenergies sensitive to smaller sized particle, we have extended the idea of such nondestructive approach of understanding the nature of buried interfaces to bigger sized nanoparticles by using photon energy as high as 8000eV, easily available in various 3rd generation synchrotron centers. The nature of the interface also plays an important role in multilayer thin films. Major components of various electronic devices, like read head memory devices, field effect transistors etc., rely on interface properties of certain multilayer thin film materials. In recent time wide range of unusual phenomenon such as high mobility metallic behavior between two insulating oxide, superconductivity, interface ferroelectricity, unusual magnetism, multiferroicity etc. has been observed at oxide interface making it an interesting field of study. We have shown that variable energy photoemission spectroscopy with high photon energies, can be a useful tool to realize such interfaces and controlling the properties of multilayered devices, as well as to understand the origin of unusual phenomenon exists at several multilayer interfaces. Chapter1 provides a brief description of low dimensional materials, overall perspective of interesting properties in materials with reduced dimensionality. We have emphasized on the importance of determining the internal structure of buried interface of different dimensionalities. We have given a brief overview and importance of different interfaces that we have studied in the subsequent chapters dealing with specific interfaces. Chapter 2 describes experimental and theoretical methods used for the study of interface and self-assembly reported in this thesis. These methods are divided into two categories. The first section deals with different experimental techniques, like, UV-Visible absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopy, X-Photoelectron Spectroscopy(XPS), X-Ray diffraction, Transmission Electron Microscopy(TEM) etc. This section also includes brief overview on synchrotron radiation and methods used for detail analysis of interface structure using variable energy XPS. In the second part of this chapter, we have discussed theoretical methods used in the present study. \ In Chapter 3A we have combined low energy XPS, useful to extract information of the surface of the nanoparticles, with high energy XPS, important to extract bulk information and have characterized the internal structure of nanoparticle system of different heterogeneity. We have chosen two important heterostructure systems namely, inverted core-shell(CdScore-CdSeshell) type nanoparticles and homogeneous alloy(CdSeS)type nanoparticles. Such internal structure study revealed that the actual internal structure of certain nanomaterial can be widely different from the aim of the synthesis and knowledge of internal structure is a prerequisite in understanding their property. We were able to extend the idea of variable energy XPS to higher energy limit. Many speculations have been made about the probable role of interface in controlling properties, like blinking behavior of bigger sized core-shell nanoparticles, but no conclusive support has yet been given about the nature of such interface. After successfully extending the technique to determine the internal structure of heterostructured nanoparticles to very high photon energy region, we took the opportunity to determine the internal structure of nanoparticles of sizes as large as 12nm with high energy photoemission spectroscopy for the first time. In Chapter 3B we emphasize on the importance of interface structure in controlling the behavior of bigger sized nanoparticles systems, the unsettled issues regarding their internal structure, and described the usefulness of high energy XPS in elucidating the internal structure of such big particles with grate accuracy to solve such controversies. The existence of high density storage media relies on the existence of highly sensitive magnetic sensors with large magnetoresistance. Today almost all sensor technologies used in modern hard disk drives rely on tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) CoFeB-MgO-CoFeB structures. Though device fabrication is refined to meet satisfactory quality assurance demands, fundamental understanding of the refinement in terms of its effect on the nature of the interfaces and the MgO tunnel barrier leading to improved TMR is still missing. Where, the annealing condition required to improve the TMR ratio is itself not confirmatory its effect on the interface structure is highly debatable. In particular, it has been anticipated that under the proposed exotic conditions highly mobile B will move into the MgO barrier and will form boron oxide. In Chapter 4 we are able to shed definite insights to heart of this problem. We have used high energy photoemission to investigate a series of TMR structures and able to provide a systematic understanding of the driving mechanisms of B diffusion in CoFeBTMR structures. We have solved the mix-up of annealing temperature required and have shown that boron diffusion is limited merely to a sub-nanometer thick layer at the interface and does not progress beyond this point under typical conditions required for device fabrication. We have given a brief overview on the evolution of magnetic storage device and have described various concepts relevant for the study of such systems. The interface between two nonmagnetic insulators LaAlO3 and SrTiO3 has shown a variety of interface phenomena in the recent times. In spite of a large number of high profile studies on the interface LaAlO3 and SrTiO3 there is still a raging debate on the nature, origin and the distribution of the two dimensional electron gas that is supposed to be responsible for its exotic physical properties, ranging from unusual transport properties to its diverse ground states, such as metallic, magnetic and superconducting ones, depending on the specific synthesis. The polar discontinuity present across the SrTiO3-LaAlO3 interface is expected to result in half an electron transfer from the top of the LaAlO 3 layer to each TiofSrTiO3 at the interface, but, the extent of localization that can make it behave like delocalized with very high mobility as well as localized with magnetic moments is not yet clear. In Chapter 5 we have given a description of this highly interesting system as well as presented the outcome of our depth resolved XPS investigation on several such samples synthesized under different oxygen pressure. We were able to describe successfully the distribution of charge carriers. While synthesizing and understanding properties of nanoparticles is one issue, using them for device fabrication is another. For example, to make a certain device often requires specific arrangements of nanoparticles in a suitable substrate. Self-assembly formation can be a potential tool in these regards. Just like atom or ions, both nano and colloidal particles also assemble by themselves in ordered or disordered structure under certain conditions, e.g., the drying of a drop of suspension containing the colloid particles over a TEM grid. This phenomenon is known as self-assembly. Though, the process of assembly formation can be a very easy and cost-effective technique to manipulate the properties in the nano region, than the existing ones like lithography but, the lack of systematic study and poor understanding of these phenomena at microscopic level has led to a situation that, there is no precise information available in literature to say about the nature of such assembly. In Chapter 6 we have described experiments that eliminate the dependence of the self-assembly process on many complicating factors like substrate-particle interaction, substrate-solvent interaction etc., making the process of ordering governed by minimum numbers of experimental parameter that can be easily controlled. Under simplified conditions, our experiments unveil an interesting competition between ordering and jamming in drying colloid systems similar to glass transition phenomenon Resulting in the typical phase behavior of the particles. We establish a re-entrant behavior in the order-disorder phase diagram as a function of particle density such that there is an optimal range of particle density to realize the long-range ordering. The results are explained with the help of simulations and phenomenological theory. In summary, we were able to extend the idea of variable energy XPS to higher energy limit advantageous for investigating internal structure of nonmaterial of various dimensionalities and sizes. We were able to comprehend nature of buried interface indicating properties of heterostructures quantum dots and thin films. Our study revealed that depth resolved XPS combined with accessibility of high and variable energies at synchrotron centers can be a very general and effective tool for understanding buried interface. Finally, we have given insight to the mechanism of spontaneous ordering of nanoparticles over a suitable substrate.

In this thesis we show how reactive processes can be affected by the presence of different types of spatial constraints, so much so that their nonlinear dynamics can be qualitatively altered or that new and unexpected behaviors can be produced. To understand how this interplay can occur in general terms, we theoretically investigate four very different examples of this situation. <p><p>The first system we study is a reversible trimolecular chemical reaction which is taking place in closed one-dimensional lattices. We show that the low dimensionality may or may not prevent the reaction from reaching its equilibrium state, depending on the microscopic properties of the molecular reactive mechanism. <p><p>The second reactive process we consider is a network of biological interactions between pigment cells on the skin of zebrafish. We show that the combination of short-range and long-range contact-mediated feedbacks can promote a Turing instability which gives rise to stationary patterns in space with intrinsic wavelength, without the need of any kind of motion.<p><p>Then we investigate the behavior of a typical chemical oscillator (the Brusselator) when it is constrained in a finite space. We show that molecular crowding can in such cases promote new nonlinear dynamical behaviors, affect the usual ones or even destroy them. <p><p>Finally we look at the situation where the constraint is given by the presence of a solid porous matrix that can react with a perfect gas in an exothermic way. We show on one hand that the interplay between reaction, heat flux and mass transport can give rise to the propagation of adsorption waves, and on the other hand that the coupling between the chemical reaction and the changes in the structural properties of the matrix can produce sustained chemomechanical oscillations. <p><p>These results show that spatial constraints can affect the kinetics of reactions, and are able to produce otherwise absent nonlinear dynamical behaviors. As a consequence of this, the usual understanding of the nonlinear dynamics of reactive systems can be put into question or even disproved. In order to have a better understanding of these systems we must acknowledge that mechanical and structural feedbacks can be important components of many reactive systems, and that they can be the very source of complex and fascinating phenomena.<p> / Doctorat en Sciences / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Discovery of grapheme has paved way for experimental realization of many physical phenomena such as massless Dirac fermions, quantum hall effect and zero-field conductivity. Search for other two dimensional (2D) materials led to the discovery of boron nitride, transition metal dichalcogenides(TMDs),transition metal oxides(MO2)and silicene. All of these materials exhibit different electronic and transport properties and are very promising for nanodevices such as nano-electromechanical-systems(NEMS), field effect transistors(FETs),sensors, hydrogen storage, nano photonics and many more. For practical utility of these materials in electronic and photonic applications, varying the band gap is very essential. Tuning of band gap has been achieved by doping, functionalization, lateral confinement, formation of hybrid structures and application of electric field. However, most of these techniques have limitations in practical applications. While, there is a lack of effective method of doping or functionalization in a controlled fashion, growth of specific sized nanostructures (e.g., nanoribbons and quantum dots),freestanding or embedded is yet to be achieved experimentally. The requirement of high electric field as well as the need for an extra electrode is another disadvantage in electric field induced tuning of band gap in low dimensional materials. Development of simpler yet effective methods is thus necessary to achieve this goal experimentally for potential application of these materials in various nano-devices. In this thesis, novel methods for tuning band gap of few 2D materials, based on strain and stacking, have been proposed theoretically using first principles based density functional theory(DFT) calculations. Electronic properties of few layered nanomaterials are studied subjected to mechanical and chemical strain of various kinds along with the effect of stacking pattern. These methods offer promising ways for controlled tuning of band gap in low dimensional materials. Detailed methodology of these proposed methods and their effect on electronic, structural or vibrational properties have also been studied. The thesis has been organized as follows: Chapter1 provides a general introduction to the low dimensional materials: their importance and potential application. An overview of the systems studied here is also given along with the traditional methods followed in the literature to tune their electronic properties. The motivation of the current research work has also been highlighted in this chapter. Chapter 2 describes the theoretical methodology adopted in this work. It gives brief understanding of first principles based Density Functional Theory(DFT) and various exchange and correlation energy functionals used here to obtain electronic, structural, vibrational and magnetic properties of the concerned materials. Chapter 3 deals with finding the origin of a novel experimental phenomenon, where electromechanical oscillations were observed on an array of buckled multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)subjected to axial compression. The effect of structural changes in CNTs in terms of buckling on electronic properties was studied. Contribution from intra-as well as inter-wall interactions was investigated separately by using single-and double-walled CNTs. Chapter 4 presents a method to manipulate electronic and transport properties of graphene bilayer by sliding one of the layers. Sliding caused breaking of symmetry in the graphene bilayer, which resulted in change in dispersion in the low energy bands. A transition from linear dispersion in AA stacking to parabolic dispersion in AB stacking is discussed in details. This shows a possibility to use these slid bilayers to tailor graphene based devices. Chapter 5 develops a method to tune band gap of bilayers of semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides(TMDs) by the application of normal compressive strain. A reversible semiconductor to metal(S-M) transition was reported in this chapter for bilayers of TMDs. Chapter 6 shows the evolution of S-M transition from few layers to the bulk MoS2 under various in-plane and out of plane strains. S-M transition as a function of layer number has been studied for different strain types. A comparison between the in-plan and normal strain on modifying electronic properties is also presented. Chapter 7 discusses the electronic phase transition of bulk MoS2 under hydrostatic pressure. A hydrostatic pressure includes a combined effect of both in-plane and normal strain on the structure. The origin of metallic transition under pressure has been studied here in terms of electronic structure, density of states and charge analysis. Chapter 8 studies the chemical strain present in boron nitride nanoribbons and its effect on structural, electronic and magnetic properties of these ribbons. Properties of two achiral (armchair and zig-zag) edges have been analyzed in terms of edge energy and edge stress to predict stability of the edges. Chapter9 summarizes and concludes the work presented in this thesis.

We report experimentally results on the low temperature properties of two classes of materials with a special emphasizes near the QCP induced by substitution and magnetic 1.field: (1) the HF systems YbRh2(Si0.95Ge0.05)2, Yb1-yLayRh2Si2 (y = 0.05, 0.1),and YbIr2Si2 with tetragonal structures and CeIn3-xSnx (x = 0.55, 0.6, 0.65, 0.7, 0.8) with cubic structure; (2) the quantum spin systems: Cs2CuCl4 and Cs2CoCl4. In all the HF compounds we have observed NFL behavior in zero magnetic field close to the QCP. The La substituted system does not show an antiferromagnetic (AFM) transition down to the lowest accessible temperature (0.03 K) while in YbRh2(Si1-xGex)2 with x = 0 and x = 0.05 AFM transitions occur at TN =0.07 K and 0.02 K, respectively. For Yb0.9La0.1Rh2Si2 we observe below 0.07 K saturation of DeltaC/T indicating clearly a LFL state for this concentration. For YbIr2Si2, DeltaC/T saturates below 0.5 K. In contrast to the Yb based compounds in the vicinity of the QCP, CeIn3-xSnx shows no evidence of a divergence in Delta C/T, with B or with x. Furthermore, we used specic heat measurements in the mK temperature range and at high fields (up to 12 T) to probe the phase diagrams in the low dimensional quantum antiferromagnets Cs2CuCl4 and Cs2CoCl4. In applied magnetic field, we have presented experimental evidence that in Cs2CuCl4 the field dependence of the critical temperature Tc(B) ~ (Bc-B)^1-Phi close to the critical field Bc = 8.51 T is well described with Phi=1.5. This is in very good agreement with the exponent expected in the mean-field approximation and support the notion of a Bose-Einstein condensation of magnons in Cs2CuCl4.

Un matériau 3D, initialement supraconducteur, peut avoir différents états fondamentaux dépendamment de son degré de désordre : supraconducteur, métallique ou isolant. A dimension réduite (2D), la localisation d’Anderson interdit théoriquement tout état métallique. La modification du désordre induit alors une Transition directe Supraconducteur-Isolant (TSI). La présence de fortes interactions électroniques, non prises en compte dans les théories conventionnelles, pourrait cependant remettre en cause ce paradigme et laisser émerger des états métalliques 2D, complexifiant l’image généralement admise de la TSI. Ainsi, des travaux récents ont révélé la présence de deux phases métalliques distinctes dans les films minces de a-NbxSi1-x, s’intercalant entre les états supraconducteur et isolant.Durant cette thèse, nous avons étudié les propriétés de transport électronique à basse fréquence et à très basse température (T<1K) de films minces de NbxSi1-x amorphes afin de caractériser l’évolution de l’état fondamental en fonction du désordre. Celui-ci a été modifié dans nos films en jouant sur la température de recuit, l’épaisseur et la composition. Nous nous sommes alors attardés sur la destruction de ces états métalliques vers un état isolant. L’analyse des lois de conduction dans le régime isolant nous a permis de quantifier l’évolution de ses propriétés – notamment des énergies caractéristiques – en fonction du désordre. Nous avons alors pu conclure que la phase isolante pouvait être essentiellement décrite par un modèle fermionique. A moindre désordre, dans la phase métallique 2D adjacente à l’isolant, nous avons mis en évidence des signes précurseurs de l’état isolant qui évoluent continument jusqu’à et à travers la Transition Métal 2D-Isolant. Nous proposons une interprétation de l’ensemble de nos résultats impliquant deux canaux parallèles dont l’importance relative est déterminée par le désordre : l’un est fermionique, l’autre gouverné par des fluctuations supraconductrices qui persistent même lorsque la cohérence macroscopique a disparu. L’état métallique est alors dominé par ces dernières, alors que, dans l’isolant, la localisation des excitations fermioniques l’emporte.Une seconde partie de la thèse s’est concentrée sur le développement expérimental d’un dispositif de calibration large bande dédié à l’étude de films minces en réflectométrie haute fréquence (GHz) à basses températures (T<4K). Ce dispositif a pour but, lors d’une unique mise à froid, de mesurer successivement la réflexion de références connues ainsi que de l’échantillon. La calibration obtenue permet ainsi de s’affranchir de l’environnement micro-onde et d’obtenir la valeur absolue de l’impédance complexe de ces films. Les résultats obtenus sur des films minces supraconducteurs de Vanadium, comparés aux théories de la supraconductivité, permettent une première validation du dispositif et de son principe de fonctionnement en vue d’une utilisation sur des systèmes plus complexes, tels que les films minces proches de la TSI. / An initially superconducting 3D material can have different ground states, depending on its disorder : superconducting, metallic or insulating. At lower dimensionality, Anderson localization theoretically forbids any metallic state. A change in disorder then induces a direct Superconductor-to-Insulator Transition (SIT). The presence of strong Coulomb interactions, which are not taken into account in conventional theories, may disrupt this paradigm and enable the emergence of 2D metallic phases, thus complicating the generally admitted picture for the SIT. Indeed, recent work has revealed the existence of two distinct metallic phases in a-NbxSi1-x thin films, in between the superconducting and insulating states.During this work, we have studied the low frequency transport properties of amorphous NbxSi1-x films at low temperatures (T<1K), in order to characterize the evolution of their ground state with disorder. In our films, disorder has been tuned by varying the heat treatment temperature, the thickness or the composition. We have then focused on the destruction of these metallic states, giving rise to an insulating state. Through the analysis of conduction laws in the insulating regime, we have quantified the evolution of its properties – in particular its characteristic energies – as disorder is varied. We could then conclude that the insulating phase can essentially be accounted for by a fermionic model. At lower disorder level, in the 2D metallic phase neighboring the insulator, we have evidenced precursor signs of the insulating state which continuously evolve until and through the 2D Metal-to-Insulator Transition. We offer an interpretation of all our results implying the existence of two parallel channels which relative importance is determined by the sample disorder level : one is fermionic, the other governed by superconducting fluctuations which persist even when the macroscopic phase coherence is lost. The metallic state is then dominated by the latter, whereas, in the insulator, fermionic excitations prevail.In a second part, we report on the experimental development of a calibration device for the broadband reflectometry measurement of thin films at microwave frequencies (GHz) and low temperatures (T<4K). This apparatus aims at measuring, during a single cool down, the reflection of known references as well as of the sample. The obtained calibration enables to obtain the absolute value of the films complex impedance, independently of the microwave environment. The results obtained on superconducting Vanadium films, compared with theories of superconductivity, enabled a first validation of the setup and of its working principle. This calibration device is therefore operational to measure more complex systems, such as thin films in the vicinity of the SIT.

The thesis is devoted to the study of in-chain impurities in spin 1/2 antiferromagnetic Heisenberg chains (S=1/2 aHC's)---a model which accompanies the research on magnetism since the early days of quantum theory and which is one of the few integrable spin systems. With respect to impurities it is special insofar as an impurity perturbs the system strongly due to its topology: there is no way around the defect. To what extend the one-dimensional picture stays a good basis for the description of real materials even if the chains are disturbed by in-chain impurities is an interesting question which is addressed in this work. For this purpose, Cu Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) measurements on the cuprate spin chain compounds SrCuO2 and Sr2CuO3 intentionally doped with nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn) and palladium (Pd) are presented. These materials are well known to be among the best realizations of the S=1/2 aHC model and their large exchange coupling constants allow the investigation of the low-energy dynamics within experimentally easily feasible temperatures. NMR provides the unique ability to study the static and dynamic magnetic properties of the spin chains locally which is important since randomly placed impurities break the translational invariance. Because copper is the magnetically active ion in those materials and the copper nuclear spin is most directly coupled to its electron spin, the NMR measurements have been performed on the copper site. The measurements show in all cases that there are changes in the results of these measurements as compared to the pure compounds which indicate the opening of gaps in the excitation spectra of the spin chains and the emergence of oscillations of the local susceptibility close to the impurities. These experimental observations are compared to theoretical predictions to clarify if and to what extend the already proposed model for these doped systems---the finite spin chain---is suitable to predict the behavior of real materials. Thereby, each impurity shows peculiarities. While Zn and Pd are know to be spin 0 impurities, it is not clear if Ni carries spin 1. To shed some light on this issue is another scope of this work. For Zn impurities, there are indications that they avoid to occupy copper sites, other than in the layered cuprate compounds. Also this matter is considered.

Due to recent progress in theory and the growing number of physical realizations, low-dimensional quantum magnets continue to receive a considerable amount of attention. They serve as model systems for investigating numerous physical phenomena in spin systems with cooperative ground states, including the field-induced evolution of the ground-state properties and the corresponding rearrangement of their low-energy excitation spectra. This work is devoted to systematic studies of recently synthesized low-dimensional quantum spin systems by means of multi-frequency high-field electron spin resonance (ESR) investigations. In the spin- 1/2 chain compound (C6H9N2)CuCl3 [known as (6MAP)CuCl3] the striking incompatibility with a simple uniform S = 1/2 Heisenberg chain model employed previously is revealed. The observed ESR mode is explained in terms of a recently developed theory, revealing the important role of the alternation and next-nearest-neighbor interactions in this compound. The excitations spectrum in copper pyrimidine dinitrate [PM·Cu(NO3)2(H2O)2]n, an S = 1/2 antiferromagnetic chain material with alternating g-tensor and Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction, is probed in magnetic fields up to 63 T. To study the high field behavior of the field-induced energy gap in this material, a multi-frequency pulsed-field ESR spectrometer is built. Pronounced changes in the frequency-field dependence of the magnetic excitations are observed in the vicinity of the saturation field, B ∼ Bs = 48.5 T. ESR results clearly indicate a transition from the soliton-breather to a spin-polarized state with magnons as elementary excitations. Experimental data are compared with results of density matrix renormalization group calculations; excellent agreement is found. ESR studies of the spin-ladder material (C5H12N)2CuBr4 (known as BPCB) completes the determination of the full spin Hamiltonian of this compound. ESR results provide a direct evidence for a pronounced anisotropy in this compound, that is in contrast to fully isotropic spin-ladder model employed previously for BPCB. Our observations can be of particular importance for describing the rich temperature-field phase diagram of this material. The frequency-field diagram of magnetic excitations in the quasi-two dimensional S = 1/2 compound [Cu(C4H4N2)2(HF2)]PF6 in the AFM-ordered state is studied. The AFM gap is observed directly. Using high-field magnetization and ESR results, parameters of the effective spin-Hamiltonian (exchange interaction, anisotropy and g-factor) are obtained and compared with those estimated from thermodynamic properties of this compound.