J'ai réalisé pour cette thèse des travaux expérimentaux à l'aide de la microscopie et de la spectroscopie électronique portant sur l'étude de nanostructures plasmoniques et de nanocristaux semi-conducteurs. Le but étant d'etudier leurs propriétés optiques sur des dimensions spatiales de l'ordre du nm. A cette échelle il est possible d'observer le champs proche électrique associé aux modes de résonances plasmons de surface supportées par des nanostructures métalliques. Ainsi j'ai pu étudier l'effet de la présence de rugosités sur des nano-bâtonnets d'or et constater que leur présence modifiait localement la structure du champs proche électrique. Des mesures combinées par spectroscopie de perte d'énergie des électrons (EELS) et de cathodoluminescence ont permis de comparer les réponses mesurées en champs proches à celle effectuées en champs lointain. Une étude faite par EELS portant sur le couplage entre deux nano-bâtonnets métalliques positionnés bout à bout et séparés par une distance de quelques dizaines de nanomètres a permis de cartographier la localisation de modes hybridés séparément sur chaque branche. Enfin des études comparatives de cathodoluminescence et de photoluminescence sur des points quantiques isolés ont permis de constater l'équivalence de l'information collectées par ces deux techniques sur ce type d'émetteurs de lumière / For this thesis, I have realised some experimental works using electron microscopy and electron spectroscopies for the study of plasmonic nanostructures and semiconductor nanocrystals . The aim being to study their optical properties with spatial resolutions of the order of a few nm. At this level it is possible to observe the electric near-field associated to the localised surface plasmon resonances supported by metallic nanostructures . So I was able to study the effect due to the presence of roughness on single gold nanorods and I have found that their presence locally alterate the structure of the electric near-field . Combined measurement of electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS ) and cathodoluminescence spectroscopy were used to compare the near-field and far-field responses respectively. A study by EELS on the coupling between two metal nanorods positioned end to end and separated by a disance of tens of nanometers was used to map the localisation of hybridised modes separately on each branch of the dimers. Finally, comparative studies of cathodoluminescence and photoluminescence on single quantum dots have shown the equivalence of the information collected by these two techniques for such light emitters

Dynamical effects are known to reduce the signal to noise ratio in EMCD measurements making them highly dependent on sample thickness. Precession of the electron beam has been shown to reduce these effects in ordinary crystallography. This work investigates precession of the electron beam as a method of reducing the dynamical effects in EMCD using simulations. Simulations are run on BCC Fe in two and three beam conditions. The results show significant effects on the EMCD signal. However, whether these improve the signal quality seems dependent on sample orientation and thickness range. The initial findings reported here are promising and motivate further research.

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abstract: Recent improvements in energy resolution for electron energy-loss spectroscopy in the scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM-EELS) allow novel effects in the low-loss region of the electron energy-loss spectrum to be observed. This dissertation explores what new information can be obtained with the combination of meV EELS energy resolution and atomic spatial resolution in the STEM. To set up this up, I review nanoparticle shape effects in the electrostatic approximation and compare the “classical” and “quantum” approaches to EELS simulation. Past the electrostatic approximation, the imaging of waveguide-type modes is modeled in ribbons and cylinders (in “classical" and “quantum" approaches, respectively), showing how the spatial variations of such modes can now be imaged using EELS. Then, returning to the electrostatic approximation, I present microscopic applications of low-loss STEM-EELS. I develop a “classical” model coupling the surface plasmons of a sharp metallic nanoparticle to the dipolar vibrations of an adsorbate molecule, which allows expected molecular signal enhancements to be quantified and the resultant Fano-type asymmetric spectral line shapes to be explained, and I present “quantum” modelling for the charged nitrogen-vacancy (NV-) and neutral silicon-vacancy (SiV0) color centers in diamond, including cross-sections and spectral maps from density functional theory. These results are summarized before concluding. Many of these results have been previously published in Physical Review B. The main results of Ch. 2 and Ch. 4 were packaged as “Enhanced vibrational electron energy-loss spectroscopy of adsorbate molecules” (99, 104110), and much of Ch. 5 appeared as “Prospects for detecting individual defect centers using spatially resolved electron energy loss spectroscopy” (100, 134103). The results from Ch. 3 are being prepared for a forthcoming article in the Journal of Chemical Physics. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Physics 2020

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[pt] Em sistemas de distribuição de energia elétrica, um dos maiores desafios para as distribuidoras é a estimação das perdas técnicas. De acordo com a bibliografia, as perdas elétricas nas redes de distribuição em diferentes países podem variar aproximadamente de 3 porcento e 25 porcento da energia fornecida à rede, o que pode significar grandes impactos nos custos do sistema. Especificamente no Brasil, a adequada avaliação das perdas elétricas fornece informação importante para que o regulador estabeleça as tarifas de distribuição de energia elétrica. Na literatura há diversos métodos para a estimação das perdas técnicas de energia, mas devido à dificuldade na modelagem dos equipamentos do sistema, assim como a falta de informação da energia consumida pelas cargas, as estimações podem acarretar em grandes erros. Para tratar este problema, esta dissertação propõe um novo método baseado em um modelo de carga polinomial modificado para estimar as perdas elétricas, considerando medições de tensão e potência na subestação e, quando disponíveis, medições de tensão e potência demandadas pelas cargas. A contribuição principal do método proposto é o uso da informação da topologia da rede e a correlação entre a potência consumida pelas cargas e as grandezas medidas na subestação. Para detalhar e analisar o desempenho do método proposto são utilizados três sistemas elétricos. Os resultados das estimações são comparados com os resultados obtidos por outros métodos de referência encontradas na literatura e em aplicações práticas. / [en] In electrical distribution systems, one of the greatest challenges for utilities is the estimation of technical losses. According to the literature, energy losses throughout the world s electric distribution networks may vary from country to country approximately between 3 percent and 25 percent of the electricity provided, which may cause great impacts on the electrical system costs. Specifically in Brazil, the appropriate evaluation of the energy losses provides valuable information for the regulator to establish the energy distribution tariffs. In literature, there are different ways for estimating energy losses, but due to the difficulty for modeling precisely the equipment of the system, as well as the lack of information regarding the energy consumed of each load, the energy losses estimation may lead to huge errors. To deal with this problem, it is proposed a new method based on a modified load model, taking into account the measurements of voltages and power at the substation and, when available, the measurements of voltages and power demanded by loads with meters installed. The main contribution of the proposed method is the use of the network information and the correlation between the power consumed by the loads and the voltage and power supplied by the substation. In order to detail and analyze the performance of the proposed method, three electric systems are used. The results of the estimations given by the proposed method are compared to those obtained with other methods found in literature and in practical applications.

In this thesis, we present a detailed investigation of the electronic properties of particular transition-metal dichalcogenides. Applying electron-energy loss spectroscopy, the connection between the negative plasmon dispersion of tantalum diselenide and the occurrence of a charge-density wave state (CDW) in this compound as well as related materials is observed. Our studies include doping experiments with alkali metal addition altering the charge density of the compounds. This is known to suppress the CDW. We show that it further changes the plasmon dispersion from negative to positive slope. To estimate the doping rate of the investigated tantalum diselenide samples, a density functional theory approach is introduced, giving reliable results for a quantitative analysis of our findings. We refer to a theoretical model to describe the connection of the charge ordering and the plasmon dynamics. Investigations of the non-CDW compound niobium disulfide give further insights into the proposed interaction. Experimental results are further evaluated by a Kramers-Kronig-analysis. A structural analysis, by means of elastic electron scattering, shows the CDW to be suppressed upon doping, giving space for an emerging superstructure related to the introduced K atoms. / In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird eine detaillierte Untersuchung der elektronischen Eigenschaften von ausgewählten Übergangsmetall-Dichalcogeniden präsentiert. Unter Anwendung von Elektronenenergieverlust-Spektroskopie wird die Verbindung der negativen Plasmomendispersion in Tantaldiselenid zum Auftreten eines Ladungsdichtewelle-Zustands (CDW) in diesem und in verwandten Materialien untersucht. Die Untersuchungen schließen Dotierungsexperimente mit dem Zusatz von Alkalimetallen ein, die die Ladungsdichte der Proben beeinflussen. Einerseits unterdrückt dies die CDW. Es wird außerdem gezeigt, dass sich der Anstieg der Plasmonendispersion von negativ zu positiv ändert. Ein Dichtefunktional-Theorie-Zugang zur Abschätzung der Dotierungsraten der untersuchten Tantaldiselenid-Proben wird genutzt, um verlässliche Ergebnisse für die quantitative Analyse unserer Messungen zu erhalten. Ein theoretisches Modell wird einbezogen, welches die Verbindung der Ladungsordung zur kollektiven Anregung der Ladungsdichte beschreibt, Untersuchungen der nicht-CDW Substanz Niobdisulfid geben weitere Einblicke in die Verbindung der beiden Phänomene. Die experimentellen Resultate werden weiterhin mit einer Kramers-Kronig-Analyse ausgewertet. Strukturelle Untersuchungen mit elastischer Elektronenstreuung zeigen, wie die CDW unterdrückt wird und einer auftauchenden Überstruktur, verursacht von den interkalierten K-Atomen, Raum gibt.

Plug-in Electric Vehicles (PEVs) are projected to become a viable means of transportation due to advances in technology and advocates for green and eco-friendly energy solutions. These vehicles are powered partially, or in some cases, solely by the energy stored in their battery packs. The large sizes of these battery packs require large amount of energy to charge, and as the demand for PEV increases, the increase in energy demand needed to recharge these PEV batteries could pose problems to the present electric distribution system. This study examines the potential impacts of PEV on a residential electric distribution system at various penetration levels. An existing residential distribution network is modeled up to each household service point and various sensitivity scenarios and stochastic patterns of PEV loads are simulated. Impact studies that include voltage drop, service transformers overload, energy loss, and transformer thermal loss-of-life expectancy are analyzed. Results from the study are reported and recommendations to mitigate the impacts are presented.

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<p>This thesis presents studies of the X-ray linear dichroism (XLD) in individual single-walled (SW) and multi-walled (MW) carbon nanotubes (CNT) measured by a scanning transmission X-ray microscope (STXM). The C 1s spectra of CNT showed a large XLD at the C 1s→π* transition. The magnitude of the XLD was found to be related to the quality of CNT such that in high quality CNT, it was fairly large and as the quality lowered it decreased. This dichroic effect was used to map defects along individual CNT. In addition, STXM was employed to map chemical components in pristine, purified, and dodecyl functionalized SWCNT bundles to investigate the changes occurring in them due to chemical functionalization.<br />STXM has limited spatial resolution. Thus, electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) in a transmission electron microscope (TEM) was used to obtain similar information about CNT, but at much higher spatial resolution. The measurements performed in the scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) mode produced signals analogous to the XLD when the orientation of the momentum transfer (q) was resolved. This was achieved by displacing the pattern of electron scattering from CNT relative to the EELS entrance aperture. TEM-EELS was also utilized to map defects in pristine and focused ion beam (FIB) modified CNT.</p> / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)