<p dir="ltr">Insights from research into the natural photosynthetic processes are applied to inform the rational design of inorganic catalysts. The study of these synthetic systems – artificial photosynthesis – will lead towards the development of a device able to absorb light, convert and store the energy in the form of chemical bonds. The water-splitting reaction, a bottleneck of the photosynthetic process, is a key barrier to overcome in this endeavor. Thus, the focused study of water-oxidation catalysts able to facilitate this difficult reaction is performed, in order to develop a green-energy solution in the form of an artificial photosynthesis system.</p>

<p>In this thesis we have performed core-electron spectroscopy studies of gas phase molecular systems starting with smaller diatomic, continuing with triatomic and extending our research to more complex polyatomic ones. We can subdivide the results presented here into two categories: the first one focusing on electronic fine structure and effect of the chemical bonds on molecular core-levels and the other one dealing with nuclear dynamics induced by creation of a core hole. In our research we have mostly used synchrotron radiation based techniques such as X-ray Photoelectron (XPS), X-ray Absorption (XAS), normal and Resonant Auger (AES and RAS, respectively) and Energy-Selected Auger Electron PhotoIon COincidence (ES-AEPICO) spectroscopies.</p><p>We have demonstrated that resonant Auger spectroscopy can be used to aid interpretation of the features observed in XAS for Rydberg structures in the case of Cl₂ and C1s⁻¹π*¹ states of allene molecules. The combined use of high-resolution spectroscopy with <i>ab initio</i> calculations can help the interpretation of strongly overlapped spectral features and disentangle their complex profiles. This approach enabled us to determine the differences in the lifetimes for core-hole 2p sublevels of Cl₂ which are caused by the presence of the chemical bond. We have shown that contribution in terms of the Mulliken population of valence molecular orbitals is a determining factor for resonant enhancement of different final states and fragmentation patterns reached after resonant Auger decays in N₂O.</p><p>We have also performed a systematic study of the dependence of the C1s resonant Auger kinetic energies on the presence of different substituents in CH₃X compounds. For the first time we have studied possible isomerization reaction induced by core excitation of acetylacetone. We could observe a new spectral feature in the resonant Auger decay spectra which we interpreted as a signature of core-excitation-induced keto-enol tautomerism.</p>

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T15:42:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 WashingtonCMG_TESE.pdf: 1906631 bytes, checksum: 6b7dc12db13ffeb89c11288d55cea5a8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-09-09 / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior / In this work, the structures of LaCoO3, La0,8Ba0,2CoO3 and La0,8Ca0,2CoO3 perovskites were characterized as a function of temperature (LaCoO3 structure being analyzed only at room temperature). The characterization of these materials were made by X-Ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS), in the cobalt K-edge, taking into account the correlated Einstein model X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS). The first part of the absorption spectrum corresponded the X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS). These materials were prepared by the combustion method. The combustion products were calcinated at 900 0C, for 6 hours in air. Noted that the sample LaCoO3 at room temperature and samples doped with Calcium and Barium in the temperature range of 50 K to 298 K showed greater distortion to monoclinic symmetry with space group I2/a. However, the sample doped with barium at the temperatures 50 K, 220 K, and 260 K showed a slight distortion to rhombohedral symmetry with space group R-3c. The La0,8Ca0, 2CoO3 structure was few sensitive to temperature variation, showing a higher local distortion in the octahedron and a higher local thermal disorder. These interpretations were in agreement with the information electronic structural on the XANES region and geometric in the EXAFS region / Neste trabalho foram investigados estruturas de perovskitas LaCoO3, La0,8Ba0,2CoO3 e La0,8Ca0,2CoO3 em fun??o de temperatura, sendo que a estrutura LaCoO3 foi analisada apenas em temperatura ambiente. As caracteriza??es destes materiais foram realizadas pela espectroscopia de absor??o de raios X (XAS) na borda K do cobalto levando em considera??o modelo de Einstein correlacionado na estrutura fina de absor??o (EXAFS). A primeira parte do espectro de absor??o de raios X corresponde absor??o de raios X pr?xima ? borda de absor??o (XANES) e a outra estende ? espectroscopia da estrutura fina de absor??o (EXAFS). Estes materiais foram preparados pelo m?todo de combust?o. Os produtos obtidos da combust?o foram tratados termicamente por 9000C por 6 horas nesses materiais. Observou que a amostra LaCoO3 em temperatura ambiente e as amostras dopadas com C?lcio e B?rio na faixa de temperatura entre 50 K a 298 K apresentaram uma maior distor??o com simetria monocl?nica com grupo espacial I2/a. No entanto, a amostra dopada com B?rio nas temperaturas 50 K, 220 K e 260 K mostrou uma leve distor??o com simetria rombo?drica com grupo espacial R-3c. A estrutura La0,8Ca0,2CoO3 foi pouco sens?vel com a varia??o de temperatura, apresentando uma maior distor??o local no octaedro e uma maior desordem t?rmica local. Estas interpreta??es est?o de acordo com as informa??es estruturais eletr?nica na regi?o XANES e geom?trica na regi?o EXAFS

In this thesis we have performed core-electron spectroscopy studies of gas phase molecular systems starting with smaller diatomic, continuing with triatomic and extending our research to more complex polyatomic ones. We can subdivide the results presented here into two categories: the first one focusing on electronic fine structure and effect of the chemical bonds on molecular core-levels and the other one dealing with nuclear dynamics induced by creation of a core hole. In our research we have mostly used synchrotron radiation based techniques such as X-ray Photoelectron (XPS), X-ray Absorption (XAS), normal and Resonant Auger (AES and RAS, respectively) and Energy-Selected Auger Electron PhotoIon COincidence (ES-AEPICO) spectroscopies. We have demonstrated that resonant Auger spectroscopy can be used to aid interpretation of the features observed in XAS for Rydberg structures in the case of Cl2 and C1s−1π*1 states of allene molecules. The combined use of high-resolution spectroscopy with ab initio calculations can help the interpretation of strongly overlapped spectral features and disentangle their complex profiles. This approach enabled us to determine the differences in the lifetimes for core-hole 2p sublevels of Cl2 which are caused by the presence of the chemical bond. We have shown that contribution in terms of the Mulliken population of valence molecular orbitals is a determining factor for resonant enhancement of different final states and fragmentation patterns reached after resonant Auger decays in N2O. We have also performed a systematic study of the dependence of the C1s resonant Auger kinetic energies on the presence of different substituents in CH3X compounds. For the first time we have studied possible isomerization reaction induced by core excitation of acetylacetone. We could observe a new spectral feature in the resonant Auger decay spectra which we interpreted as a signature of core-excitation-induced keto-enol tautomerism.

Ever since the discovery of exotic phenomena like high temperature (Tc) superconductivity in the cuprates and colossal magnetoresistance in the manganites, strongly correlated electron systems have become the center of attention in the field of condensed matter physics research. This renewed interest has been further kindled by the rapid development of sophisticated experimental techniques and tremendous computational power. Computation plays a pivotal role in the theoretical investigation of these systems, because one cannot explain their complicated phase diagrams by simple, exactly solvable models. Among the plethora of experimental techniques, various kinds of high energy electron spectroscopies are fast gaining importance due to the multitude of physical properties and phenomena which they can access. However the physical processes involved and the interpretation of the spectra obtained from these spectroscopies are extremely complex and require extensive theoretical modelling. This thesis is concerned with the theoretical modelling of a certain class of high energy electron spectroscopies, viz. the core-level electron spectroscopies, for strongly correlated systems of various kinds. The spectroscopies covered are Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), core-level photoemission spectroscopy (core-level PES) and X-ray absorption spec- troscopy (XAS), which provide non-magnetic information, and also X-ray magnetic circular and linear dichroism (XMCD and XMLD), which provide magnetic information. .

The Phthalocyanines (Pc’s) are a group of macro-cyclic molecules, widely investigated due to the possibility to use them in a variety of applications. Electronic and geometrical structure investigations of molecular model systems of Pc’s adsorbed on surfaces are important for a deeper understanding of the functionality of different Pc-based devices. Here, Pc’s monolayers and films, deposited on different surfaces, were investigated by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS) and Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM). In addition Density Functional Theory (DFT) simulations were performed. For molecular films of Metal-free (H2Pc) and Iron (FePc) Pc’s, on surfaces, it is found that the intermolecular interaction is weak and the molecules arrange with their molecular plane mainly perpendicular to the surface. Several monolayer systems were characterized, namely H2Pc and FePc adsorbed on Graphite, ZnPc on InSb(001)-c(8x2), H2Pc on Al(110) and on Au(111). For all the studied monolayers it was found that the molecules are oriented with their molecular plane parallel to the surface. The electronic structure of the molecules is differently influenced by interaction with the surfaces. For H2Pc adsorbed on Graphite the nearly negligible effect of the surface on the molecular electronic structure allowed STM characterization of different molecular orbitals. A strong interaction is instead found in the case of H2Pc on Al(110) resulting in molecules strongly adsorbed, and partly dissociated. Modifications of the electronic and geometrical structure induced by alkali doping of H2Pc films and monolayers were characterized. It is found both for the H2Pc film on Al(110) and monolayer adsorbed on Au(111), that the molecular arrangement is changed upon doping by Potassium and Rubidium, respectively. Potassium doping of the H2Pc films results in a filling of previously empty molecular orbitals by a charge transfer from the alkali to the molecule, with significant modification of the molecular electronic structure.

The presented thesis includes investigations to fully characterize the electronic structure and magnetic properties ofselected manganese containing high-spin molecules by means of various X-ray spectroscopic, magnetic and theoretical methods. The investigations on the Mn4 star-shaped molecule havelead to a number of interesting results. Magneto-chemical studies exhibit very weak exchange coupling constantsbetween the four Mn(II) ions, leading to complicated low lying states in which the ground state is not well separated, resulting from a dominant weak ferromagnetic coupling and a giant moment of up to 20 µB/f.u. XMCD measurements revealed that almost the completemagnetic moment is located around the Mn(II) ions.This is in agreement with only a few charge transfer states foundwithin the detailed X-ray absorption spectroscopic study. The electronic structure and detailed magnetic properties of the star-shaped heteronuclear CrIIIMnII3 complex have been precisely investigated.With XPS the homovalency of Mn and Cr have been verified. The XA-spectra of the manganese and chromium L edges were measured and compared to earlier investigated Mn4 spectra.The combination high-magnetic field magnetic measurements and element selective XMCD of Mn and Cr L edges and quantum model calculations lead to a complete analysis of the magnetic structure of the CrMn3 magnetic core. The III valence state of the manganese ions in MnIII6O2Salox has been verified. From X-ray diffraction, typical Jahn-Teller distorted oxygen octahedra have been found for Mn(III) ions. Comparisons of XPS and XAS spectra of the complex to corresponding spectraof maganite and tetranuclear manganese(II) cluster it was definitely possible to identify MnIII6O2Salox as a pure Mn(III) compound.

No description available.

This work investigates the growth dynamic of the reactive molecular beam epitaxy of Fe3O4 films, and its impact on the cation distribution as well as on the magnetic and structural properties at the surface and the interfaces. In order to study the structure and composition of Fe3O4 films during growth, time-resolved high-energy x-ray diffraction (tr-HEXRD) and time-resolved hard x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (tr-HAXPES) measurements are used to monitor the deposition process of Fe3O4 ultrathin films on SrTiO3(001), MgO(001) and NiO/MgO(001). For Fe3O4\SrTiO3(001) is found that the film first grows in a disordered island structure, between thicknesses of 1.5nm to 3nm in FeO islands and finally in the inverse spinel structure of Fe3O4, displaying (111) nanofacets on the surface. The films on MgO(001) and NiO/MgO(001) show a similar result, with the exception that the films are not disordered in the early growth stage, but form islands which immediately exhibit a crystalline FeO phase up to a thickness of 1nm. After that, the films grown in the inverse spinel structure on both MgO(001) and NiO/MgO(001). Additionally, the tr-HAXPES measurements of Fe3O4/SrTiO3(001) demonstrate that the FeO phase is only stable during the deposition process, but turns into a Fe3O4 phase when the deposition is interrupted. This suggests that this FeO layer is a strictly dynamic property of the growth process, and might not be retained in the as-grown films. In order to characterize the as-grown films, a technique is introduced to extract the cation depth distribution of Fe3O4 films from magnetooptical depth profiles obtained by fitting x-ray resonant magnetic reflectivity (XRMR) curves. To this end, x-ray absorption (XAS) and x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) spectra are recorded as well as XRMR curves to obtain magnetooptical depth profiles. To attribute these magnetooptical depth profiles to the depth distribution of the cations, multiplet calculations are fitted to the XMCD data. From these calculations, the cation contributions at the three resonant energies of the XMCD spectrum can be evaluated. Recording XRMR curves at those energies allows to resolve the magnetooptical depth profiles of the three iron cation species in Fe3O4. This technique is used to resolve the cation stoichiometry at the surface of Fe3O4/MgO(001) films and at the interfaces of Fe3O4/MgO(001) and Fe3O4/NiO. The first unit cell of the Fe3O4(001) surface shows an excess of Fe3+ cations, likely related to a subsurface cation-vacancy reconstruction of the Fe3O4(001) surface, but the magnetic order of the different cation species appears to be not disturbed in this reconstructed layer. Beyond this layer, the magnetic order of all three iron cation species in Fe3O4/MgO(001) is stable for the entire film with no interlayer or magnetic dead layer at the interface. For Fe3O4/NiO films, we unexpectedly observe a magnetooptical absorption at the Ni L3 edge in the NiO film corresponding to a ferromagnetic order throughout the entire NiO film, which is antiferromagnetic in the bulk. Additionally, the magnetooptical profiles indicate a single intermixed layer containing both Fe2+ and Ni2+ cations.

In this work the electronic and magnetic structure of the crystals Sr2FeMoO6, Fe0.5Cu0.5Cr2S4, LuFe2O4 and the molecules FeStar, Mo72Fe30, W72Fe30 are investigated by means of X-ray spectroscopic techniques. These advanced materials exhibit very interesting properties like magnetoresistance or multiferroic behaviour. In case of the molecules they also could be used as spin model systems. A long standing issue concerning the investigation of these materials are contradicting results found for the magnetic and electronic state of the iron (Fe) ions present in these compounds. Therefore this work focuses on the Fe state of these materials in order to elucidate reasons for these problems. Thereby the experimental results are compared to multiplet simulations.