When and how life first emerged on the Earth is an area of intense research. Signs of the first life on Earth, including morphological fossils, are scarce and hard to interpret. An alternative approach is to study organic biomarkers, which are molecular fossils commonly considered as bona fide biosignatures. The main objective of the project is to develop an approach for analysis of single oil-bearing fluid inclusions and most importantly the detection of organic biomarkers in these inclusions. Analysis of oil-bearing fluid inclusions is advantageous since the inclusions may provide an uncontaminated sample source of Precambrian hopanes and steranes, which are key biomarkers for tracing the early evolution of life on Earth. Due to the presence of several inclusion generations, single inclusion analysis is desired in order to constrain biomarkers to specific inclusions. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) could be an excellent tool for analysis of these types of samples. The development of the approach for analysis of single oil-bearing inclusions was done in a two-step process; i) a number of crude oils were analysed with ToF-SIMS and gas chromatography mass-spectrometry (GC-MS) to facilitate interpretation of ToF-SIMS spectra of these types of samples and, ii) a procedure that combines micrographs with ion etching and ToF-SIMS analysis was developed for analysis of inclusions. The feasibility of the technique was demonstrated for oil inclusions from the Siljan impact crater in which hopanes and steranes where detected. Single oil-bearing fluid inclusions trapped in mid-Proterozoic sandstones from Northern Australia were subsequently analyzed, and steranes and hopanes were detected in these inclusions. If applied on older inclusions this approach may help answer some of the questions regarding the emergence and evolution of life on Earth, and if applied on extraterrestrial samples, also the possibility of life on other planets and moons. / Livets uppkomst och tidiga utveckling på jorden är ett hett forskningsfält. Hur och när livet och dess olika domäner (arkéer, bakterier och eukaryoter) uppstod på jorden är fortfarande oklart vilket beror på att de första tecknen på liv, vilka inkluderar morfologiska fossil, spårfossil och isotoper, är få och svåra att tolka. Ett alternativt sätt att studera det tidiga livet är att studera organiska biomarkörer som är organiska molekyler som anses unika för liv. Huvudmålet med projektet är att utveckla en metod som kan detektera organiska biomarkörer i enskilda oljebärande vätskeinneslutningar. Vätskeinneslutningar, som är små mängder vätska (picoliter) infångad in en sten, är intressanta då de är en potentiell provkälla för prekambriska (äldre än 500 miljoner år) biomarkörer, som hopaner och steraner, vilka används för att utforska livets tidiga utveckling på jorden. Analys av enskilda inneslutningar är emellertid oftast nödvändigt för att kunna tidsavgränsa biomarkörer. På grund av att de flesta inneslutningar är små (10 µm i diameter) är det inte möjligt att analysera en enskild vätskeinneslutning med standardtekniken gaskromatografi-masspektrometri (GC-MS). Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spektrometri (ToF-SIMS) med sin höga känslighet, höga massupplösning och kapacitet för 2D-representation av analysdata och djupprofilering av prover är en utmärkt teknik för analys av enskilda inneslutningar. Metoden för analys av enskilda inneslutningar utvecklades i två steg. Först analyserades ett antal råoljor med ToF-SIMS och GC-MS för att underlätta förståelsen av ToF-SIMS-spektra från dessa typer av prover. Därefter utvecklades en metod som bestod av mikroskopering för att lokalisera inneslutningen, jonetsning för att öppna inneslutningen och ToF-SIMS analys av det exponerade innehållet. Metoden testades framgångsrikt på enskilda inneslutningar i hydrotermala vener av flusspat och kalcit i ordovicisk (488-443 miljoner år sedan) kalksten. Därefter användes den utvecklade metoden för att analysera enskilda vätskeinneslutningar i 1,43 miljarder år gammal sandsten från norra Australien, i vilka hopaner och steraner detekterades. De detekterade steranerna visar att trots att havet under denna tid var syrefritt existerade det lokala syrerika miljöer där eukaryoter kunde överleva. Om den utvecklade metoden används på ännu äldre inneslutningar, vilka har daterats till 3,2 miljarder år, kan den komma att svara på några de mest fundamentala frågorna kring livets uppkomst och tidiga utveckling. Om metoden används på utomjordiska prover kan den svara på frågan om det finns liv på andra planeter eller månar. / At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 3: Manuscript. Paper 4: Submitted.

By an improved understanding of Mg-doped GaN through an exhaustive review of current limitations, increased control over the material was achieved by addressing several of these issues. To address the issues of the memory effect, low sticking coefficient and high vapor pressure of Mg, a new Mg dopant source was implemented, characterized and modeled for p-type doping of GaN. The device enhanced the sticking coefficient of Mg by energizing the outgoing Mg flux, and also allowed the first reported demonstration of an abrupt junction between two non-zero Mg concentrations and a graded Mg-doped GaN film. The significant compensation of Mg acceptors at high dopant concentrations was used advantageously to develop a new ex situ resistivity analysis technique using the energy distributions of SIMS to characterize doping of buried layers. The new technique was used to identify the barrier between conductive and resistive Mg doping for increased Mg concentration, which was then used to optimize Mg-doped GaN. Because Mg doping exhibits a dependence upon the growth regime, a new growth and regime characterization technique was developed using specific RHEED intensity responses to repeat growth conditions. During the development of this technique, a new surface kinetics growth model for III-nitrides was discovered based on DMS observations, which suggests preferential buildup of the metal bilayer before growth begins with an unfamiliar cation-anion exchange process initially upon metal shutter opening. Using the new RHEED growth and regime characterization technique, a new growth technique called metal modulated epitaxy (MME) was developed to increase repeatability, uniformity and smoothness. The MME technique was enhanced with a closed-loop control using real-time feedback from RHEED transients to control shutter transitions. This enhancement, called smart shuttering, led to improved growth rate and further improvement of surface roughness and grain size, which were repeatable within low percentages. Effects of smart-shuttering MME were observed with Si, Mg and In during GaN growths. Repeatable Mg-doped GaN was achieved with a variation of less than 8%, and a peak hole carrier concentration of 4.7E18 cm^-3.

This thesis studies comparison and connection of two spectrometric methods – low energy ion scattering spektrometry (LEIS) and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). SIMS method, despite its many positive qualities, suffers of so called matrix effect, which makes quantifiaction of data very difficult. LEIS method on the other hand is immune to this effect and so it’s suitable completion of SIMS method. As a convenient sample have been chosen AlGaN samples with various concentration of gallium and aluminium. In the first part of thesis is introduced physical essence of SIMS and LEIS method, experimental details and studied samples. In second part of the thesis there’s a description of measurements and comparison of data gained by each method.

Die Erweiterung experimenteller Infrastrukturen um neuartige Sensor eröffnen die Möglichkeit, qualitativ neuartige Erkenntnisse zu gewinnen. Um diese Informationen vollständig zu erschließen ist ein Abdecken der gesamten Verarbeitungskette von der Datenauslese bis zu anwendungsbezogenen Auswertung erforderlich. Eine Erweiterung bestehender wissenschaftlicher Instrumente beinhaltet die strukturelle und zeitbezogene Integration der neuen Sensordaten in das Bestandssystem. Das hier vorgestellte Framework bietet durch seinen flexiblen Ansatz das Potenzial, unterschiedliche Sensortypen in unterschiedliche, leistungsfähige Plattformen zu integrieren. Zwei unterschiedliche Integrationsansätze zeigen die Flexibilität dieses Ansatzes, wobei einer auf die Steigerung der Sensitivität einer Anlage zur Sekundärionenmassenspektroskopie und der andere auf die Bereitstellung eines Prototypen zur Untersuchung von Rezyklaten ausgerichtet ist. Die sehr unterschiedlichen Hardwarevoraussetzungen und Anforderungen der Anwendung bildeten die Basis zur Entwicklung eines flexiblen Softwareframeworks. Um komplexe und leistungsfähige Applikationsbausteine bereitzustellen wurde eine Softwaretechnologie entwickelt, die modulare Pipelinestrukturen mit Sensor- und Ausgabeschnittstellen sowie einer Wissensbasis mit entsprechenden Konfigurations- und Verarbeitungsmodulen kombiniert.:1. Introduction 2. Hardware Architecture and Application Background 3. Software Concept 4. Experimental Results 5. Conclusion and Outlook / Novel sensors with the ability to collect qualitatively new information offer the potential to improve experimental infrastructure and methods in the field of research technology. In order to get full access to this information, the entire range from detector readout data transfer over proper data and knowledge models up to complex application functions has to be covered. The extension of existing scientific instruments comprises the integration of diverse sensor information into existing hardware, based on the expansion of pivotal event schemes and data models. Due to its flexible approach, the proposed framework has the potential to integrate additional sensor types and offers migration capabilities to high-performance computing platforms. Two different implementation setups prove the flexibility of this approach, one extending the material analyzing capabilities of a secondary ion mass spectrometry device, the other implementing a functional prototype setup for the online analysis of recyclate. Both setups can be regarded as two complementary parts of a highly topical and ground-breaking unique scientific application field. The requirements and possibilities resulting from different hardware concepts on one hand and diverse application fields on the other hand are the basis for the development of a versatile software framework. In order to support complex and efficient application functions under heterogeneous and flexible technical conditions, a software technology is proposed that offers modular processing pipeline structures with internal and external data interfaces backed by a knowledge base with respective configuration and conclusion mechanisms.:1. Introduction 2. Hardware Architecture and Application Background 3. Software Concept 4. Experimental Results 5. Conclusion and Outlook

The thermal stability of p-type CdTe crystals by using conductivity and Hall-effect measurements have been studied at room and slightly increased temperatures. It was observed that thermal changes often implicate an anomalous behavior of the hole density characterized by reversible decrease/increase in a heating/cooling regime. This anomaly was explained by a transfer of fast diffusing donors between Te inclusions and the bulk of the sample. Sodium and potassium were determined by the Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (SIMS) as the most probable diffusing species. To verify this behavior samples were also treated in saturated NaCl solution for different time intervals in order to examine the influence of the oxide layer and sodium on the surface of the sample. To determine the structure of the surface the sample was characterized by ellipsometric and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and SIMS. Very low determined diffusion coefficient of Na was explained by trapping of Na in Cd sublattice

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

In this work the two experimental dental implant materials FAT and FAW, made of fluoroapatite particles embedded in polymer matrices, and films of the proteins lysozyme, amylase and bovine serum albumin (BSA), adsorbed to the two dental implant materials, were investigated with time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) and the multivariate data analysis technique discriminant principal component analysis (DPCA).

Pseudoexfoliation (PEX) syndrome is an age-related condition characterized by the production and accumulation of extracellular fibrillary material in the anterior segment of the eye. PEX predisposes for several pathological conditions, such as glaucoma and complications during and after cataract surgery. The pathogenesis of PEX is not yet fully understood. It is multifactorial with genetics and ageing as contributing factors. We aimed to study the proteome in aqueous humor (AH) in PEX in order to increase the knowledge about its pathophysiology. Therefore, we developed sampling techniques and evaluated separation methods necessary for analyzing small sample volumes. Other objectives were to study the lens capsule in eyes with PEX regarding small molecules, and to investigate the association between PEX and cataract surgery in a population-based 30-year follow-up study. Samples of AH from eyes with PEX and control eyes were collected during cataract surgery. In pooled, and individual samples, various liquid based separation techniques and high resolution mass spectrometry were utilized. For quantitation, various methods for labeling, and label free techniques were applied. Lens capsules were collected from some of the patients, and analysed by imaging mass spectrometry. A cohort of 1,471 elderly individuals underwent a comprehensive ophthalmological examination at baseline. Medical information was obtained by questionnaires, and from medical records. Incident cases of cataract surgery were identified by review of medical records. In the initial study, several techniques were explored for protein detection, and a number of proteins were identified as differentially expressed. In the individually labelled samples, changes in the proteome were observed. Eyes with PEX contained higher levels of proteins involved in inflammation, oxidative stress, and coagulation, suggesting that these mechanisms are involved in the pathogenesis in PEX. The levels of β/γ-crystallins were significantly increased in PEX, which is a novel finding. In the lens capsules from individuals with PEX, changes in the lipid composition was observed with time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry. These changes remain to be elucidated. By multivariate analysis, lens opacities were the first, and PEX the second most important predictor for cataract surgery, the later accounting for a 2.38-fold increased risk for cataract surgery.