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Thesis (Ph. D.)--Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available in electronic version. Access restricted to campus users.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--York University, 2009. Graduate Programme in Physics & Astronomy. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 179-198). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&res_dat=xri:pqdiss&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:NR51495

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Virginia Commonwealth University, 2010. / Prepared for: Dept. of Chemistry. Title from title-page of electronic thesis. Bibliography: leaves 176-198.

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- Virginia Commonwealth University, 2004. / Title from title-page of electronic thesis. Prepared for: Dept. of Chemistry. Bibliography: p. 181-191.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2006. / Title from title screen (site viewed May 9, 2007). PDF text: 143 p.: ill. (some col.) ; 4.21Mb UMI publication number: AAT 3237486. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in microfilm and microfiche formats.

Two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals materials have received widespread attention due to their novel 2D properties that are distinct from their bulk counterparts. These unique properties offer new possibilities for fundamental research and for diverse applications in electronics, optoelectronics, and valleytronics. It is therefore of great interest to design 2D materials from complex, hierarchical and/or tunable building blocks. Atomic and molecular clusters are attractive target due to their atomic precision, structural and compositional diversity and synthetic flexibility. In this thesis, we report two novel quasi-2D superatomic semiconductors: Re6Se8Cl2 and Mo6S3Br6, whose building blocks are atomic clusters rather than simple atoms. In Chapter 3, we determine the electronic bandgap (1.58 eV), optical bandgap (indirect, 1.48 eV), and exciton binding energy (100 meV) of Re6Se8Cl2 crystals by using scanning tunneling spectroscopy, photoluminescence and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy, and first principles calculations. The exciton binding energy is consistent with the partially 2D nature of the exciton. In Chapter 4, the layered van der Waals material Mo6S3Br6 possesses a robust 2D character with a direct gap of 1.64 eV, as determined by scanning tunneling spectroscopy. By using polarization dependent Raman spectroscopy and DFT calculations, we determine its strong in-plane electronic anisotropy. The complex, hierarchical structures with 2D characters of these two materials thus suggest an effective strategy to expand the design space for 2D materials research with multi-functionality and novel physical properties.

Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Canterbury, 2009. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (p. 51-55). Also available via the World Wide Web.

Not available / text

This Thesis describes some theoretical studies on ligated and bare clusters. Chapter 1 gives a review of the two theoretical models, Tensor Surface Harmonic Theory (TSH) and Jellium Model, accounting for the electronic structures of ligated and bare clusters. The Polyhedral Skeletal Electron Pair Theory (PSEPT), which correlates the structures and electron counts (total number of valence electrons) of main group and transition metal ligated clusters, is briefly described. A structural jellium model is developed in Chapter 2 which accounts for the electronic structures of clusters using a crystal-field perturbation. The zero-order potential we derive is of central-field form, depends on the geometry of the cluster, and has a well-defined relationship to the full nuclear-electron potential. Qualitative arguments suggest that this potential produces different energy level orderings for clusters with a nucleus with large positive charge at the centre of the cluster, enabling the spherical jellium model to be applied to alkali metal clusters seeded with magnesium and zinc. Analysis of the effects of the non-spherical perturbation on the spherical jellium shell structures leads to the conclusion that for a cluster with a closed shell electronic structure a high symmetry arrangement which is approximately or precisely close packed will be preferred. It also provides a basis for rationalising those structures, which have been predicted using ab initio calculations, of clusters with incomplete shell electronic configurations In Chapter 3, the geometric conclusions derived in the structural jellium model are developed in more detail. Alkali metal clusters with closed shell electronic configurations according to the jellium model adopt geometries of high symmetry and based on the T_d , O_h and I_h point groups. For high nuclearity clusters alternative high symmetry structures can occur and those which are either the most close packed or spherical are predicted to be the most stable. When the jellium closed shell "magic numbers" coincides with one of these high symmetry structures then the cluster will be particularly stable. The group theoretical consequences of the Tensor Surface Harmonic Theory are developed in Chapter 4 for[ML₂]_n, [ML₄]_n and [ML₅]_n clusters where either the xz and yz or x²-y² and xy components to L^π_d and L^δ_d do not contribute equally to the bonding. The closed shell requirements for such clusters are defined and the orbital symmetry constraints pertaining to the interconversion of conformers of these clusters are described. In Chapter 5 Stone's Tensor Surface Harmonic methodology is applied to high nuclearity transition metal carbonyl cluster compounds with 13-44 metal atoms. Two limiting bonding situations are identified and represented in terms of general electron counting rules. If the radial bonding effects predominate the clusters are characterised by 12n_s+Δ_i valence electrons, where Δ_i is the characteristic electron count of the interstitial moiety. If radial and tangential bonding effects are important then the total number of valence electrons is 12n_s+2(s_s+s_i-l), where s_s and s_i are the number of skeletal bonding molecular orbitals associated with surface (s_s) and interstitial (s_i) moieties. Chapter 6 develops a new theoretical framework to account for the bonding in the high nuclearity ligated clusters with columnar topologies. The wave functions of columnar metal clusters can be expressed as an expansion based on the particle on the cylinder problem. This bonding analysis is applied to clusters containing columns of triangles and squares. In Chapter 7 the origin of non-bonding orbitals in molecular compounds is reviewed and analysed using general quantum mechanical considerations. A combination of the pairing theorem and a group theoretical analysis leads to a definition of the number of the non-bonding molecular orbitals in co-ordination, polyene and cluster compounds. The non-bonding molecular orbitals have been generated by defining the nodal characteristics of the relevant orbitals and evaluating the solutions under the appropriate boundary conditions. The stereochemical role of nonbonding molecular orbitals in co-ordination compounds is also discussed.