Ph.D., School of Process and materials Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, 2005

In recent years, both hafnia and zirconia have been looked at closely in the quest for a high permittivity gate dielectric to replace silicon dioxide in advanced metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFET). Hafnium dioxide or HfO2 is chosen for its high dielectric constant (five times that of SiO2) and compatibility with stringent requirements of the Si process. As deposited, thin hafnia films are typically amorphous but turn polycrystalline after a post-deposition anneal. To control the phase composition in hafnia films understanding of structural phase transitions is a first step. In this dissertation using first principles methods we consider three phase transitions of hafnia and zirconia: monoclinic to tetragonal, tetragonal to cubic and amorphous to crystalline. Because the high surface to volume ratio in hafnia films and powders plays an important role in phase transitions, we also study the surface properties of hafnia. We discuss the mechanisms of various phase transitions and theoretically estimate the transition temperatures. We find two types of amorphous hafnia and show that they have different structural and electronic properties. The small energy barrier between the amorphous and crystalline structures is found to cause the low crystallization temperature. Moreover, we calculate work functions and surface energies for hafnia surfaces and show the surface suppression of the phase transitions. / text

Syftet med denna magisteruppsats är att gå vidare med resultat från en kandidatuppsats (Westling, 2013) gällande opastöriserade franska mögel- och kittostar genom att undersöka vilka Enterobacteriaceae-arter som ett urval av de analyserade ostarna innehöll. API 20E används som identifieringssystem. Tre Enterobacteriaceae-arter gav acceptabel till utmärkt identifiering av 40 analyserade isolat från de fyra ostarna, nämligen Hafnia alvei, Escherichia coli och Klebsiella pneumoniae. Inga skillnader mellan de identifierade arterna vad gäller inverkan på smak- och doftupplevelser hos opastöriserade franska mögel- och kittostar gick att urskilja med tillgänglig sensorisk data från kandidatuppsatsen (Westling, 2013). Utifrån denna magisteruppsats räcker det inte med att dofta på ostarna för att säkerställa hygienisk kvalitet, ytterligare undersökningar behövs för att kunna identifiera vilka Enterobacteriaceae-arter de innehåller. Däremot skulle en förstudie i form av en sensorisk bedömning av opastöriserade mögel- och kittostar kunna påvisa om ett högt antal Enterobacteriaceae föreligger, vilka vid konsumtion kan vara sjukdomsframkallande.

Syftet med denna magisteruppsats är att gå vidare med resultat från en kandidatuppsats (Westling, 2013) gällande opastöriserade franska mögel- och kittostar genom att undersöka vilka Enterobacteriaceae-arter som ett urval av de analyserade ostarna innehöll. API 20E används som identifieringssystem. Tre Enterobacteriaceae-arter gav acceptabel till utmärkt identifiering av 40 analyserade isolat från de fyra ostarna, nämligen Hafnia alvei, Escherichia coli och Klebsiella pneumoniae. Inga skillnader mellan de identifierade arterna vad gäller inverkan på smak- och doftupplevelser hos opastöriserade franska mögel- och kittostar gick att urskilja med tillgänglig sensorisk data från kandidatuppsatsen (Westling, 2013). Utifrån denna magisteruppsats räcker det inte med att dofta på ostarna för att säkerställa hygienisk kvalitet, ytterligare undersökningar behövs för att kunna identifiera vilka Enterobacteriaceae-arter de innehåller. Däremot skulle en förstudie i form av en sensorisk bedömning av opastöriserade mögel- och kittostar kunna påvisa om ett högt antal Enterobacteriaceae föreligger, vilka vid konsumtion kan vara sjukdomsframkallande.

Field-induced ferroelectricity in (doped) hafnia and zirconia has attracted increasing interest in energy-related applications, including energy harvesting and solid-state cooling. It shows a larger isothermal entropy change in a much wider temperature range compared with those of other promising candidates. The field-induced phase transition occurs in an extremely wide temperature range, which contributes to the giant electrocaloric effect. This article examines the possible origins of a large isothermal entropy change, which can be related to the extremely broad phase transitions in fluorite-structured ferroelectrics. While the materials possess a high entropy change associated with the polar–nonpolar phase transition, which can contribute to the high energy performance, the higher breakdown field compared with perovskites practically determines the available temperature range.

L’objectif de ce travail était de mieux comprendre les mécanismes moléculaires de l’adaptation microbienne à l’environnement fromager par des approches de génomique fonctionnelle via le modèle de Brevibacterium, un genre bactérien largement utilisé en technologie fromagère, mais dont l’implantation est parfois difficile à maîtriser.L’analyse génomique comparative de 23 souches de Brevibacterium, dont 12 issues de fromages, a révélé des différences en déterminants génétiques impliqués dans la capacité à croître à la surface du fromage. Parmi ces différences, plusieurs sont corrélées à la phylogénie des souches, et d’autres résultent de transferts horizontaux, notamment dans le cas des gènes liés à l’acquisition du fer et à la biosynthèse de bactériocines. Nous avons identifié des îlots génomiques correspondant à des transferts de gènes d’acquisition du fer entre des souches fromagères de Brevibacterium et des bactéries d’affinage appartenant à d’autres genres. Nous avons également mis en évidence un transposon conjugatif codant pour la synthèse de bactériocines présent chez des souches de Brevibacterium d'origine fromagère mais aussi chez une souche fromagère du genre Corynebacterium.L’étude fonctionnelle des interactions biotiques entre Brevibacterium et Hafnia alvei, une autre bactérie d’affinage du fromage, a été menée dans un modèle fromager développé au cours de ce travail. En couplant des analyses microbiologiques, biochimiques et transcriptomiques (RNA-seq), nous avons mis en évidence l’existence de différents mécanismes d’interaction entre ces bactéries. Ceux-ci concernent notamment l’acquisition du fer, la protéolyse, la lipolyse, le métabolisme soufré et le catabolisme du D-galactonate. Nos résultats suggèrent que dans la relation mutualiste observée entre certaines souches de Brevibacterium et H. alvei, cette dernière sécrète des sidérophores qui sont utilisés par Brevibacterium pour capter le fer plus efficacement, stimulant ainsi sa croissance. En contrepartie, Brevibacterium sécrète des lipases et des protéases qui dégradent les caséines et triglycérides du fromage en constituants énergétiques favorisant la croissance de H. alvei. Ce type d’interaction est intéressant à considérer pour la formulation des ferments d'affinage car il en résulte une meilleure capacité de tous les partenaires à coloniser le fromage, et ainsi à générer les propriétés technologiques recherchées. / The objective of this study was to better understand the molecular mechanisms of microbial adaptation to the cheese habitat by functional genomic approaches using Brevibacterium as a model microorganism. This bacterium is widely used for the manufacturing of cheese but its growth on the cheese surface is sometimes difficult to control.Comparative genomic analysis of 23 Brevibacterium strains, including 12 strains isolated from cheeses, revealed differences in genetic determinants involved in the growth on the cheese surface. Some of them are correlated to strain phylogeny and others are the result of gene transfers, especially those involved in iron acquisition and bacteriocin biosynthesis. We identified genomic islands corresponding to transfers of genes involved in iron acquisition between cheese-associated Brevibacterium strains and cheese-associated strains belonging to other genera. We also detected a conjugative transposon encoding bacteriocin production, which is present in cheese-associated Brevibacterium strains as well as in a cheese-associated Corynebacterium strain.Functional study of biotic interactions between Brevibacterium and Hafnia alvei, another cheese-ripening bacterium, was performed in a model cheese developed in this study. By coupling microbial, biochemical and transcriptomic (RNA-seq) analyses, we revealed several interaction mechanisms between these bacteria. These concern, in particular, iron acquisition, proteolysis, lipolysis, sulfur metabolism and D-galactonate catabolism. Our findings suggest that in the mutualistic relationship between some Brevibacterium strains and H. alvei, the latter stimulates Brevibacterium growth by the secretion of siderophores, which can be used by Brevibacterium to capture iron more efficiently. In return, Brevibacterium secretes lipases and proteases, which degrade cheese caseins and triglycerides into energetic substrates that stimulate H. alvei growth. This type of interaction is interesting to consider in the formulation of ripening cultures because it results in a better ability of all partners to colonize the cheese, and thus to generate the desired technological properties.

Diss. (sammanfattning). Uppsala : Sveriges lantbruksuniv. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Submitted by Marco Antônio de Ramos Chagas (mchagas@ufv.br) on 2016-06-28T09:33:23Z No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 1338198 bytes, checksum: 5403979ea8250d61a6a0c78ac9f2e904 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-28T09:33:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 1338198 bytes, checksum: 5403979ea8250d61a6a0c78ac9f2e904 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008-07-30 / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais / Quando em alta densidade populacional, muitas bactérias são capazes de coordenar a expressão de genes via produção e recepção de sinais químicos, por meio de mecanismo denominado quorum sensing. O objetivo deste trabalho foi obter mutantes HalI - das estirpes psicrotróficas isoladas do leite cru refrigerado, 068 e 071 de Hafnia alvei e 067 de Enterobacter cloacae. O gene halI codifica a sintase responsável pela produção de acil homoserina lactonas (AHLs) que são as moléculas sinalizadoras de quorum sensing em H. alvei e E. cloacae. Para obtenção dos mutantes, foi utilizado o vetor suicida pGP704, onde foi clonado o gene halI. Em seguida este gene foi interrompido com o gene que codifica a proteína gentamicina- 3-acetiltransferase, que confere resistência ao antibiótico gentamicina e o plasmídeo foi denominado pGP704halI068::Gm. A transformação das estirpes psicrotróficas com esse vetor resultou em transformantes resistentes a 25 μg mL -1 de gentamicina, mas que ainda produziam AHL, constatada por meio da indução da estirpe monitora de AHL, Chromobacterium violaceum CV 026. A inativação da expressão do gene halI no DNA cromossômico foi obtida após nova transformação desses transformantes com o vetor pUT::Tn5, pertencente ao mesmo grupo de compatibilidade de pGP704. O uso deste sistema de incompatibilidade propiciou a seleção de estirpes onde ocorreu a recombinação homóloga entre o gene halI interrompido pelo gene que confere resistência a gentamicina com o gene halI presente no DNA cromossômico. A confirmação da recombinação do gene halI inativado e clonado no plasmideo com o gene halI cromossômico, foi feita selecionando-se os transformantes em ágar Luria Bertani contendo 50 μg mL -1 de canamicina e gentamicina. Por ensaio de indução de C. violaceum CV026, foi confirmado que os transformantes resistentes a canamicina e gentamicina não induziram a produção do pigmento violaceína pela estirpe monitora. A inativação do gene halI no cromossoma torna essas estirpes ferramentas importantes para elucidação da regulação da expressão de genes pelo mecanismo de quorum sensing. / When population density is high, several bacteria are able to coordinate gene expression by production and reception of chemical signals by means of a mechanism called quorum sensing. The scope of this work was to produce HalI - mutants from psychotrophic bacterias found in fresh cooled milk, 068 and 071 of Hafnia alvei and 067 of Enterobacter cloacae. The halI gene encondes the synthase responsible for the production of acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs) which are the signaling molecules of quorum sensing for H. alvei and E. cloacae. In order to produce the mutants, it was used the suicide vector pGP704, where the halI gene was cloned. After that, this gene was interrupted with a gene that encodes the protein gentamicin 3-acetyltransferase, responsible for giving resistance to the gentamicin antibiotic. This vector was called pGP704halI068::Gm. The transformation of psychotrophic strain with such vector resulted in transformants cells resistant to 25 μg mL -1 of gentamicin, but they would still produce AHL. AHL production was confirmed by the induction of the monitored strain of AHL, Chromobacterium violaceum CV 026. Expression inactivation of the hall gene in the chromosomic DNA was achieved after new transformation of former transformants with the pUT::Tn5 vector, which belong to the same compatible group of pGP704. The use of this system of incompatibility provided the selection of strain that showed homologous recombination between the hall gene interrupted by the gene that affords resistance to gentamicin and the hall gene of the present chromosomal DNA. Recombination assurance of the halI gene inactivated and cloned in the plasmidium with the halI chromosomic gene was done by selecting the transformants in Luria- Bertani agar containing 50 μg mL -1 of kanamicyn and gentamicin. By means of an induction trial of C. violaceum CV026, it was confirmed that the transformants resistant to kanamicyn and gentamicin did not induced the production of the violacein pigment by the strain being monitored. Inactivation of the halI gene in the chromosome makes these strains important tools for elucidating gene expression regulation by the quorum sensing mechanism. / Dissertação antiga

The structural origin of the temperature-dependent ferroelectricity in Si-doped HfO₂ thin films is systematically examined. From temperature-dependent polarization-electric field measurements, it is shown that remanent polarization increases with decreasing temperature. Concurrently, grazing incidence X-ray diffraction shows an increase in the orthorhombic phase fraction with decreasing temperature. The temperature-dependent evolution of structural and ferroelectric properties is believed to be highly promising for the electrocaloric cooling application. Magnetization measurements do not provide any indication for a change of magnetization within the temperature range for the strong crystalline phase transition, suggesting that magnetic and structural properties are comparatively decoupled. The results are believed to provide the first direct proof of the strongly coupled evolution of structural and electrical properties with varying temperature in fluorite oxide ferroelectrics.

Thin film metal–insulator–metal capacitors with undoped HfO₂ as the insulator are fabricated by sputtering from ceramic targets and subsequently annealed. The influence of film thickness and annealing temperature is characterized by electrical and structural methods. After annealing, the films show distinct ferroelectric properties. Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction measurements reveal a dominant ferroelectric orthorhombic phase for thicknesses in the 10–50 nm range and a negligible non-ferroelectric monoclinic phase fraction. Sputtering HfO₂ with additional oxygen during the deposition decreases the remanent polarization. Overall, the impact of oxygen vacancies and interstitials in the HfO₂ film during deposition and annealing is correlated to the phase formation process.