<p>Localization and magnetic properties of electrons in a thin, cyclic quasi one-dimensional GaAs wire with a central potential barrier were studied using the Hartree-Fock and LSDA (Local Spin Density Approximation, exchange only) and compared to more time consuming Quantum Monte-Carlo calculations. Within LSDA, evidence of true localization was found as well as evidence for the existence of both ferromagnetic as well as anti-ferromagnetic states. Also signs of two-dimensional spin localization was found, without associated localized electrons.</p>

Localization and magnetic properties of electrons in a thin, cyclic quasi one-dimensional GaAs wire with a central potential barrier were studied using the Hartree-Fock and LSDA (Local Spin Density Approximation, exchange only) and compared to more time consuming Quantum Monte-Carlo calculations. Within LSDA, evidence of true localization was found as well as evidence for the existence of both ferromagnetic as well as anti-ferromagnetic states. Also signs of two-dimensional spin localization was found, without associated localized electrons.

Density Functional Theory (DFT) was used to study fundamental characteristics of electrides. Electronic structure calculations were performed with the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) and GGA+U (U- “on-site" electron-electron repulsion). Fundamental properties of Y2C were investigated in the first project. The nature of strongly localized anionic electrons in Y2C was demonstrated using the distribution of charge density. Magnetic properties were analyzed with magnetization density and magnetic anisotropy energies. The magnetic anisotropy of Y2C originates from anionic electrons at interlayer spaces. The predicted work functions are in good agreement with reported experimental data. We also investigated the enhancement of magnetic properties by varying the degree of localization of anionic electrons. The exchange splitting of interstitial electrons is more prominent than that of d-orbitals of Y and exchange splitting increases with decreasing c-axis parameter. In the second study, fundamental properties of Gd2C are discussed. The GGA+U method was applied for 4f states of Gd and predicted the best U value. Our model predicted Gd2C has a layered-hexagonal structure. Local density of states (LDOS) and projected density of states (PDOS) were analyzed for understanding of anionic electrons and atoms on magnetic and electronic properties. The Curie temperatures of Gd and Gd2C were calculated and noticed that interactions in Gd2C are influential to increase the Curie temperature. The chemical formula can be written as [Gd2C]1.9.1.9e- from charge analysis. Additionally, fundamental properties of two ionized states, Q=+1 and Q=+2 were studied. Results indicate anionic electrons at interlayer spaces will initiate the ejecting of electrons. Density functional perturbation theory (DFPT) with DFT under the harmonic approximations was applied to study the structural stabilities, phase transitions and variation of thermodynamic quantities at finite temperature of two phases of Hf2S. Phonon dispersion curves without any imaginary frequencies are evidence for stability of two phases. The resulting quadratic flexural phonon branch indicates Hf2S has 2D characteristics. At T= 0 K the Helmholtz free energy of anti- NbS2 structure of Hf2S lies ≈23 kJ/f.u. below that of the higher energy phase. The critical temperature for the phase transition was estimated, and the effect of finite temperature on thermodynamics quantities were studied.

Molecular-based quantum cellular automata (m-QCA), as an extension of quantum-dot QCAs, offer a novel alternative in which binary information can be encoded in the molecular charge configuration of a cell and propagated via nearest-neighbor Coulombic cell-cell interactions. Appropriate functionality of m-QCAs involves a complex relationship between quantum mechanical effects, such as electron transfer processes within the molecular building blocks, and electrostatic interactions between cells. In the first part of this document, the influence of structural distortions in single m-QCA is addressed within a minimal model using an diabatic-to-adiabatic transformation. Thus, it is shown that even small changes of the classical square geometry between driver and target cells, such as those induced by distance variations or shape distortions, can make cells respond to interactions in a far less symmetric fashion, modifying and potentially impairing the expected computational behavior of the m-QCA. The model has been further extended to consider time-dependent external electric fields in which a special emphasis is given to the profiles in which this external parameter can interact with the associated molecular complex. The results of the model have been validated by a direct comparison with first-principle calculations allowing to conclude the plausibility to induce the intra-molecular charge transfer process in a controllable manner via the interaction with the external electric field. The influence played by the electric field profile in the response of the molecular complex is also investigated. The results suggests a major role played by this variable in terms of the time length in which the intra-molecular charge transfer can be observed. In the second part, first-principle theoretical calculations of the self-assembly properties and electronic structure of Ferrocene-functionalized complexes have been carried out. Hence, five different molecular complexes which offer a potential playground to realistic implement the m-QCA paradigm have been investigated. The main emphasis is given to study the interaction between localized charge-carrier molecular states and the delocalized surface states. The results of these calculations demonstrate the possibility to obtain real systems in which intra-molecular charge localization can be combined with self-assembly scaffolding and absorbed on either Highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) or metallic-surfaces. Finally, the validation of these findings is carried out via comparison with accesible experimental results and opening the gate to plausible strategies where the paradigm can be implemented.

The work presented in this thesis concerns the dynamics in π-conjugated hydrocarbon systems. Due to the molecular bonding structure of these systems there exists a coupling between the electronic system and the phonons of the lattice. If this interaction, which is referred to as the electron-phonon (e-ph) coupling, is sufficiently strong it may cause externally introduced charge carriers to self-localize in a polarization cloud of lattice distortions. These quasi-particles are, if singly charged, termed polarons, the localization length of which, aside from the e-ph coupling strength, also depend upon the structural and energetic disorder of the system. In disordered systems localization is strong and transport is facilitated by nonadiabatic hopping of charge carriers from one localized state to the next, whereas in well-ordered systems, where extended states are formed, adiabatic transport models apply.Despite great academic efforts a unified model for charge transport in π-conjugated systems is still lacking and further investigations are necessary to uncover the basic physics at hand in these systems. The call for such efforts has been the main guidelines for the work presented in this thesis and are related to the topics of papers I-IV. In order to capture the coupled electron-lattice dynamics, we use a methodological approach where we obtain the time-dependence of the electronic degrees of freedom from the solutions to the time-dependent Schrödinger equation and determine the ionic motion in the evolving charge density distribution by simultaneously solving the lattice equation of motion within the potential field of the ions. The Hamiltonian used to describe the system is derived from an extension of the famous Su-Schrieffer-Heeger (SSH) model extended to three-dimensional systems.In papers I-III we explore the impact of phenylene ring torsion on delocalization and transport properties in poly(para-phenylene vinylene) (PPV). The physics that we are particularly interested in relates to the reduced electron transfer integral strength across the interconnection between the phenylene rings and the vinylene groups upon ring torsion. Keeping this in mind, we demonstrate in paper I the impact of static ring torsion on intrachain mobility and provide a detailed analysis of the influence of the potential barriers (due to consecutive ring torsion) on the nature of charge carrier propagation. In paper II we extend our initial approach to include also the dynamics of ring torsion. We show that without any externally applied electric field, this type of dynamics is the dominant property controlling intrachain propagation, but that when an external electric field is applied, charge carriers may traverse the potential barriers through a process that involves nonadiabatic effects and a temporary delocalization of the polaron state. Finally, in paper III we study the impact of the lattice dynamics on the electron localization properties in PPV and show that the phenylene ring torsion modes couples strongly to the electronic wave function which gives rise to electron localization at room temperature.In papers IV and V we focus on the dynamics of molecular crystals using a stack of pentacene molecules in the single crystal configuration as a model system, but study, in paper IV, the transport as a function of the intermolecular interaction strength, J. We observe a smooth transition from a nonadiabatic to an adiabatic polaron drift process over the regime 20&lt;J&lt;120 meV. For intermolecular interaction strengths above J≈120 meV the polaron is no longer stable and transport becomes band-like. In paper V, finally, we study the internal conversion processes in these systems, which is the dominant relaxation channel from higher lying states. This process involves the transfer of energy from the electronic system to the lattice. Our results show that this process is strongly nonadiabatic and that the relaxation time associated with large energy excitations is limited by transitions made between states of different bands. / I dagens samhälle är elektroniken ett allt viktigare och större inslag i vår vardag. Vi ser på TV, talar i mobiltelefoner, och arbetar på datorer. I hjärtat av denna teknologi finner vi diskreta komponenter och integrerade kretsar utformade främst för att styra strömmen av elektroner genom halvledande material. Traditionellt sett har kisel eller olika former av legeringar använts som det aktiva materialet i dessa komponenter och kretsar, men under de senaste 20 åren har såväl transistorer som solceller och lysdioder realiserats där det aktiva materialet är organiskt, d.v.s., kolbaserat.Vi befinner oss för tillfället mitt uppe i det kommersiella genombrottet för organisk elektronik. Redan idag säljs många MP3-spelare och mobiltelefoner med små skärmar där varje pixelelementen utgörs av organiska ljusemitterande dioder (OLEDs), men teknologin håller redan på att introduceras i mer storskaliga produkter som datorskärmar och TV-apparater som därigenom skulle kunna göras energieffektivare, tunnare, flexiblare och på sikt också billigare. Andra tekniska tillämpningsområden för organisk elektronik som förutspås en lysande framtid är RFID-märkning, organiska solceller, och elektronik tryckt på papper, men även smarta textiler och bioelektronik har stor utvecklingspotential.Den kanske största utmaningen kvarstår dock, att skapa elektroniska kretsar och komponenter uppbyggda kring enskilda molekyler, s.k. molekylär elektronik. Mycket snart närmar vi oss den fysikaliska gränsen för hur små komponenter som vi kan realisera med traditionella icke-organiska material som kisel och en stor drivkraft bakom forskningen på halvledande organiska material har varit just visionen om molekylär elektronik som inte är mer än några miljondelars milimeter stora. För detta ändamål krävs en mycket nogrann kontroll av tillverkningsprocesserna liksom en detaljförståelse för hur molekylerna leder ström och hur denna förmåga kan manipuleras för att realisera såväl traditionella som nya komponenter.I denna avhandling presenteras en översikt av den fysik som möjliggör ledningsförmåga hos särskilda klasser av organiska material, s.k. π-konjugerade system, samt de forskningsresultat som utgör mitt bidrag till denna disciplin. En av utmaningarna på området är den komplexitet som de organiska materialen erbjuder: laddningsprocesserna påverkas nämligen av en rad olika faktorer såsom laddningstäthet, temperatur, pålagd spänning, samt molekylernas former och inbördes struktur. I detta arbete har jag utifrån en vidareutveckling av existerande modeller genom numeriska datasimuleringar undersökt effekten av de senare tre faktorerna på elektronstrukturen, laddnigstransporten och energidissipation i denna klass av material. / Center of Organic Electronics (COE)

The Al₂SiO₅ polymorphs have been examined to provide new insights into their chemical bonding, their crystal chemistry, their equations of state, and the incorporation of water in the form of hydroxyl in their structures. The Al₂SiO₅ polymorphs provide a unique structural assemblage for a crystal chemical examination due to the variation in Al coordination in the structures where Al is in 4-fold, 5-fold, and 6-fold in sillimanite, andalusite, and kyanite, respectively. Consequently, the Al₂SiO₅ polymorphs have been examined with a combination of experimental (high pressure X-ray diffraction and Polarized FTIR spectroscopy) and theoretical (VASP and Crystal 98) methods. An experimental high pressure X-ray diffraction study on andalusite and sillimanite has constrained their equation of state and the pressure derivatives of their bulk modulus with pressure. Additionally, the effect of pressure on the crystal structures has been examined, where the main structural response is compression of the AlO₆ octahedra. Comparatively, compression of the AlO₆ octahedra in andalusite is more anisotropic, while the major direction of axial compressibility in both structures is dependent on the orientation of the AlO6 octahedra. In order to better understand the crystal chemistry of the Al-O and Si-O bonds in the polymorphs, ELF isosurfaces were examined. ELF isosurfaces represent a graphical representation of the localized electron probability density. Six distinct types of ELF isosurfaces were observed in the Al₂SiO₅ polymorphs resulting from differences in the geometry, coordination, and coordinated cation atomic number surrounding the oxygens within the crystal structures. The ELF was also shown to be isostructurally related to electron density difference maps. In a combined experimental and theoretical investigation of the Al₂SiO₅ polymorphs, potential protonation sites within the crystal structures were determined at an atomic level with polarized FTIR spectroscopy and analysis of (3,-3) critical points of the negative Laplacian. The polarized FTIR spectra indicate the orientation of the OH dipole in the three polymorphs and the (3,-3) critical points indicate regions of locally concentrated electron density. Potential protonation sites were determined based on the value of the negative Laplacian, the underbonded nature of the oxygens, and the number of surrounding cations. / Ph. D.

Molecular-based quantum cellular automata (m-QCA), as an extension of quantum-dot QCAs, offer a novel alternative in which binary information can be encoded in the molecular charge configuration of a cell and propagated via nearest-neighbor Coulombic cell-cell interactions. Appropriate functionality of m-QCAs involves a complex relationship between quantum mechanical effects, such as electron transfer processes within the molecular building blocks, and electrostatic interactions between cells. In the first part of this document, the influence of structural distortions in single m-QCA is addressed within a minimal model using an diabatic-to-adiabatic transformation. Thus, it is shown that even small changes of the classical square geometry between driver and target cells, such as those induced by distance variations or shape distortions, can make cells respond to interactions in a far less symmetric fashion, modifying and potentially impairing the expected computational behavior of the m-QCA. The model has been further extended to consider time-dependent external electric fields in which a special emphasis is given to the profiles in which this external parameter can interact with the associated molecular complex. The results of the model have been validated by a direct comparison with first-principle calculations allowing to conclude the plausibility to induce the intra-molecular charge transfer process in a controllable manner via the interaction with the external electric field. The influence played by the electric field profile in the response of the molecular complex is also investigated. The results suggests a major role played by this variable in terms of the time length in which the intra-molecular charge transfer can be observed. In the second part, first-principle theoretical calculations of the self-assembly properties and electronic structure of Ferrocene-functionalized complexes have been carried out. Hence, five different molecular complexes which offer a potential playground to realistic implement the m-QCA paradigm have been investigated. The main emphasis is given to study the interaction between localized charge-carrier molecular states and the delocalized surface states. The results of these calculations demonstrate the possibility to obtain real systems in which intra-molecular charge localization can be combined with self-assembly scaffolding and absorbed on either Highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) or metallic-surfaces. Finally, the validation of these findings is carried out via comparison with accesible experimental results and opening the gate to plausible strategies where the paradigm can be implemented.

A hybrid quantum-classical approach to the interaction of atomic clusters with intense laser fields in the vacuum ultra-violet (VUV) has been developed. Much emphasis is put on localized electrons, those quasi-free electrons which localize about the ions and screen them. These electrons set a time scale, which is used to interpolate between the quantum, rate based description of photon absorption by bound electrons and the classical, deterministic description of the cluster nano-plasma. Typical observables such as total energy absorption, electron and ion spectra are in very good agreement with the experimental findings. A scheme to probe the multi-electron motion in clusters with attosecond laser pulses is introduced. Conventional final state measurements in the energy domain cannot provide information about earlier states of the system due to the incoherent nature of the dynamics. Time-delayed attosecond pulses in the extreme ultra-violet (XUV) are used to probe the transient charging of the cluster ions during the interaction with the laser by measuring the kinetic energy of the electrons detached by the probe pulse. This information is otherwise lost at later times due to recombination. Knowledge about the transient charging would also shed more light on the still controversial subject of the energy absorption mechanisms in the VUV regime. Moving to shorter duration of the excitation, the characteristic time-scales for ionization and plasma equilibration are inversed. An attosecond laser pulse in the VUV regime creates a dense, warm nano-plasma far from equilibrium. Time-delayed attosecond pulses in the XUV probe then both the creation and the relaxation. The latter shows the breakup of the Bogoliubov hierarchy of characteristic times, indicating strongly-coupled plasma dynamics and drawing parallels to the relaxation of extended ultra-cold neutral plasmas with millions of particles.

A hybrid quantum-classical approach to the interaction of atomic clusters with intense laser fields in the vacuum ultra-violet (VUV) has been developed. Much emphasis is put on localized electrons, those quasi-free electrons which localize about the ions and screen them. These electrons set a time scale, which is used to interpolate between the quantum, rate based description of photon absorption by bound electrons and the classical, deterministic description of the cluster nano-plasma. Typical observables such as total energy absorption, electron and ion spectra are in very good agreement with the experimental findings. A scheme to probe the multi-electron motion in clusters with attosecond laser pulses is introduced. Conventional final state measurements in the energy domain cannot provide information about earlier states of the system due to the incoherent nature of the dynamics. Time-delayed attosecond pulses in the extreme ultra-violet (XUV) are used to probe the transient charging of the cluster ions during the interaction with the laser by measuring the kinetic energy of the electrons detached by the probe pulse. This information is otherwise lost at later times due to recombination. Knowledge about the transient charging would also shed more light on the still controversial subject of the energy absorption mechanisms in the VUV regime. Moving to shorter duration of the excitation, the characteristic time-scales for ionization and plasma equilibration are inversed. An attosecond laser pulse in the VUV regime creates a dense, warm nano-plasma far from equilibrium. Time-delayed attosecond pulses in the XUV probe then both the creation and the relaxation. The latter shows the breakup of the Bogoliubov hierarchy of characteristic times, indicating strongly-coupled plasma dynamics and drawing parallels to the relaxation of extended ultra-cold neutral plasmas with millions of particles.