Global ETD Search

1	Energy Transfer and Optical Anisotropy in Semiconducting Polymers Sona N Avetian (6984974) 12 August 2019 (has links) <p>To fully optimize devices for solar energy conversion, a comprehensive understanding of how excitons migrate in materials for solar cell devices is crucial. Understanding the mechanisms behind exciton diffusion and energy transfer will enable the fabrication of highly efficient devices. However to thoroughly study exciton properties, techniques implementing high spatial (nm sizes) and temporal (fs time scales) resolution is required. Herein, we utilize transient absorption microscopy (TAM) with 50 nm spatial resolution and 200 fs temporal resolution to elucidate exciton diffusion in polymeric materials for solar energy conversion.</p> <p>While organic devices are inexpensive and require simpler fabrication procedures than inorganic materials, their device efficiencies often suffer due to their semi-crystalline nature, lending to short diffusion lengths which lead to trap sites and inevitably recombination. It has been demonstrated that achieving long-range exciton diffusion lengths is possible through coherence effects. Coherence can be found in an intermediate electronic coupling region where delocalization and localization compete.</p> <p>To exploit coherence effects, we study polymeric systems in which polymer chains are highly aligned via simple and scalable procedures; semiconducting fibers and solution coated films. In studying the fiber, we first implement polarized photoluminesce (PL) to determine optical ansitropy. From the polarized PL and PL images, it is observed that emission intensities are largest when probing along the transition dipole moment of the polymer. This suggests a type of Förester Resonance Energy Transfer mechanism in which excitons hop from one polymer chain to another.</p> <p>Solution coated polymer films are also studied to understand exciton diffusion as a function of deposition methods. By varying the solution concentration as well as coating rate, we are able to tune the morphology of the film. We observe a strong dependence between diffusion constant and deposition parameters, with diffusion constants of <i>ca.</i> 9, 13 and 33 cm<sup>2</sup>/s for three different films. The results obtained in this thesis are preliminary steps in an effort to elucidate energy transfer mechanisms and rates.</p><br> Physical Chemistry of Materials Ultra-fast spectroscopy Semiconducting polymer fibers semiconducting polymer films energy transfer exciton diffusion
2	Isolation, Purification and Characterization of Photosynthetic Membrane Proteins from Galdieria sulphuraria and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii January 2010 (has links) abstract: In oxygenic photosynthesis, Photosystem I (PSI) and Photosystem II (PSII) are two transmembrane protein complexes that catalyze the main step of energy conversion; the light induced charge separation that drives an electron transfer reaction across the thylakoid membrane. Current knowledge of the structure of PSI and PSII is based on three structures: PSI and PSII from the thermophilic cyanobacterium Thermosynechococcus elonagatus and the PSI/light harvesting complex I (PSI-LHCI) of the plant, Pisum sativum. To improve the knowledge of these important membrane protein complexes from a wider spectrum of photosynthetic organisms, photosynthetic apparatus of the thermo-acidophilic red alga, Galdieria sulphuraria and the green alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii were studied. Galdieria sulphuraria grows in extreme habitats such as hot sulfur springs with pH values from 0 to 4 and temperatures up to 56°C. In this study, both membrane protein complexes, PSI and PSII were isolated from this organism and characterized. Ultra-fast fluorescence spectroscopy and electron microscopy studies of PSI-LHCI supercomplexes illustrate how this organism has adapted to low light environmental conditions by tightly coupling PSI and LHC, which have not been observed in any organism so far. This result highlights the importance of structure-function relationships in different ecosystems. Galdieria sulphuraria PSII was used as a model protein to show the amenability of integral membrane proteins to top-down mass spectrometry. G.sulphuraria PSII has been characterized with unprecedented detail with identification of post translational modification of all the PSII subunits. This study is a technology advancement paving the way for the usage of top-down mass spectrometry for characterization of other large integral membrane proteins. The green alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is widely used as a model for eukaryotic photosynthesis and results from this organism can be extrapolated to other eukaryotes, especially agricultural crops. Structural and functional studies on the PSI-LHCI complex of C.reinhardtii grown under high salt conditions were studied using ultra-fast fluorescence spectroscopy, circular dichroism and MALDI-TOF. Results revealed that pigment-pigment interactions in light harvesting complexes are disrupted and the acceptor side (ferredoxin docking side) is damaged under high salt conditions. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Biochemistry 2010 Biochemistry Biophysics Chlamydomonas Galdieria Green alga Red alga Top down mass spectrometry Ultra fast spectroscopy
3	Photo-physical Characterization of Donor-Acceptor Systems using Ultrafast Laser Spectroscopy Alsam, Amani A. 11 1900 (has links) In donor-acceptor systems, ultrafast interfacial charge transfer (CT), charge separation (CS) and charge recombination (CR), are among the key factors in determining the overall efficiency of the optoelectronic devices. In this regime, precise knowledge of the mechanisms of these processes on the femtosecond scale is urgently required. In this dissertation, using femtosecond transient absorption and mid-Infrared spectroscopies along with steady-state absorption and emission measurements, we are not only able to address the fundamental understanding of these ultrafast dynamical processes, but also control them at various inter- and intramolecular electron donor-electron acceptor systems. In the photoinduced intermolecular charge transfer systems, where donor and acceptor are separated from each other, three systems have been investigated; cationic poly[(9,9-di(3,3′-N,N′-trimethylammonium) propyl fluorenyl-2,7-diyl)-alt-co-(9,9-dioctyl-fluorenyl-2,7-diyl)] diiodide salt (PFN) conjugated polymer donor with 1,4-dicyanobenzene (DCB) acceptor, negatively charged porphyrin (POS) donor with positively charged (PFN) acceptor, and finally, positively charged (PFN) donor with negatively charged graphene carboxylate (GC) acceptor. Based on studying these three systems, we were able to explore some important factors and deriving forces including chemical structure, electrostatic interactions, energy band alignment, hydrogen bonding and solvents with different polarities and capabilities for hydrogen bonding that influence the rate and efficiency of the charge transfer at the interfaces of these donor-acceptor systems. For instance, unlike the conventional understanding of the key role of hydrogen bonding in promoting the charge-transfer process, our results reveal that the hydrogen-bonding increases the spacing between the donor and acceptor units which significantly hinders the charge-transfer process. On the other hand, in the photoinduced intramolecular charge transfer systems, where donor and acceptor are chemically attached to each other, we investigate the effects of conjugation length on photoinduced charge transfer in π-conjugated oligomers naphthalene diimide (NDI) end-capped oligo(phenylene ethynylene)s (PEn-NDI), and poly-(phenylene ethynylene) (PPE) donor backbone with (NDI) acceptor end-caps (PPE-NDI-n) systems. The results of femtosecond transient absorption and mid-IR spectroscopies show that the charge separation occurs on the 1-10 ps time scale with the rates decreasing as oligomer length increases in PEn-NDI system. In addition, in PPE-NDI-n system, the fluorescence quenching measurements indicate very efficient photoinduced electron transfer from the PPE backbone to the NDI end-groups, and the transfer efficiency increases with decreasing the number of units. Finally, the new physical insights reported in this thesis provide an understanding of several key variable components involved, thus paving the way toward the exploitation of efficient charge transfer at donor-acceptor interfaces, which is the key element and urgently required for optimal optoelectronic-device performance. Ultra fast spectroscopy Laser Spectroscopy TT-Conjugated Photo physical properties Donor-Acceptor Systems
4	Nanoscopie résolue en temps : étude de la réponse spatiale et temporelle pour l'imagerie ultra-rapide / Time resolved nanoscopy : spatial and temporal study for ultra-fast imaging Persuy, Déborah 16 July 2015 (has links) Nous nous intéressons au développement ainsi qu’à la modélisation théorique de techniques de spectroscopie optique de champ lointain capables de coupler résolutions spatiale et temporelle grâce à l’utilisation de faisceaux d'excitation mis en forme spatialement. Nous établissons, théoriquement et expérimentalement, que dans une expérience de mélange de quatre ondes réalisée avec des faisceaux de Laguerre-Gauss, la charge totale du moment orbital est conservée. Nous montrons comment cette propriété peut être mise à profit pour travailler en géométrie colinéaire dans le but d’améliorer la résolution spatiale des expériences. Dans une deuxième partie, nous présentons une technique de spectroscopie « pompe-sonde » résolue spatialement que nous avons conçue et développée : l’imagerie temporelle est obtenue via la détection interférométrique des variations d’indice d’un matériau vues par une sonde étendue et consécutives à l’excitation par une impulsion pompe focalisée à la limite de diffraction. Nos modélisations démontre d’un tel montage associé à l’emploi d’une impulsion pompe modulée spatialement doit permettre, grâce au battement entre les fréquences spatiales des inhomogénéités de l’échantillon et de la modulation spatiale de l’excitation, de dépasser la limite de Rayleigh. / This work focuses on developing and modelling far-field spectroscopic methods that couple spatial and time resolutions by using beam-shaping. In a first part, we demonstrate, theoretically and experimentally, that generating a signal in a four-wave mixing experiment performed with Laguerre-Gauss beams, implies the conservation of the total charge of the orbital momentum. We show that this specificity can be used to perform experiments with collinear beams in order to improve spatial resolution. In a second part, we present a time- and spatially-resolved pump-probe technique of our own design: time-resolved imaging is obtained by the interferometric detection of variations in the refraction index of a material, undergone by a wide probe and induced by a diffraction-limited pump-pulse. Improving such an experiment set-up with a spatially-modulated pump-pulse should enable, thanks to the beating between spatial frequencies of sample inhomogeneities and the excitation spatial-modulation, to increase spatial resolution go the Rayleigh criterion. Spectroscopie ultra-rapide Imagerie Hyper-résolution Non-linéarités optiques Ultra-fast spectroscopy Imaging Microscopy Optical non-linearities 535.84 616.07
5	Recombinaison dépendante du spin dans les semiconducteurs nitrures dilués / Spin dependent recombination in dilute nitride semiconductors Zhao, Fan 07 July 2010 (has links) Ce travail de thèse est une contribution à l'étude des propriétés de spin dans les semiconducteurs par spectroscopie de photoluminescence et par photoconductivité en vue d’applications possibles dans le domaine de l’électronique du spin.Nous avons analysé les propriétés de spin des électrons de conduction dans les matériaux semiconducteurs nitrures dilués, massif et puits quantiques (GaAsN, GaAsN/GaAs). Nous avons étudié le mécanisme de recombinaison dépendante du spin des électrons de conduction sur les centres paramagnétiques induits par l’introduction d’azote dans GaAs. Nous avons mis en évidence l’effet de « filtrage » de spin des électrons de conduction que ce mécanisme peut induire ; en particulier, nous avons mené des études détaillées en fonction de la concentration d’azote, de la puissance excitatrice, d’un champ magnétique externe et, pour les hétérostructures, de l’épaisseur des puits quantiques. L’origine chimique des centres paramagnétiques a été, de plus, identifiée par des études de résonance paramagnétique détectée optiquement (ODMR).Nous avons également complété ces études purement optiques sur la recombinaison dépendante du spin, par des expériences de photoconductivité en vue d’applications possibles liées à l’électronique du spin. Nous avons montré que la photoconductivité des matériaux nitrures dilués peut être contrôlée par la polarisation de la lumière incidente. Un détecteur électrique de la polarisation de la lumière à base de GaAsN a été ainsi fabriqué et testé.Ces résultats ont été également interprétés et simulés grâce à un système d’équations dynamiques pouvant rendre compte à la fois des résultats de photoluminescence et de transport / This thesis work is a contribution to the investigation of the spin properties of semiconductors by photoluminescence and photoconductivity spectroscopy with the aim of future applications in the spintronic field. We have studied the conduction band electron spin properties of dilute nitride semiconductors in epilayers and quantum wells (GaAsN, GaAsN/GaAs). In particular, we have investigated the spin dependent recombination of conduction band electrons on deep paramagnetic centers induced by the introduction of nitrogen into GaAs. We have also evidenced the “spin filtering” effect made possible by this spin dependent recombination mechanism. More precisely, we have carried out a systematic study of the spin filtering effect as a function of the nitrogen concentration, excitation power, external magnetic field and, for the hetero-structures, as well as a function of the quantum well thickness. The chemical origin of the deep paramagnetic centers has been also determined by optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR). We have completed these all-optical studies on the spin dependent recombination by photoconductivity experiments in order to demonstrate a “proof of concept” system for spintronic applications. We have shown that the photoconductivity in dilute nitride semiconductors can be controlled by the polarization of the incident light: an electrical detector of the light polarization has therefore been built. These results have been as well modeled thanks to a rate equation system able to reproduced both the photoluminescence and photoconductivity experimental results Spintronique Hétérostructures semiconductrices Electronique de spin Recombinaison dépendante du spin Spectroscopie ultra-rapide Photoluminescence Photoconductivité Semiconducteurs nitrures Spintronics Spin dependent recombination Ultra-fast spectroscopy Photoluminescence Photoconductivity Nitride semiconductors Semiconductors hetero-structures
6	Novel tools for ultrafast spectroscopy Jarvis, Thomas William 06 February 2012 (has links) Exciton dynamics in semiconductor nanostructures are dominated by the effects of many-body physics. The application of coherent spectroscopic tools, such as two-dimensional Fourier transform spectroscopy (2dFTS), to the study of these systems can reveal signatures of these effects, and in combination with sophisticated theoretical modeling, can lead to more complete understanding of the behaviour of these systems. 2dFTS has previously been applied to the study of GaAs quantum well samples. In this thesis, we outline a precis of the technique before describing our own experiments using 2dFTS in a partially collinear geometry. This geometry has previously been used to study chemical systems, but we believe these experiments to be the first such performed on semiconductor samples. We extend this technique to a reflection mode 2dFTS experiment, which we believe to be the first such measurement. In order to extend the techniques of coherent spectroscopy to structured systems, we construct an experimental apparatus that permits us to control the beam geometry used to perform four-wave mixing reflection measurements. To isolate extremely weak signals from intense background fields, we extend a conventional lock-in detection scheme to one that treats the optical fields exciting the sample on an unequal footing. To the best of our knowledge, these measurements represent a novel spectroscopic tool that has not previously been described. / text Spectroscopy Ultrafast spectroscopy Ultra-fast spectroscopy Exciton Exciton dynamics Exciton optics Excitons Four-wave mixing Four wave mixing GaAs Gallium Arsenide Quantum well Semiconductor Acousto-optic Acousto optic Acousto-optic modulation Agile frequency Direct digital synthesis Lock-in detection Lock in detection Two-dimensional Two dimensional Fourier transform Multi-dimensional Multi dimensional Coherent Dephasing Relaxation Many body Many-body Physics Correlation Plasmon Surface plasmon Polariton Surface Hybrid Coupling Mode Grating Nanostructure Nano-structure Nano structure Reflection Mode geometry Transmission Variable Angle tuning Tunable Tuned Angle-tuning Angle-tunable Beam controllable Control

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