This thesis details the development of expertise and tools required for the study of amino acids deposited on Au(111), with a primary focus on the design and testing of a Knudsen cell for controlled deposition of L-cysteine and L-methionine. An ultra-high vacuum preparation chamber designed by Dr. Katie Mitchell and built by Torrovap Industries Inc. was installed. This chamber is connected to the existing scanning tunneling microscopy chamber via a gate valve, and both chambers can operate independently. Various instruments such as a mass spectrometer, quartz crystal microbalance, ion source, and sample manipulator were installed on the preparation chamber. Scanning tunneling microscopy was performed on both homemade and commercial Au(111) thin films. High resolution images of "herringbone" reconstruction and individual atoms were obtained on the commercial thin films, and optimal tunneling conditions were determined. A Knudsen cell was designed to be mounted on the preparation chamber. The Knudsen cell operates over the temperature range 300-400K, with temperatures reproducible to ±0.5K, and stable to ±0.1K over a five minute period. Reproducible deposition rates of less than 0.2Ǻ/s were obtained for both L-cysteine and L-methionine. Electron impact mass spectrometry and heat of sublimation measurements were performed to characterize the effusion of L-cysteine and L-methionine from the Knudsen cell. The mass spectrometry results suggest that L-cysteine was decomposing at 403K while L-methionine was stable during effusion. Heats of sublimation of 168.3±33.2kJ/mol and 156.5±10.1kJ/mol were obtained for L-cysteine and L-methionine respectively.

Τα αυτό -οργανούμενα μονοστρωματικά συστήματα (self-assembled monolayers, SAMs) παρουσιάζουν μεγάλο τεχνολογικό και βιομηχανικό ενδιαφέρον καθώς προσφέρουν μοναδική ευκαιρία για την κατανόηση των διεπιφανειακών φαινομένων και των διεργασιών που σχετίζονται με αυτά. Ο έλεγχος των ιδιοτήτων διαβροχής και λίπανσης της επιφάνειας , η επιλεκτική ρόφηση διαφόρων ειδών μορίων (π .χ ., μεγάλων βιολογικών μορίων) για το σχηματισμό επιπρόσθετου μονοστρώματος προς μία προεπιλεγμένη δομή (π.χ ., με συγκεκριμένο μοριακό προσανατολισμό), ο σχεδιασμός βιοαισθητήρων αλλά και άλλα παραδείγματα αποτελούν μερικές μόνο από τις πιο διαδεδομένες εφαρμογές των SAMs. Στην παρούσα εργασία εστιάσαμε στο πιο διαδεδομένο σύστημα SAM, αυτό που δημιουργείται κατά τη ρόφηση μορίων αλκανοθειολών σε επιφάνεια χρυσού (R-SH/ Au(111)). Πιο συγκεκριμένα διερευνήσαμε τις δομικές ιδιότητες καθώς και τις ιδιότητες διαμόρφωσης του σχηματιζόμενου μονοστρώματος με τη βοήθεια ενός καινούργιου αλγορίθμου Monte Carlo (MC) που σχεδιάσαμε στο εργαστήριο, βασισμένου σ’ ένα ιδιαίτερα αποδοτικό μίγμα τόσο απλών όσο και πιο σύνθετων (συχνά μη φυσικών) κινήσεων για τη δειγματοληψία απεικονίσεων του συστήματος. Η καινοτομία του αλγόριθμου MC συνίσταται στο ότι, ανεξάρτητα από την αρχική απεικόνιση του συστήματος, έχει την ικανότητα να οδηγεί αποτελεσματικά όλα τα μόρια της αλκανοθειόλης επάνω στο υπόστρωμα του χρυσού με αποτέλεσμα στο τέλος της προσομοίωσης αυτό να χαρακτηρίζεται από 100% επιφανειακή κάλυψη. Κατά τον τρόπο αυτό παρακάμπτεται ένας σημαντικός περιορισμός των προηγούμενων μεθόδων , οι οποίες ουσιαστικά προ-υπέθεταν την αρχική απεικόνιση του συστήματος (στη βάση πειραματικών δεδομένων). Επιπλέον, λαμβάνοντας υπόψη ένα εκτεταμένο σύνολο αντιγράφων του συστήματος καθένα από τα οποία προσομοιώνεται σε μία διαφορετική τιμή της διαμέτρου van der Waals των ατόμων θείου, σss, και επιχειρώντας ανταλλαγές απεικονίσεων μεταξύ συστημάτων με παρακείμενες τιμές σss, ο νέος αλγόριθμος μας επέτρεψε να προσομοιώσουμε αποτελεσματικά πρότυπα συστήματα R-SH/Au(111) για ένα φάσμα τιμών της παραμέτρου σss από 4.25 Å που αντιστοιχεί στο μοριακό μοντέλο των Hautman-Klein [J. Chem. Phys., 1988; 1989] έως 4.97 Å που αντιστοιχεί στο μοριακό μοντέλο των Siepmann-McDonald [Langmuir, 1993]. Η εφαρμογή του αλγορίθμου MC επεκτάθηκε ακολούθως σε συστήματα αλκανοθειολών ροφημένων σε διαφορετικά μεταλλικά υποστρώματα, με σκοπό τη μελέτη της επίδρασης του είδους της μεταλλικής επιφάνειας στις δομικές ιδιότητες των συστημάτων SAMs. Προς την κατεύθυνση αυτή, αρχικά εκτελέστηκαν κβαντομηχανικοί υπολογισμοί ( ab initio calculations) για ένα μόριο μεθανοθειόλης ροφημένου σε επιφάνεια χρυσού, αργύρου ή πλατίνας και τα αποτελέσματα χρησιμοποιήθηκαν για την εξαγωγή ενός κλασσικού δυναμικού για την περιγραφή των αλληλεπιδράσεων μεταξύ θείου -μετάλλου. Με το δυναμικό αυτό διεξήχθησαν στη συνέχεια ατομιστικές προσομοιώσεις MC για διάφορα μοριακά μήκη συστημάτων SAMs R-SH και στη συνέχεια έγινε ανάλυση των δεδομένων, με έμφαση στην εξάρτηση των δομικών ιδιοτήτων του σχηματιζόμενου φιλμ (μοριακός προσανατολισμός, διαμόρφωση αλυσίδων και στατιστική των ατελειών gauche) από τη φύση του μεταλλικού υποστρώματος. Στο τελευταίο στάδιο της διατριβής εστιάσαμε στη μελέτη της θερμοκρασίας υαλώδους μετάπτωσης Tg ισότροπων συστημάτων αλλά και λεπτών υμενίων πολυαιθυλενίου (PE) με τις αλυσίδες εμφυτευμένες σε σκληρή, ενθαλπικά ουδέτερη επιφάνεια και σχετικά μεγάλη πυκνότητα εμφύτευσης. Για το λόγο αυτό επεκτάθηκε η μεθοδολογία προσομοίωσης MC σε χαμηλές θερμοκρασίες (κοντά στο ή ακόμα και χαμηλότερα από το σημείο Tg) χρησιμοποιώντας την πολύ δραστική κίνηση MC αναγεφύρωσης άκρων (end-bridging, EB). Τα δεδομένα της προσομοίωσης για την εξάρτηση της πυκνότητας και της ενθαλπίας από την θερμοκρασία χρησιμοποιήθηκαν για τον υπολογισμό της θερμοκρασίας υαλώδους μετάπτωσης, με το αποτέλεσμα να συμφωνεί σχεδόν επακριβώς με την αντίστοιχη πειραματική τιμή για ημικρυσταλλικό πολυαιθυλένιο στο όριο μηδενικού βαθμού κρυσταλλικότητας (προβλεπόμενη τιμή Tg μεταξύ 220 και 240 Κ). / Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) find numerous applications in a variety of fields: in the production of thin films from organic materials, in optics and electronics, as means for controlling the hydrophobic or hydrophilic behavior of a surface, as coatings for the protection of surfaces from corrosion, in molecular recognition, and more recently even as biosensors. In an effort to understand the mechanisms and interactions controlling chain organization and packing in these systems and how these affect their macroscopic properties, the present thesis has focused on the development of a Monte Carlo (MC) algorithm, built around a set of simpler but also more complex (sometimes non-physical) moves, for the atomistic simulation of the SAM structures formed by the adsorption of short alkanethiol molecules on a Au(111) surface. The innovation of the MC algorithm is that it is capable of efficiently driving all alkanethiol molecules to the Au(111), thereby leading to full surface coverage, irrespective of the initial setup of the system. This circumvents a significant limitation of previous methods in which the simulation typically starts from optimally packed structures on the substrate that are close to thermal equilibrium. Further, by considering an extended ensemble of configurations each one of which corresponds to a different value of the sulphur-sulphur repulsive core potential, σ ss , and by allowing for configurations to swap between different σ ss values, the new algorithm can adequately simulate model R-SH/ Au(111) systems for values of σ ss ranging from 4.25 Å corresponding to the Hautman-Klein molecular model [J. Chem. Phys., 1988; 1989] to 4.97 Å corresponding to the Siepmann-McDonald model [Langmuir, 1993]. A thorough investigation of the variation of molecular organization and ordering on the Au(111)substrate with chain length is presented. In a parallel study, the MC method was extended to alkanethiol SAM systems on different metal surfaces. This has allowed us to perform a detailed investigation of the substrate’s effect on the structure and conformation of the above systems through atomistic MC simulations based on a first-principles density functional modeling of the sulphur-metal interaction. Ab initio calculations on a methanethiol molecule adsorbed on gold, silver and platinum surfaces were conducted and the data obtained were used to develop an accurate classical force field which served as an input to the new MC algorithm. Emphasis was given primarily to the study of the effect of the substrate on the structural properties of the simulated R-SH SAM systems, like molecular orientation, molecular conformation, and statistics of gauche defects. In the last part of this thesis, and in an attempt to investigate the phenomenon of glass transition ( Tg ), the MC algorithm was employed in simulations with a less complex, than the SAM structures, system, that of amorphous polyethylene (PE). Two sets of simulations were executed: one with a bulk, isotropic sample, and the other with a thin film in which all PE chains were grafted on a hard surface on the one side and exposed to vacuum on the other. In all cases, the simulations were carried out for very long times in order for the autocorrelation function of the chain end-to-end vector to drop practically to zero. For both systems, the value of the glass transition temperature Tg was extracted using volumetric and enhtalpic simulation data and it was found to be between 220 and 240K, i.e., in remarkable agreement with measured data for semicrystalline PE in the limit of zero crystallinity. Additional results about the temperature dependence of the conformational (e.g., the equilibrium mean-square chain end-to-end distance) and structural (e.g., the intermolecular pair distribution function) properties in the two PE systems were also obtained and discussed in detail.

Graphene, a two-dimensional counterpart of three-dimensional graphite, has attracted significant interest, due to its distinctive electrical and mechanical properties, for developing electronic, optoelectronic, and sensor technologies. In general, doping of graphene is important, as it gives rise to p-type and n-type materials, and it adjusts the work function of the graphene. This adjustment is necessary in order to control charge injection and collection in devices such as solar cells and light emitting devices. Current methods for graphene doping involve high temperature process or interactions with chemicals that are not stable. Moreover, the process of transferring graphene from its growth substrate and its exposure to the environment results in a host of chemical groups that can become attached to the film and alter its electronic properties by accepting or donating electrons/holes. Intentional and controllable doping of the graphene, however, requires a deeper understanding of the impact of these groups. The proposed research will attempt to clarify the unintentional doping mechanism in graphene through adsorption or desorption of gas/vapor molecules found in standard environments. A low temperature, controllable and defect-free method for doping graphene layers will also be studied through modifying the interface of graphene and its support substrate with self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) which changes the work function and charge carriers in the graphene layer. Furthermore, current methods of chemical vapor deposition synthesis of graphene requires the film to be transferred onto a second substrate when the metal layer used for growth is not compatible with device fabrication or operation. To address this issue, the proposed work will investigate a new method for wafer scale, transfer-free synthesis of graphene on dielectric substrates using new carbon sources. This technique allows patterned synthesis on the target substrate and is compatible with standard device fabrication technologies; hence, it opens a new pathway for low cost, large area synthesis of graphene films.

One the most daunting technical challenges in the realization of biosensors is functionalizing transducing surfaces for the detection of biomolecules. Functionalization is defined as the formation of a bio-compatible interface on the transducing surfaces of bio-chemical sensors for immobilizing and subsequent sensing of biomolecules. The kinetics of functionalization reactions is a particularly important issue, since conventional functionalization protocols are associated with lengthy process times, from hours to days. The objective of this thesis is the improvement of the functionalization protocols and their kinetics for biosensing applications. This objective is realized via modeling and experimental verification of novel functionalization techniques in microfluidic environments. The improved functionalization protocols using microfluidic environments enable in-situ functionalization, which reduces the processing times and the amount of reagents consumed, compared to conventional methods. The functionalization is performed using self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of thiols. The thiols are organic compounds with a sulphur group that assists in the chemisorption of the thiol to the surface of metals like gold. The two reactions in the functionalization process examined in this thesis are the SAM formation and the SAM/probe molecule conjugation. SAM/probe molecule conjugation is the chemical treatment of the SAM followed by the binding of the probe molecule to the SAM. In general, the probe molecule is selective in binding with a given biomolecule, called the target molecule. Within this thesis, the probe molecule is an antibody and the target molecule is an antigen. The kinetics of the reaction between the probe (antibody) and the target biomolecule (antigen) is also studied. The reaction between an antigen and its antibody is called the immunoreaction. The biosensing technique that utilizes the immunoreaction is immunoassay. A numerical model is constructed using the finite element method (FEM), and is used to study the kinetics of the functionalization reactions. The aim of the kinetic studies is to achieve both minimal process times and reagents consumption. The impact of several important parameters on the kinetics of the reactions is investigated, and the trends observed are explained using kinetic descriptive dimensionless numbers, such as the Damköhler number and the Peclet number. Careful numerical modeling of the reactions contributes to a number of findings. A considerably faster than conventional SAM formation protocol is predicted. This fast-SAM protocol is capable of reducing the process times from the conventional 24-hours to 15 minutes. The numerical simulations also predict that conventional conjugation protocols result in the overexposure of the SAM and the probe molecule to the conjugation reagents. This overexposure consequently lowers conjugation efficiencies. The immunoreaction kinetics of a 70 kilo-Dalton heat shock protein (HSP70) with its antibody in a hypothetical microchannel is also investigated through the FEM simulations. Optimal reaction conditions are determined, including the flow velocity and the surface concentration of the immobilized probes (antibodies). Based on the numerical results and a series of experimental studies, the fast-SAM protocol application is successfully confirmed. Moreover, the optimum reagent concentration for a given one- hour conjugation process time is determined. This functionalization protocol is successfully applied to immobilize the HSP70 antibody on gold surfaces. The use of the fast-SAM protocol and the predicted optimum conjugation conditions result in binding of the HSP70 antibody on gold, with the same or superior immobilization quality, compared to the conventional protocols. Upon implementation of a 70 μm.s^(-1) flow velocity, the reaction is observed to complete in around 30-35 minutes, which is close to the numerically predicted 30 minutes and 16 seconds. This immunoreaction time is considerably less than conventional 4-12 hour processes. The modified in-situ functionalization techniques achieved here are promising for substantially reducing the preparation times and improving the performance of biosensors, in general, and immunoassays, in particular.

Magister Scientiae - MSc / Indinavir is a potent and well tolerated protease inhibitor drug used as a component of the highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) of HIV/AIDS, which results in pharmacokinetics that may be favourable or adverse. These drugs work by maintaining a plasma concentration that is sufficient to inhibit viral replication and thereby suppressing a patient’s viral load. A number of antiretroviral drugs, including indinavir, undergo metabolism that is catalysed by cytochrome P450-3A4 enzyme found in the human liver microsomes. The rate of drug metabolism influences a patient’s response to treatment as well as drug interactions that may lead to life-threatening toxic conditions, such as haemolytic anaemia, kidney failure and liver problems. Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) during HIV/AIDS treatment has been suggested to have a potential to reduce drug toxicity and optimise individual therapy. A fast and reliable detection technique, such as biosensing, is therefore necessary for the determination of a patient’s metabolic profile for indinavir and for appropriate dosing of the drugs. In this study biosensors developed for the determination of ARV drugs comprised of cysteamine self-assembled on a gold electrode, on which was attached 3-mercaptopropionic acid-capped palladium telluride (3-MPA-PdTe) or thioglycolic acid-capped palladium telluride (TGA-PdTe) quantum dots that are cross-linked to cytochrome P450-3A4 (CYP3A4) in the presence of 1-ethyl-3(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride and N-hydroxysuccinimide. The quantum dots were synthesized in the presence of capping agents (3-MPA or TGA) to improve their stability, solubility and biocompatibility. The capping of PdTe quantum dots with TGA or 3-MPA was confirmed by FTIR, where the SH group absorption band disappeared from the spectra of 3-MPA-PdTe and TGA-PdTe. The particle size of the quantum dots (< 5 nm) was estimated from high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) measurements. Optical properties of the materials were confirmed by UV-Vis spectrophotometry which produced absorption iii bands at ~320 nm that corresponded to energy band gap values of 3 eV (3.87 eV) for TGAPdTe (3-MPA-PdTe) quantum dots. The electrocatalytic properties of the quantum dots biosensor systems were studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV) for which the characteristic reduction peak at 0.75 V was used to detect the response of the biosensor to indinavir. Results for indinavir biosensor constructed with 3-MPA-SnSe quantum dots are also reported in this thesis. The three biosensors systems were very sensitive towards indinavir; and gave low limits of detection (LOD) values of 3.22, 4.3 and 6.2 ng/mL for 3-MPA-SnSe, 3-MPA-PdTe and TGA-PdTe quantum dots biosensors, respectively. The LOD values are within the ‘maximum plasma concentration’ (Cmax) value of indinavir (5 - 15 ng/mL) normally observed 8 h after drug intake.

Ce travail porte sur l’étude des interfaces semi-conducteur/diélectrique et semiconducteur/électrode dans les transistors organiques à effet de champ (OFETs). En effet, le transport et l’injection des charges se trouvent affectés par la qualité de ces interfaces.L’objectif est donc la compréhension de l’influence des caractéristiques morphologiques(rugosité, énergie de surface) et électroniques (travail de sortie) du diélectrique ou del’électrode sur les performances des OFETs.Dans un premier temps, des OFETs sur substrats de silicium à base de pentacène ontété fabriqués et les interfaces traitées à l’aide de monocouches auto-assemblées (SAMs). Legreffage des SAMs tels que l’OTS8 ou l’OTS, en neutralisant les groupes hydroxyles et enprésentant une surface apolaire, conduit à une réduction de la densité de pièges en surface. Deplus, les pièges présents dans la couche active et dus aux joints de grains sont moinsnombreux grâce à une croissance 2D en larges grains du pentacène sur OTS. Cesmodifications de l’interface sont mises en évidence par une réduction de la tension de seuil,de la pente sous le seuil ainsi que de l’hystérésis. Le transport ainsi favorisé des chargespermet une amélioration de la mobilité jusqu’à 0,6 cm2/Vs.Nous nous sommes également intéressés à l’interface semi-conducteur/électrode et àsa modification par des SAMs fluorés tels que le PFBT, le PFHT et le PFDT. L’influence desSAMs est présente tant au niveau morphologique, en améliorant la continuité de croissance dupentacène à la jonction diélectrique/électrode qu’au niveau électronique en augmentant letravail de sortie de l’électrode. La réduction de la résistance de contact RC souligne clairementces modifications et conduit à des mobilités maximales de 0,6 cm2/Vs. Par la suite, nousavons choisi de modifier ces deux interfaces dans un même dispositif, ce qui nous a permisd’atteindre des mobilités moyennes élevées de 1,3 cm2/Vs.La dernière partie de ces travaux a été dédiée à la fabrication d’OFETs basse tension àbase de pentacène ou de C60 sur substrats de verre. Le caractère basse tension de cesdispositifs est rempli grâce à l’utilisation d’un diélectrique composé de deux couches : undiélectrique à forte constante diélectrique, l’oxyde d’aluminium, et une fine couche d’undiélectrique à faible constante diélectrique comme les SAMs (C8-PA ou C18-PA) ou lespolymères (PMMA ou PVT). Cette combinaison permet d’atteindre des mobilités(m = 0,4 cm2/Vs) encourageantes pour des OFETs de type n ainsi que de faibles hystérésis(<0,1 V) dans le cas d’OFETs de type p. / The charge transport and injection are strongly dependant of the semiconductor/dielectric and semi-conductor/electrode interfaces quality. Therefore, this studyfocuses on these interfaces in organic field effect transistors (OFETs). The goal is theunderstanding of the relation between the dielectric (roughness, surface energy) or electrode(work function) characteristics and the OFETs performances.First, we investigate the influence of the interfaces modification by SAMs (SelfAssembled Monolayers) in pentacene based OFETs on silicon substrates. Due to the SAMsgrafting such as OTS8 or OTS, the hydroxyls groups are neutralized and the dielectric showsan apolar surface leading to the reduction of the charge traps density. Moreover, a 2Dpentacene growth with large grains on OTS surface contributes to the decrease of the chargetraps density in the bulk. The threshold voltage, subthreshold swing and hysteresis decreasesgive rise to these modifications. The improvement of the charge transport allows us to reachmobility up to 0.6 cm2/Vs.Then, we investigate the electrode surface treatment by fluorinated SAMs such asPFBT, PFHT or PFDT. The better pentacene layer continuity and the increased electrodework function emphasize the morphologic and electronic influences of the SAMs. Thesemodifications lead to the contact resistance reducing and in consequence to an enhancedmobility up to 0.6 cm2/Vs. Finally, devices with a combination of the interfaces treatmentpresent high mean mobility of 1.3 cm2/Vs.On the final part of this study, we concentrate on low voltage C60 or pentacene basedOFETs on glass substrates. Using a dielectric composed of a high-k dielectric as AlOx and athin layer of a low-k dielectric such as phosphonic SAMs (C8-PA or C18-PA) or polymers(PMMA or PVT) allow us to achieve this low voltage condition. The mobility obtained withn-type OFETs (m = 0.4 cm2/Vs) and the small hysteresis (<0.1 V) in p-type OFETs arepromising.

Submitted by Veronica Neshmi Salaues Mendoza (neshmi_salaues@hotmail.com) on 2018-04-18T15:18:38Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Salaues_M_Dissert_Araraiq.pdf: 2461056 bytes, checksum: b0790442c72a5c574565c09b578075df (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ana Carolina Gonçalves Bet null (abet@iq.unesp.br) on 2018-04-18T19:43:41Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 mendonza_vns_me_araiq_int.pdf: 2392917 bytes, checksum: 3697fdc59d96b5ae59f7207b7abe76e6 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-04-18T19:43:41Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 mendonza_vns_me_araiq_int.pdf: 2392917 bytes, checksum: 3697fdc59d96b5ae59f7207b7abe76e6 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-03-13 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / O sucesso no tratamento de muitos tipos doenças passa pela detecção seletiva e sensível de biomarcadores proteicos que permitam um diagnóstico precoce. A dengue é uma doença infecciosa de diagnóstico clínico impreciso e diagnóstico laboratorial demorado e custoso, a qual não possui tratamento ou vacina efetivos. Portanto se requer de ferramentas diagnósticas precisas, baratas e portáveis que permitam o diagnóstico rápido para realizar um tratamento adequado de sintomas e identificar os focos infecciosos para prevenir o espalhamento da doença. Um biomarcador útil na detecção da dengue, é a proteína NS1 que vem sendo utilizada com sucesso em diferentes plataformas de diagnóstico. Porém, nenhuma das plataformas oferecidas a nível comercial, consegue combinar a precisão, portabilidade, baixo custo e facilidade de manuseio. Portanto, o melhoramento de ditas ferramentas é o foco de bastantes pesquisas. Neste trabalho se apresenta uma plataforma que se amostra útil para a detecção de diferentes biomarcadores, incluindo a proteína NS1. Esta plataforma combina o uso de uma técnica eletroquímica como é a Espectroscopia de Capacitância Eletroquímica (ECE), com o uso de peptídeos redox e está baseada na funcionalização de eletrodos de ouro mediante formação de monocamadas auto-organizadas (SAM) confeccionadas com um peptídeo redox (Fc-Glu-Gli-Ser-Gli-Ser-Cys) desenhado para ser ancorado em superfícies metálicas, ao mesmo tempo que tem capacidade de ancorar uma sonda redox e um bioreceptor na mesma estrutura/molécula, com a vantagem adicional que a SAM obtida tem propriedades anti-incrustantes desejáveis em biossensoriamento. Ensaios realizados com a proteína NS1 permitiram a detecção de esta proteína em concentrações de 2 µg/ml. / Success in the treatment of many kinds of illnesses depends on the selective and sensitive detection of protein biomarkers that allow an early diagnosis. Dengue is and infectious disease of imprecise clinical diagnostic and delayed and expensive laboratorial diagnostic. This disease does not have an effective vaccine or treatment. Therefore, precise, cheap and portable diagnostic tools are necessary to allow a fast diagnostic in order to treat the symptoms, identify focuses of infection, and thus prevent the spreading of the disease. A useful biomarker in the detection of dengue is the protein NS1, which has been successfully used in different diagnostic platforms. However, none of the commercially available platforms combines precision, portability, low cost and user friendliness. Consequently, the improvement of such tools is object of ample research. This work, introduces a platform, which is useful for the detection of various biomarkers, including the protein NS1. This platform combines the usage of an electrochemical technique such as Electrochemical Capacitance Spectroscopy (ECS) and the use of redox peptides. It is based in the functionalization of gold electrodes through formation of Self Assembled Monolayers (SAM) formed by a redox peptide (Fc-Glu-Gli-Ser-Gli-Ser-Cys) designed to bind to metallic surfaces as well as to anchor a redox probe and a bioreceptor in the same structure/molecule. It presents the additional advantage of forming anti-fowling SAMs, which is a highly desirable property for biosensing. Tests made with NS1 protein allowed the detection of this protein in concentrations as low as 2 µg/ml. / 190233/2015-0

Orientadores: Christoph Friedrich Deneke, Eduardo Granado Monteiro da Silva / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Física Gleb Wataghin / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-25T16:50:29Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 MercesSilva_Leandrodas_M.pdf: 8926273 bytes, checksum: 010f49f410852b0ba0278adfc3e091fa (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014 / Resumo: Nanomembranas livres são definidas como filmes ultrafinos constituídos por metais, óxidos ou semicondutores, com espessuras nanométricas e vastas áreas superficiais. São obtidas em geral por um processo de subcorrosão seletiva de uma camada de sacrifício, cujo papel é liberá-las gradualmente, permitindo que o relaxamento da energia elástica nelas armazenada aconteça de maneira controlada, garantindo a integridade final das estruturas. Neste trabalho, nanomembranas livres de Si suportadas por um substrato de SOI foram utilizadas como substratos complacentes para o crescimento de ilhas de InAs em uma câmara de MBE. Além disso, nanomembranas metálicas tensionadas (Ag/Ti/Cr/Ag) foram utilizadas na obtenção de microtubos metálicos enrolados. Análises detalhadas da morfologia das amostras, das estruturas das ilhas e dos microtubos, do strain em ambos os sistemas e de suas possíveis aplicações foram realizadas. A microscopia eletrônica de varredura mostrou que as estruturas permaneceram íntegras após as deformações. A microscopia de força atômica revelou uma baixa densidade de ilhas no topo das nanomembranas de Si. Ademais, possibilitou o aperfeiçoamento de parâmetros superficiais das nanomembranas metálicas e o enrolamento de microtubos com diâmetros pré definidos, garantindo convergência com o modelo analítico. Técnicas de difração de raios X e modelagem por elementos finitos foram utilizadas para elucidar os estados de strain observados em ambas as estruturas. As simulações das curvaturas do substrato complacente de Si e do microtubo metálico sugeriram, respectivamente, um gradiente de strain dependente da posição lateral de cada ilha na nanomembrana e coeficientes de strain constantes nas nanomembranas de Ti e Cr. Finalmente, cálculos envolvendo elasticidade contínua sugeriram que para uma nanomembrana de Si com espessura adequada, o InAs pode transferir strain suficiente para possibilitar o crescimento epitaxial coerente. Ainda, medidas de espectroscopia Raman em moléculas auto organizadas de 1-octadecanethiol, adsorvidas em Ag e aprisionadas entre as paredes dos microtubos metálicos, sugeriram que tal sistema pode ser utilizado como um dispositivo SERS para self-assembled monolayers / Abstract: Freestanding nanomembranes (NMs) are defined as metallic, semiconductor or oxide ultrathin films with nanometer thickness and macroscopic surface areas. In general, they are obtained by a process of selective underetching of a sacrificial layer, whose role is gradually release them, allowing relaxation of their stored elastic energy in a controlled way, ensuring integrity of the final structure. In this work, freestanding edge-supported Si nanomembranes are used as compliant substrate to the InAs growth on a SOI substrate in a MBE chamber. Furthermore, strained metallic nanomembranes (Ag / Ti / Cr / Ag) are used to obtain rolled-up metallic microtubes. A detailed analysis of sample morphology, InAs island and metallic microtube structure, strain on both systems and their possible applications is carried out. Scanning electron microscopy shows the structures stay intact during and after deformation. Atomic force microscopy reveals a lower island density on the top of the freestanding membranes. Moreover, it allowed optimizing the surface parameters of the strained metallic membranes, rolling-up tubes with pre-defined diameters and ensuring convergence with the proposed analytical model. X-ray diffraction and finite element modeling is used to elucidate the observed strain states in both structures. The bending simulations of compliant Si substrate and rolled up metallic microtube suggest, respectively, a lateral strain distribution depending on the island position on the freestanding membrane and a constant strain distribution on the Ti/Cr strained NMs. Finally, continuous elasticity calculations suggest that for a Si nanomembrane with adequate thickness, the InAs can transfer enough strain to enable coherent epitaxial growth. In addition, Raman spectroscopy measurements of 1-octadecanethiol self-assembled molecules adsorbed on an Ag nanomembrane and trapped between the microtube Ag walls suggest the system could be used as a SERS sensor for self-assembled monolayers / Mestrado / Física / Mestre em Física

This thesis studies a scheme to fabricate small-scaled metal structures by electrochemical metal deposition and lift off. The key point is the use of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) to control both interfacial charge transfer in electrodeposition and adhesion of the deposit to the substrate. Patterned SAMs exhibiting blocking and non-blocking areas are applied as templates in electrochemical deposition of Cu or Au. Thiol SAMs on Au substrates are used, namely alkane thiols and thiols combining an aliphatic chain with a biphenyl or biphenyl analogous pyridine-phenyl moieties. The patterning of SAMs is realised with microcontact printing (μCP) and electron beam lithography. Electrochemical deposition based on defects in the SAMs is optimised towards generating small nanostructures and depending on the system single or stepped potential procedures are applied. Generated metal structures are transferred to an insulator by lift off. Au microstructures (~10 μm) have been made with microcontact printing and transferred onto epoxy glue, which can potentially be used as microelectrodes in electroanalytical chemistry. Sub-100 nm Cu features and sub-40 nm Au features have been created with electron beam lithography respectively. Lift off process has successfully transferred Cu nanostructures onto epoxy glue with high precision. In contrast to the deposition mediated by defects, Cu deposition mediated by discharging Pd²⁺ coordinated to a pyridine terminated SAM directly through the SAM molecules has been explored as a new approach. This new approach has potential to decrease the size of the metal structure further and the preliminary results show possibility of sub-10 nm features. SAMs prepared with a newly synthesised molecule, 3-(4'-(methylthio)-[1,1'-biphenyl]-4-yl)propane-1-thiol, are characterised by STM, XPS and NEXAFS. The metal structures are investigated by SEM, AFM and STM.

Les cryptophanes sont des molécules sphériques pouvant encapsuler dans leur cavité lipophile des molécules neutres (halogénométhanes, xénon) mais aussi des espèces ioniques comme les cations césium et thallium. Notre objectif a été d’immobiliser ces cages moléculaires de manière covalente sur un support solide dans le but de créer un matériau capable d’extraire des cations toxiques comme le thallium en milieu aqueux. Différentes stratégies ont été envisagées pour optimiser l’immobilisation de dérivés du cryptophane-A sur des surfaces de silice et d’or (surfaces planes et nanoparticules magnétiques de type coeur-écorce). Les cryptophanes-A mono-acide (1) et hexa-acide(2) ont été immobilisés sur des surfaces de silice préalablement fonctionnalisées par des groupements amines. Le cryptophane-A alcanethiol (3), ainsi que les cryptophanes 1 et 2 modifiés par lacystéamine (respectivement 4 et 5) ont été immobilisés sur des surfaces d’or. La caractérisation des surfaces planes par spectroscopie infrarouge de réflexion-absorption par modulation de polarisation(PM-IRRAS) a permis d’estimer le taux de recouvrement des différentes monocouches de cryptophanes et, ainsi, d’évaluer la méthode d’immobilisation la plus efficace. Un taux de recouvrement proche de 100% a été obtenu pour le cryptophanes 3 immobilisé sur les surfaces d’or.Ce composé a également été immobilisé de façon très efficace sur des nanoparticules magnétiques(γ-Fe2O3/SiO2) enrobées d’une nano-écorce d’or. Ces résultats permettent d’envisager la synthèse d’un cryptophane portant cinq fonctions hydroxyles et une fonction thiol afin de créer des matériaux capables d’extraire des cations toxiques. / Cryptophanes are spherical molecules that can encapsulate neutral molecules(halogenomethanes, xenon), and ionic species like cesium and thallium cations in their lipophiliccavity. Our objective was to covalently immobilize these molecular cages onto solid substrates tocreate a material able to extract toxic cations such as thallium in aqueous media. Different strategieswere considered to optimize the immobilization of cryptophane-A derivatives onto silica and goldsurfaces (flat surfaces and core-shell magnetic nanoparticles). Mono-acid cryptophane-A (1) andhexa-acid cryptophane-A (2) were immobilized onto silica surfaces that were functionalized by aminogroups beforehand. Alcanethiols cryptophane-A (3), 1 and 2 modified by cysteamine (cryptophanes 4and 5 ,respectively) were immobilized onto gold surfaces. Flat surfaces were characterized bypolarization modulation infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS) to estimate thesurface coverage of different cryptophane monolayers and to evaluate the most effective method. Asurface coverage close to 100% was obtained for the cryptophane 3 immobilized onto gold surfaces.This compound has been also immobilized efficiently onto magnetic nanoparticles (γ-Fe2O3/SiO2)coated with gold nano-shell. These results allow to consider the synthesis of cryptophane bearing fivehydroxyl and one thiol functions to create materials able to extract toxic cations