Diamond-Like carbon (DLC) films has a lot of advantages, such as high hardness, high thermal conductivity, low expansion coefficient, low friction coefficient, high chemical stability, high impedance. These properties make the DLC films suitable for becoming an insulator in metal insulator semiconductor structure. In this study, DLC films were deposited by electro-deposition technique onto silicon (Si) substrates, in which a mixture of acetic acid and water is used as the electrolyte. The structure of the DLC films is characterized by Raman Spectroscopy. The thermal evaporation technique was used to deposit an aluminum films on the DLC/Si-substrates, to make it as the structure of metal-insulator semiconductor (MIS), and the electrical properties of the MIS were measured by semiconductor parameter analyzer. DLC films were deposited by varying the parameters of electro-deposition process included mainly as the concentration of solution, the spacing between electrode and silicon substrate, deposition temperature, and the applied voltages. The properties and film growth of DLC attributed to the effect of parameters were described in detail. Finally, an electro-deposition model is obtained to describe the growth mechanism of electro-deposition of DLC film.

Porous antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO) cathodes formed by supercritical CO2 (SCCO2) treatment for silver electro-deposition devices were proposed. The porous ATO cathode with a thickness of 1.4£gm was formed by coating the nano-particle ATO solution on ITO glass. The porous structure of the cathodes was obtained by applying SCCO2 treatment at 60oC on the spin-coated ATO thin films. A layer of electrolyte(formed by AgI, NaI and DMSO)was enclosed by two electrodes to to form a so-called¡§sandwich¡¨ structure. After the fabrication process, white paint was spray on the back side of the glass substrate. Due to the thickness of the ATO cathode, the cathode is observed to be transparent during the oxidation process. The Black state of the device was observed during the reduction of silver molecules which were anchored onto the surface of the 1.4£gm thick ATO cathode. The average transmission contrast ratio of 4.4 was obtained in visible spectrum at a driving voltage of 1V and a saturation current density of 3.1 mA/cm2. In addition to that, 0.5 cm by 0.5 cm device with 65£gm cell gap and 0.08 M electrolyte concentration, an electrochromic switching time of 3.7 seconds was achieved .

Te2As3Se5 (TAS) fibers are often used in bio-sensing applications requiring direct contact between the fiber and live cells. However, the toxicity and stability of chalcogenide glasses typically used in such bio-sensing applications are not well known. The stability and toxicity of TAS glass fibers were therefore examined. The surface of TAS fibers stored for up to three years in air were analyzed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). It is shown that an oxide layer develops on the surface of TAS fibers stored in air. This oxide layer is highly soluble in water and therefore easily removed. Additional studies using cyclic voltammetry show that the fresh TAS glass surface is insoluble in water for at least a few days, and attenuation measurements show that oxidation does not affect the transmission properties of the glass fibers. It was also determined that old, oxidized fibers pose a toxic threat to cells, while washed and new fibers show no toxic effect. Therefore, it is concluded that a soluble oxide layer forms on the surface of TAS fibers stored in air and that this layer has a toxic effect on cells in an aqueous environment. However, through etching, the oxide layer and the toxicity can be easily removed.In other applications of telluride glasses, such as the search for possible signs of life on exoplanets, a glass transmitting further into the IR is required in order to detect molecules, such as CO2. A new family of Tellurium based glasses from the Ge-Te-I ternary system has therefore been investigated for use in space and bio-sensing applications. A systematic series of compositions has been synthesized in order to explore the ternary phase diagram in an attempt to optimize the glass composition for the fiber drawing and molding process. The resulting glass transition temperature range lies between 139°C and 174°C, with deltaT values between 64°C and 124°C. The most stable glass composition was found to be Ge20Te73I7. The Ge-Te-I glasses were found to have an effective transmission window between 2-20 microns, encompassing the region of interest for the identification of biologically relevant species such as carbon dioxide. Furthermore, the successful fibering and molding of the composition Ge20Te73I7 are shown. Lastly, an investigation into glass conductivity was completed resulting in a maximum conductivity value on the order of 10^-4 Ohm-1 cm-1 for the composition Ge20Te73I7.In an attempt to take advantage of the high conductivity of telluride glasses, a new approach to virus detection in an aqueous environment has been developed using the electrophoretic deposition of protein and viruses on the charged glass surface for in situ infrared characterization and identification. A proof of concept experiment has been completed using a germanium ATR plate and an indium tin oxide (ITO) plate as the experimental electrodes. Charged proteins and viruses were driven to the surface of the oppositely charged germanium ATR crystal, once a potential was applied to the system. FTIR/ATR spectroscopy was used before and throughout electro-deposition to enable the in situ observation of the deposition with time. This technique resulted in the successful deposition and removal of the protein Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA), and deposition of the virus MS2, a bacteriophage that infects only bacteria, with an applied voltage of only 1.1V. Furthermore, based on analysis of the ATR spectra, distinct spectral features were identified for the protein and virus showing the potential for identification and characterization of biological molecules in an aqueous environment. A Ge20Te73I7 ATR plate was synthesized but unsuccessfully applied as an electrode in these experiments, likely due to an inconsistent conductivity along the plate. A glass from the Ge-As-Te system with a lower but more consistent conductivity was thereafter synthesized and successfully used as an electrode and sensing element in the electro-deposition experiment.

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Le présent travail s’intéresse à l’électro-dépôt et à la caractérisation des nanofilms Pt/Pd(hkl) ainsi que leurs propriétés en relation avec le stockage d’hydrogène. Les effets de taille nanométrique, de l’épaisseur et de l’orientation cristallographique du substrat ont été étudiés.En comparant les films Pd/Pt(111) et Pd/Pt(100), des caractéristiques distinctes ont été observées aussi bien pour les courbes d’électro-dépôt que durant les caractérisations électrochimiques et par AFM ex situ. Les dépôts Pd/Pt(100) ont montré la présence d’un dépôt en sous tension jusqu’à deux couches atomiques, ce qui est assez inhabituel. Les films plus épais montrent la présence de pyramides à base carrée alignées sur l’orientation (100) du substrat. Au contraire, seule la première couche de Pd/Pt(111) se dépose en sous-tension et le dépôt présente un caractère pseudomorphe jusqu’à 10 couches complètes.L’absorption d’hydrogène dans les nanofilms de Pd/Pt(100) a été étudiée avec une méthode « classique » dans une solution d’acide sulfurique. Nous avons développé une nouvelle méthode recourant à une électrode tournante à ménisque suspendu pour mesurer l’insertion d’hydrogène dans les films les plus minces de Pd/Pt(111), où l’insertion d’hydrogène et le dégagement de H2(g) ne sont pas bien séparés.Les isothermes d’insertion d’hydrogène présentent des points communs entre les deux systèmes, comme la réduction du taux maximal d’insertion (H/Pd)max comparé au Pd massif, valeur qui décroît avec la réduction d’épaisseur. La largeur de la région biphasique décroît aussi avec la réduction d’épaisseur de film et présent une pente. Cette pente a été attribuée à la présence de sites d’insertion non-équivalents résultant des contraintes induites par le substrat. Cependant, pour Pd/Pt(100), la pente est moins prononcée et la valeur de (H/Pd)max décroît plus rapidement avec l’épaisseur. Sa valeur pour Pd5ML/Pt(100) est à peine supérieure au taux d’insertion αmax du Pd massif. / The present work focuses on the electro-deposition and characterization of Pd/Pt(hkl) nanofilms and on their properties concerning hydrogen storage. The effects of the nanometric size, of the thickness and of the substrate’s orientation have been studied.Comparing Pd/Pt(111) and Pd/Pt(100) films, distinct features were observed either in the electrodeposition curve or in the electrochemical and ex situ AFM characterizations. Pd/Pt(100) deposits have shown the presence of an UPD process up to two layers, which is a quite uncommon phenomenon. Thicker films show the presence of square based pyramids, following the substrate’s (100) orientation. On the contrary, only the first layer is Under Potentially Deposited in Pd/Pt(111) films and the deposit presents a pseudomorphic character up to about 10 complete layers.Hydrogen absorption into the Pd/Pt(100) nanofilms was studied following a “classical” method in sulphuric acid medium. We have developed a new method using the hanging meniscus rotating disk electrode (HMRDE) to measure the hydrogen insertion into ultra-thin Pd/Pt(111) films, where H insertion and HER (Hydrogen Evolution Reaction) are not well separated. The hydrogen insertion isotherms present some common points between the two studied systems, like smaller value of the maximum hydrogen insertion rate (H/Pd)max compared to bulk Pd, value which decreases with the decrease of the thickness. The two-phase region width decreases with film thickness as well and presents a slope. Such slope has been attribtued to the presence of non-equivalent insertion sites due to substrate induced constraints. Nevertheless, for Pd/Pt(100) the slope is less pronounced and (H/Pd)max value decreases more rapidly with thickness. Its value in correspondence of Pd5ML/Pt(100) is only slightly higher than the αmax insertion rate of bulk Pd.

Porous metal oxides formed by supercritical carbon dioxide (SCCO2) treatments at low temperature were used for displays, solar cells, and light emitting diodes (LEDs) applications. The SCCO2 fluid, also known as green solvents, exhibits low viscosity, low surface tension and high diffusivity as gases, and high density and solubility same with liquids. In this thesis, we successfully fabricated porous antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO) and porous indium tin oxide (ITO) by the SCCO2 treatments. In addition, the treatment can also be used to improve the work function and surface energy of ITO anode of an organic LED (OLED). The performance of the OLEDs was drastically enhanced in comparison with that of the devices without any ITO surface treatments. First, the porous ATO films were formed by the SCCO2 treatment for absorption of silver molecules in silver electro deposition devices. The porosity, resistivity and average optical transmittance of the porous ATO film in visible wavelength were 43.1%, 3 £[-cm and 90.4%, respectively. For the silver electro deposition devices with the porous ATO film, the transmittance contrast ratio of larger than 12 in visible spectrum was obtained at an operating voltage of 1.5 V. Furthermore, for the 0.25 cm2 device, the switching time of 4.5 seconds was achieved by applying a square-wave voltage ranging from 1.5 to -0.2 V between the electrodes. On the other hand, the porous ITO with low refractive index was prepared by SCCO2/IPA treatment on gel-coated ITO thin films. The high refractive index of the ITO film was achieved by long-throw radio-frequency magnetron sputtering technique at room temperature. The index contrast (£Gn) was higher than 0.6 between porous ITO and sputtered ITO films. The large £Gn is useful for fabricating conductive anti-reflection (AR) and high reflection (HR) structures using the porous ITO on sputtered ITO bilayers. The weighted average reflectance and transmittance of 4.3% and 83.1% were achieved for the double-layer ITO AR electrode with a sheet resistance of 1.1 K£[/¡E. For HR structures, the reflectance and sheet resistance were 87.9% and 35 £[/¡E with 4 periods ITO bilayers. Finally, the SCCO2 treatments with strong oxidizer H2O2 were proposed to modify surface property of ITO anode of a fluorescent OLED. The highest work function and surface energy of 5.5 eV and 74.8 mJ/m2 was achieved by the SCCO2/H2O2 treatment. For the OLED with 15 min SCCO2 treatment at 4000 psi, the turn-on voltage and maximum power efficiency of 6.5 V and 1.94 lm/W were obtained. The power efficiency was 19.3% and 33.8% higher than those of the OLEDs with oxygen plasma treated and as-cleaned ITO anodes.

The project aim is an optimalization of production of pressure die casting, which serves as a one part of handle in office furniture area. The main emphasis was for mass finishing operation, which serves for rounding of very sharp part edges after die casting operation. A few tests of single mass finishing parameter was carried out and as result was a few partial recommendations for an increasing of production efficiency and improving of manufacturing process, namely an adjustment of separation cycle, proposal of optimum amount of pieces in each single batch and an innovation of chips type and dimensions. The project includes a proposal of a new and more efficiency layout of pieces on the transport pallet.

Im Rahmen der vorliegenden Arbeit wurde der Einfluss der Korngröße und der Gefügestabilität auf die zyklische Plastizität von mikro- und submikrokristallinem Nickel, hergestellt durch ECAP und PED, untersucht. Zur Gefügecharakterisierung kamen verschiedene elektronenmikroskopische und röntgenographische Methoden zum Einsatz. Die Untersuchungen zur Gefügestabilität zeigten, dass (i) die Stabilität der Korn- und Substruktur bei der zyklischen Verformung empfindlich vom Gefüge im Ausgangszustand abhängt, (ii) generell die Tendenz zur Umwandlung der vorhandenen Substruktur in eine universelle ermüdungstypische Substruktur besteht, diese Transformation jedoch durch die lokale Gefügebeschaffenheit be- bzw. verhindert sein kann und (iii) zur Erklärung des Entfestigungsverhaltens der ECAP-Materialien sowohl die Transformation der Substruktur als auch die Vergröberung der Kornstruktur berücksichtigt werden müssen. Auf der Basis der Ergebnisse der vorliegenden Arbeit und unter Hinzunahme von Resultaten aus der Literatur lassen sich Schlussfolgerungen zum Einfluss der Korngröße auf die zyklische Plastizität in einem vier Größenordnungen umfassenden Korngrößenbereich ziehen. In grob- und feinkörnigem Nickel bilden sich bei der zyklischen Verformung ermüdungstypische Versetzungsstrukturen, deren Abmessungen kaum von der Korngröße abhängen. Der Versetzungslaufweg in diesen Materialien ist wesentlich kleiner als die Kornabmessungen. Dementsprechend besteht höchstens ein schwacher Einfluss der Korngröße auf das sich bei der Wechselverformung einstellende Spannungsniveau. Bei mikro- und submikrokristallinem Nickel, wo der Versetzungslaufweg in der Größenordung der Kornabmessungen liegt, wird ein deutlicher Umschlag bei der Versetzungsmusterbildung und dem zyklischen Verformungsverhalten beobachtet. In diesem Korngrößenbereich entstehen entweder qualitativ andere (D<DS1=5µm) oder keine Versetzungsstrukturen (D<DS2=1µm) und das Spannungsniveau steigt mit sinkender Korngröße entsprechend einer HALL-PETCH-Beziehung.