Plasmonic properties of self-assembled silver nanoparticles/nanowires array on periodically patterned Si (100) substrate are reported with special attention on the mechanism of nanoparticles self-assembly. The advantage of this bottom up approach over other self-assembling and lithographic methods is the flexibility to tune array periodicity down to 20 nm with interparticle gaps as low as 5 nm along the ripple. Ripple pattern have shallow modulation (~2 nm) still particles self-assembly was observed in non-shadow deposition. Therefore adatoms diffusion and kinetics is important on ripple surface for the self-assembly. PVD e-beam evaporation method used for deposition has proven to be superior to sputter deposition due to lower incident flux and lower atom energy. It was found that particles self-assembly largely dependent on angle of incidence, substrate temperature, and deposition direction due to ripple asymmetric tilt. Ostwald ripening observed during annealing on ripples substrate has striking dependency on ripple periodicity and was found to be different compared to Ostwald ripening on flat Si surface. In-situ RBS measurements of deposited silver on flat and rippled substrate confirmed different sticking of atoms on the two surfaces. The difference between maximum and minimum of the calculated local flux show a peak at an incidence angle of 70o with respect to surface normal. This explains the best alignment of particles at this angle of incidence compare to others. Self-assembled nanoparticles are optically anisotropic, i.e. they exhibit a direction dependent shift in LSPR. The reason of the observed anisotropy is a direction dependent plasmonic coupling. Different in plane and out of the plane dielectric coefficients calculated by modelling Jones matrix elements, confirms that nanoparticle/nanowire array are biaxial anisotropic (ex ¹ ey ¹ ez). The nanoparticles are predominantly insulating while nanowires are both metallic and insulating depending on the dimension. Silver nanoparticles/nanowires self-aligned on pre-patterned rippled substrate are presented for the first time as an active SERS substrate. Anisotropic SERS response in such arrays is attributed to different field enhancement along and across the ripples. Strong plasmonic coupling in elongated nanoparticles chain results in significantly higher SERS intensity then spherical nanoparticles/nanowires and non-ordered nanoparticles. Higher SERS intensity across the nanowires array in comparison to along the array (bulk silver) confirms electromagnetic field enhancement (hot-junction) is responsible for SERS phenomenon. Self-assembly of cobalt nanoparticle on ripple pattern substrate is also reported. Due to less adatom mobility and higher sticking cobalt self-assembly is possible only at much higher temperature. A strong uniaxial magnetic anisotropy was observed not observed for non ordered cobalt particles.

SMFD techniques offer genuine detection possibilities which are often inaccessible using ensemble methods. This was demonstrated in three projects investigating translocation activity of CHD4 protein, analysis of MS2 phage capsid assembly and in-cell characterization of DNA structure. In other projects, binding interactions between two fluorescent probes and a short oligonucleotide were characterized and all optical depth of focus extended microscope configuration for imaging of individual molecules inside bacterial cells was developed and tested.

Plasmonic properties of self-assembled silver nanoparticles/nanowires array on periodically patterned Si (100) substrate are reported with special attention on the mechanism of nanoparticles self-assembly. The advantage of this bottom up approach over other self-assembling and lithographic methods is the flexibility to tune array periodicity down to 20 nm with interparticle gaps as low as 5 nm along the ripple. Ripple pattern have shallow modulation (~2 nm) still particles self-assembly was observed in non-shadow deposition. Therefore adatoms diffusion and kinetics is important on ripple surface for the self-assembly. PVD e-beam evaporation method used for deposition has proven to be superior to sputter deposition due to lower incident flux and lower atom energy. It was found that particles self-assembly largely dependent on angle of incidence, substrate temperature, and deposition direction due to ripple asymmetric tilt. Ostwald ripening observed during annealing on ripples substrate has striking dependency on ripple periodicity and was found to be different compared to Ostwald ripening on flat Si surface. In-situ RBS measurements of deposited silver on flat and rippled substrate confirmed different sticking of atoms on the two surfaces. The difference between maximum and minimum of the calculated local flux show a peak at an incidence angle of 70o with respect to surface normal. This explains the best alignment of particles at this angle of incidence compare to others. Self-assembled nanoparticles are optically anisotropic, i.e. they exhibit a direction dependent shift in LSPR. The reason of the observed anisotropy is a direction dependent plasmonic coupling. Different in plane and out of the plane dielectric coefficients calculated by modelling Jones matrix elements, confirms that nanoparticle/nanowire array are biaxial anisotropic (ex ¹ ey ¹ ez). The nanoparticles are predominantly insulating while nanowires are both metallic and insulating depending on the dimension. Silver nanoparticles/nanowires self-aligned on pre-patterned rippled substrate are presented for the first time as an active SERS substrate. Anisotropic SERS response in such arrays is attributed to different field enhancement along and across the ripples. Strong plasmonic coupling in elongated nanoparticles chain results in significantly higher SERS intensity then spherical nanoparticles/nanowires and non-ordered nanoparticles. Higher SERS intensity across the nanowires array in comparison to along the array (bulk silver) confirms electromagnetic field enhancement (hot-junction) is responsible for SERS phenomenon. Self-assembly of cobalt nanoparticle on ripple pattern substrate is also reported. Due to less adatom mobility and higher sticking cobalt self-assembly is possible only at much higher temperature. A strong uniaxial magnetic anisotropy was observed not observed for non ordered cobalt particles.

Les métamatériaux sont des matériaux artificiels présentant des propriétés que l’on neretrouve pas dans les matériaux naturels. Il s’agit en général de matériaux compositesconstitués de résonateurs dont la réponse intense permet l’obtention de propriétés uniques.Cette thèse est consacrée à la fabrication et à l’étude de métamatériaux électromagnétiquespour une utilisation dans la gamme de fréquences du spectre visible. Nos matériaux sont desassemblages denses de nanoparticules coeur écorce. Le coeur métallique d’or présente unerésonance plasmon dans le visible et l’écorce de silice permet de contrôler les couplagesinterparticulaires. Les matériaux sont réalisés par une méthode dérivée de la technique deLangmuir-Blodgett et par microévaporation. Les propriétés optiques des matériaux sontétudiées par ellipsométrie spectroscopique. Nous avons mis en évidence la présence d’uncouplage fort avec le substrat de silicium permettant l’obtention d’indice réfraction n < 0,5dans le cas du système le plus fortement couplé. Nous avons décrit un phénomèned’extinction topologique pouvant être mis à profit pour la fabrication de capteurs ultrasensibles.Nous avons également synthétisé des nanoparticules présentant un coeur de silicechargé de molécules fluorescentes encapsulé d’une écorce d’or dont l’étude a permis unemeilleure compréhension du phénomène de compensation de perte. / Metamaterials are artificial materials exhibiting novel properties that are not found in naturalmaterials. Metamaterials are usually composite materials which contain artificial resonatorswhose intense response generates unique properties. This thesis is dedicated to the fabricationand characterization of electromagnetic metamaterials which are designed to be used atoptical frequency. Our materials are dense assemblies of core-shell nanoparticles. Corenanoparticles exhibit a plasmon resonance in the visible and the silica shell is used to controlthe interparticle coupling. The materials are made by a method derived from the Langmuir-Blodgett technique and by microevaporation. The optical properties of the materials werestudied by spectroscopic ellipsometry. We have demonstrated the presence of a strongcoupling with the silicon substrate which allows for a refractive index value of n <0.5, in thecase of the most coupled system. We have also described a topological extinctionphenomenon that can be exploited for the production of ultra-sensitive sensors. Finally, wesynthesized silica nanoparticles containing fluorescent molecules that are encapsulated with agold shell whose study has allowed for a better understanding of loss compensationphenomenon.

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / This work describes the molecular and supramolecular structure of fourteen pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines from bond lengths, torsion angles, angles between planes and interatomic distances. The data discussed were originated from xray and theoretical calculations. Torsion angle N1-N8-C3a-N4, algles between planes of pyrazole and pyrimidine rings and the pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine RMS value showed that the fused rings are plane. The heterocyclic ring bond lengths demonstrated that the p-electrons are delocalized by resonance and the peripheral electronic distribution of this p-electrons is similar to the naphthalene. The bond length obtained from theoretical calculations (AM1, PM3, RM1 e ab initio) have a correlation with experimental for pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine ring bonds and for bonds of their substituents.The supramolecular assembly of pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine reveals that interactions type halogen···Lewis base (Cl···N, F···F, Cl···Cl, Cl···Br), halogen···p (F···p, Cl···p e Br···p) and p-p interactions (pyrazole, pyrimidine and aryl) were the main interactions observed by self-assembly of the pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines. The atoms in supramolecular synthons were invariable with modifications of substituent at C5. However, was sensitive to variations of substituents at C3. This composes a notable example of substituent effect in the synthon robustness. The halogenated functions at C7(CCl3, CF3), C3 (Br) and in remote positions at C5 (4-Br-Ph) present the competition between chlorine and bromine atoms in the formation of supramolecular synthons. These observations are in accordance with recent s-hole theory and are some of few experimental example of theory. Finally, the aromaticity of pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines was determined by geometric index HOMA (Harmonic Oscillator Model of Aromaticity) from theoretical (AM1, PM3, RM1 e ab initio) and x-ray bond length. In this work, was also proposing new parameters to heterocyclic HOMA calculations. The results show HOMA values higher than 0.900 that is in accordance with aromaticity properties of these systems. / Este trabalho apresenta o estudo da estrutura molecular e supramolecular de uma série de 14 pirazolo[1,5-a]pirimidinas a partir de dados de comprimentos e ângulos de ligação, ângulos diedros, ângulos entre planos, distâncias interatômica de interações intermoleculares. Os dados apresentados foram obtidos por difratometria de raios-X e cálculos teóricos de orbitais moleculares. Os dados do ângulo diedro N1-N8-C3a-N4, ângulo entre os planos do pirazol e da pirimidina, e a média da raiz quadrada dos átomos do anel pirazol[1,5- a]pirimidina demonstraram que os anéis pirazol e pirimidina formadores do anel fundido estão no mesmo plano. Os comprimentos de ligação entre os átomos do núcleo heterocíclico demonstraram que os elétrons-p estão deslocalizados caracterizando um sistema em ressonância e que a distribuição eletrônica se assemelha a do naftaleno, com os elétrons distribuídos pela periferia do sistema heterocíclico. Os comprimentos de ligação obtidos por cálculos teóricos (Austin Method 1, Parametrized Method 3, Recife Method 1 e ab initio) apresentaram boa correlação com dados experimentais tanto para o núcleo pirazolo[1,5-a]pirimidina quanto para os substituintes. Ainda foram realizados estudos da organização supramolecular das pirazolo[1,5-a]pirimidina. As principais interações intermoleculares observadas nas pirazolo[1,5- a]pirimidinas foram do tipo halogênio···base de Lewis (Cl···N, F···F, Cl···Cl, Cl···Br), halogênio···p (F···p, Cl···p e Br···p) e interações do tipo p-p (entre anéis pirazol, pirimidina e arila). Os átomos envolvidos na interação foram persistentes com a variação do susbtituinte no C5 do anel. Entretanto as interações foram modificadas pela mudança de substituintes no C3 do anel, constituindo um exemplo notável do efeito do substituinte no empacotamento cristalino. A presença de funções halogenadas nas posições C7(CCl3, CF3), C3 (Br) e em posições remotas de substituintes em C5 (4-Br-Ph) mostraram a competição entre átomos de cloro e de bromo na organização supramolecular destes compostos. Estas observações estão de acordo com a recente teoria sobre a existência de uma superfície com potencial positivo na ligação Chalogênio (s-hole) e constituem um dos poucos exemplos experimentais para esta teoria. Por fim, foi determinada a aromaticidade de pirazolo[1,5-a]pirimidinas usando o índice geométrico HOMA (Harmonic Oscilator Model of Aromaticity) a partir dos dados de comprimentos de ligações obtidos por difratometria de raios-X e obtidos por cálculos teóricos (AM1, PM3, RM1 e ab initio). Neste trabalho também foram propostos novos parâmetros para a adequação do cálculo de aromaticidade para heterociclos. Os resultados mostraram valores de HOMA maiores que 0,900, que são condizentes com as características de aromaticidade descritas para estes compostos.

Title: Self-assembly of polymers with amphiphilic compounds (surfactants) in aqueous solutions Abstract: This PhD Thesis is devoted to the co-assembly in systems containing electrically charged polymers (polyelectrolytes and block copolymers containing polyelectrolyte sequences). I studied the interactions between block copolymers and oppositely charged surfactants in aqueous solutions, and the structure and properties of co-assembled nanoparticles by a combination of several experimental methods. I found that the spontaneous formation, solubility and stability of complex nanoparticles depend not only on the electrostatic attractive forces but also on the hydrophobic effects. In a major part of my Thesis, I studied the interaction of polyelectrolytes with oppositely charged gemini surfactants (containing two charged head-groups interconnected by a short linker and two hydrophobic tails) which is a relatively new topic - much less studied than the co-assembly with conventional single tail surfactants. Better understanding of the formation and properties of complexes containing gemini surfactants and polymers provides knowledge that should lead to novel tailor-made nanoparticles with desired properties for applications in medicine and new technologies (including nano-technologies). We have shown that the...