Metal halide perovskites have emerged as photoactive materials in solution-processed devices thanks to their unique properties such as high absorption coefficient, sharp absorption edge, long carrier diffusion lengths, and tunable bandgap, together with ease of fabrication. The single-junction perovskite solar cells have reached power conversion efficiencies of more than 25%. Although the efficiency of perovskite devices has increased tremendously in a very short time, the efficiency is still limited by carrier recombination at defects and interfaces. Thus, understanding these losses and how to reduce them is the way forward towards the Shockley-Queisser limit. This thesis aims to apply ultrafast optical spectroscopy techniques to investigate the recombination pathways in halide perovskites, and understand the charge extraction from perovskite to transport layers and nonradiative losses at the interface. The first part focuses on perovskite solar cells with planar n–i–p device architecture which offers significant advantages in terms of large scale processing, the potential use of flexible substrates, and applicability to tandems. In addition to the optimization of MAPbI3 solar cell fabrication using a modified sequential interdiffusion protocol, the photophysics of perovskites exposed to humid air and illumination are discussed. The MAPbI3 film processed with the addition of glycol ethers to the methylammonium iodide solution results in the control of PbI2 to perovskite conversion dynamics, thus enhanced morphology and crystallinity. For samples exposed to humid air and illumination, the formation of sub-bandgap states and increased trap-assisted recombination are observed, using highly-sensitive absorption and time-resolved photoluminescence measurements, respectively. It appears that such exposure primarily affects the perovskite surface. The second part discusses the hole extraction from Cs0.07Rb0.03FA0.765MA0.135PbI2.55Br0.45 to the polymeric hole transport layer and interfacial recombination using ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy technique. To illustrate this, PDPP-3T was used as HTL, since its ground state absorption is red-shifted compared to the perovskite’s photobleach, thereby allowing direct probing of the interfacial hole extraction and recombination. Moreover, carrier diffusion is investigated by varying the perovskite film thickness, and carrier mobility is found to be 39 cm2V-1s-1. Finally, hole extraction is found to be one order of magnitude faster than the recombination at the interface.

This work is devoted to the investigation of a spin polarization in ferromagnetic semiconductor Ga1-xMnxAs with a broad nominal concentration of manganese ions using one method of the ultrafast laser spectroscopy - the time-resolved Kerr rotation. At first, the experimental setup was optimized for the investigation of the dynamics of spin polarized charge carriers in semiconductors which were photo-generated by circularly polarized laser pulses. It was observed that the measured signal is induced by spin-polarized electrons. Due to a small thickness of the investigated ferromagnetic films the measured signal probably monitored the dynamics of fotogenerated electrons in GaAs substrate. Nevertheless, the measured data show that the electron spin dynamics in the substrate is significantly influenced by proximity effect due to the deposited ferromagnetic layer.

The main theme covered in this thesis is experimentalstudies of quantum dynamics and coherent control in homonuclearalkali diatomic molecules by ultrafast laser spectroscopy iththe implementation of pump-probe techniques. A series of experiments have been performed on the Rb2molecules in a molecular beam as well as in a thermal oven. Thereal-time molecular quantum dynamics of the predissociatingelectronically excited D(3)1Πu state of Rb2, which couples to/intersects several otherneighbouring states, is investigated using wavepackets. Thepredissociation of the D state, explored by this wavepacketmethod, arises from two independent states, the (4)3Σu+and (1)3∆u, for which the second corresponds to a much fasterdecay channel above a sharp energy threshold around 430 nm. Thelifetime of the D state above the energy threshold is obtained,τ ≈ 5 ps, by measuring the decay time of thewavepacket in a thermal oven. Further experimentalinvestigation performed in a molecular beam together withquantum calculations of wavepacket dynamics on the D state haveexplored new probe channels of wavepacket evolution: theD′(3)1Σu+ channel, which exhibits vibrational motionin a shelf state and the (4)3Σu+ channel, where direct build-up of thewavefunction is observed due to its spin-orbit oupling to the Dstate. The real-time quantum dynamics of wavepackets confined totwo bound states, A1Σu+(0u+) and b3Πu(0u+), have been studied by experiment andcalculations. It is shown that these two states are fullycoupled by spin-orbit interaction, characterised by itsintermediate strength. The intermediate character of thedynamics is established by complicated wavepacket oscillationatterns and a value of 75 cm-1is estimated for the coupling strength at thestate crossing. The experiments on the Li2molecule are performed by coherent control ofrovibrational molecular wavepackets. First, the Deutsch-Jozsaalgorithm is experimentally demonstrated for three-qubitfunctions using a pure coherent superposition of Li2rovibrational eigenstates. The function’scharacter, either constant or balanced, is evaluated by firstimprinting the function, using a phase-tailored femtosecond(fs) pulse, on a coherent superposition of the molecularstates, and then projecting the superposition onto an ionicfinal state using a second fs pulse at a specific delay time.Furthermore, an amplitude-tailored fs pulse is used to exciteselected rovibrational eigenstates and collision induceddephasing of the wavepacket signal, due to Li2-Ar collisions, is studied experimentally. Theintensities of quantum beats decaying with the delay time aremeasured under various pressures and the collisional crosssections are calculated for each well-defined rovibrationalquantum beat, which set the upper limitsfor ure dephasingcross sections. <b>Keywords:</b>Ultrafast laser spectroscopy, pump-probetechnique, predissociation, wavepacket, pin-orbit interaction,coherent control, (pure) dephasing

<p>The main theme covered in this thesis is experimentalstudies of quantum dynamics and coherent control in homonuclearalkali diatomic molecules by ultrafast laser spectroscopy iththe implementation of pump-probe techniques.</p><p>A series of experiments have been performed on the Rb2molecules in a molecular beam as well as in a thermal oven. Thereal-time molecular quantum dynamics of the predissociatingelectronically excited D(3)¹Πu state of Rb₂, which couples to/intersects several otherneighbouring states, is investigated using wavepackets. Thepredissociation of the D state, explored by this wavepacketmethod, arises from two independent states, the (4)³Σ_u⁺and (1)³∆_u, for which the second corresponds to a much fasterdecay channel above a sharp energy threshold around 430 nm. Thelifetime of the D state above the energy threshold is obtained,τ ≈ 5 ps, by measuring the decay time of thewavepacket in a thermal oven. Further experimentalinvestigation performed in a molecular beam together withquantum calculations of wavepacket dynamics on the D state haveexplored new probe channels of wavepacket evolution: theD′(3)1Σu+ channel, which exhibits vibrational motionin a shelf state and the (4)³Σu+ channel, where direct build-up of thewavefunction is observed due to its spin-orbit oupling to the Dstate.</p><p>The real-time quantum dynamics of wavepackets confined totwo bound states, A¹Σ_u⁺(0_u⁺) and b³Π_u(0_u⁺), have been studied by experiment andcalculations. It is shown that these two states are fullycoupled by spin-orbit interaction, characterised by itsintermediate strength. The intermediate character of thedynamics is established by complicated wavepacket oscillationatterns and a value of 75 cm^-1is estimated for the coupling strength at thestate crossing.</p><p>The experiments on the Li₂molecule are performed by coherent control ofrovibrational molecular wavepackets. First, the Deutsch-Jozsaalgorithm is experimentally demonstrated for three-qubitfunctions using a pure coherent superposition of Li₂rovibrational eigenstates. The function’scharacter, either constant or balanced, is evaluated by firstimprinting the function, using a phase-tailored femtosecond(fs) pulse, on a coherent superposition of the molecularstates, and then projecting the superposition onto an ionicfinal state using a second fs pulse at a specific delay time.Furthermore, an amplitude-tailored fs pulse is used to exciteselected rovibrational eigenstates and collision induceddephasing of the wavepacket signal, due to Li₂-Ar collisions, is studied experimentally. Theintensities of quantum beats decaying with the delay time aremeasured under various pressures and the collisional crosssections are calculated for each well-defined rovibrationalquantum beat, which set the upper limitsfor ure dephasingcross sections.</p><p><b>Keywords:</b>Ultrafast laser spectroscopy, pump-probetechnique, predissociation, wavepacket, pin-orbit interaction,coherent control, (pure) dephasing</p>

Optoelectronics in the deep-ultraviolet (DUV) regime is still a growing research field that requires significant effort to understand the material properties and optimize the device structures to realize efficient DUV devices. Aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN) is perhaps the most studied semiconductor to replace the environmentally hazardous mercury lamps; however, the external quantum efficiency of AlGaN based DUV devices is insufficient to replace the existing old-fashioned mercury UV lamps. Despite the tunability in the bandgap of AlGaN, the excessive strain accumulation associated with increased alloying of Al in AlGaN and the poor dopant activation due to the relatively large ionization energy of the donors and acceptors are not favorable for realizing efficient DUV emitters. In addition, the crossover among the light hole, heavy hole and split-off bands in the valance band for Al-rich AlGaN suppresses the transverse-electric polarization, which further worsens the external quantum efficiency. Furthermore, for DUV photodetection, commercially available Si-photodetectors suffer from poor responsivity for wavelengths shorter than 400 nm in contrast to the visible spectrum. Hence, the-state-of-art photodetectors in the DUV regime also need a significant upgrade, particularly for high-speed applications. Firstly, we utilized the high quantum confinement in plasma-assisted MBE grown ultrathin GaN QDisks to realize DUV (λ ≈ 260 nm) emission using a binary compound (GaN) in contrast to conventionally used ternary compound (AlGaN). More importantly, we experimentally demonstrated TE-dominant DUV emission, unlike Al-rich AlGaN, illustrating a unique pathway for realizing efficient DUV vertical emitters. Secondly, inspired by the light manipulation technique practiced in nature, we presented iridocytes on giant clams (Tridacna maxima), known for their symbiotic relationship with algae as a color downconverting material for DUV photodetection. Investigating the structural and optical properties of iridocytes found in Tridacna maxima, we established a robust UV communication allowing the data transfer rate of 100 Mbit/s within the forward error correction limit for modulated 375 nm-laser diode. Using a similar matrix implemented to 375 nm-laser, with high-power UV-C LED (λ ≈ 278 nm), we could establish an optical wireless communication that could allow a data-transmission rate of tens of Mbit/s within the forward error correction limit.

Thesis (MSc)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / Please refer to full text to view abstract.

In this work we study thin epilayers of new antiferromagnetic semimetal CuMnAs by time- resolved magneto-optical experiments. In 10 nm layers of CuMnAs, we observed a harmonic dependence of the dynamical magneto-optical signal on the orientation of probe pulse linear polarization. This shows that in this 10 nm layer there is an in-plane uniaxial magnetic anisotropy which can be detected due to a quadratic magneto-optical effect - magnetic linear dichroism. From the measured data we also estimated the Néel temperature and the spectral variation of the magneto-optical coefficient describing the magnitude of the magnetic linear dichroism in this sample.

In recent years, spin relaxation, injection, and manipulation in semiconductors have attracted considerable interest because of several potential applications in "spintronic" devices and the necessity to understand and control spin-based phenomena. In light of the growing interest in spin-related phenomena and devices, there is now renewed interest in the science and engineering of narrow gap semiconductors (NGS). NGS based heterostructures are particularly interesting for spintronic applications due to their large spin-orbit coupling, which leads to considerable zero-field spin splitting. NGS are also candidates for electronic applications, such as high-speed and low-power microprocessors; as reported recently by Intel. Furthermore, as switching rates in electronic devices are pushed to even higher frequencies, it is important to understand dynamics in semiconductors such as NGS on femtosecond time-scales. In this thesis, time-resolved studies of magnetic and non-magnetic NGS using ultrafast-laser spectroscopy techniques such as pump-probe spectroscopy and magneto-optical Kerr/Faraday effect, are reported. Our samples include: InSb-based quantum wells with different confinement potentials; InMnSb films, the newest III-V ferromagnetic semiconductors; and InAs films. The samples for these studies have been provided by the groups of Prof. Santos at the University of Oklahoma, Prof. Furdyna at the University of Notre Dame, and Prof. Guido at Virginia Tech. The objectives in this thesis have been to: a) understand charge/spin dynamics in NGS with novel confinement potentials, b) probe the effect of magnetic impurities on the spin/charge dynamics, and c) develop concepts for spin based device applications. Several specific questions and concepts have been addressed including: the effect of large spin-orbit interaction in NGS on the dynamics, how large Rashba spin splitting in these materials affect the spin coherence life time, and carrier/spin dynamics in ferromagnetic semiconductor structures. / Ph. D.

i Abstract: This doctoral thesis is dedicated to the study of magnetization dynamics in ferromagnetic semiconductor (Ga,Mn)As using magneto-optical (MO) spectroscopy methods. The character of the magnetization dynamics after the impact of the laser pulse was investigated under different experimental conditions in an extensive set of optimized (Ga,Mn)As samples with Mn doping ranging from 1.5% to 14%. The thorough analysis of the measured MO signal enabled us to develop a new method that can be used to determine the laser pulse-induced real-space magnetization trajectory without any numerical modelling. Moreover, the investigation of the measured MO signals allowed us to determine the basic micromagnetic properties of (Ga,Mn)As, such as the magnetic anisotropy, the Gilbert damping or the spin stiffness. In addition to this, we found out that the light-induced magnetization precession can be caused by three distinct mechanisms - the sample heating due to the energy transfer from the laser pulses, the angular momentum transfer from the circularly polarized photons, and the influence of the non-equilibrium hole polarization induced by the relativistic spin-orbit interaction. The first of these mechanisms is rather well known but the two remaining ones, which are the optical analogues of the spin-transfer torque...