L'intérêt de la recherche fondamentale pour les morceaux nanométriques de métaux nobles est principalement dû à la résonance localisée des plasmons de surface (LSPR) dans l'absorption optique. Différents aspects, liés à la compréhension théorique de la LSPR dans le cas de clusters de métaux nobles de taille dite intermédiaire, sont étudiés dans ce manuscrit. Afin d'avoir une vision plus large nous utilisons deux approches : l'approche électromagnétique classique et le formalisme ab initio en temps réel de la théorie de la fonctionnelle de la densité dépendant du temps (RT-TDDFT). Une comparaison systématique et détaillée de ces deux approches souligne et quantifie les limitations de l'approche électromagnétique lorsqu'elle est appliquée à des systèmes de taille quantique. Les différences entre les excitations plasmoniques collectives et celles impliquant les électrons d, ainsi que leurs interactions, sont étudiées grâce au comportement spatial des densités correspondantes. Ces densités sont obtenues en appliquant une transformée de Fourier dans l'espace à la densité obtenue par les simulations DFT utilisant une perturbation delta-kick. Dans ce manuscrit, des clusters de métaux nobles nus et protégés par des ligands sont étudiés. En particulier, motivé par de récents travaux sur les phénomènes d'émergence de plasmon, l'étude par TD-DFT de nano-alliages Au-Cu de taille tout juste inférieure à 2nm à fourni de subtiles connaissances sur les effets d'alliages sur la réponse optique de tels systèmes. / The fundamental research interest in nanometric pieces of noble metals is mainly due to the localized surface-plasmon resonance (LSPR) in the optical absorption. Different aspects related to the theoretical understanding of LSPRs in `intermediate-size' noble-metal clusters are studied in this thesis. To gain a broader perspective both the real-time \ai formalism of \td density-functional theory (RT-TDDFT) and the classical electromagnetics approach are employed. A systematic and detailed comparison of these two approaches highlights and quantifies the limitations of the electromagnetics approach when applied to quantum-sized systems. The differences between collective plasmonic excitations and the excitations involving $d$-electrons, as well as the interplay between them are explored in the spatial behaviour of the corresponding induced densities by performing the spatially resolved Fourier transform of the time-dependent induced density obtained from a RT-TDDFT simulation using a $\delta$-kick perturbation. In this thesis, both bare and ligand-protected noble-metal clusters were studied. In particular, motivated by recent experiments on plasmon emergence phenomena, the TDDFT study of Au-Cu nanoalloys in the size range just below 2~nm produced subtle insights into the general effects of alloying on the optical response of these systems.

Ce travail porte sur la croissance par MOVPE et l’étude de structures à base de nanofilsde ZnO, semi-conducteur à large bande interdite directe (3,37 eV) qui possède un fort po-tentiel pour les applications optoélectroniques. Des observations systématiques par MEBet TEM de nanofils de ZnO crûs sur saphir, sous différentes conditions, renseignent surla formation de ces nanostructures et notamment sur l’importance de la polarité du ma-tériau. Les observations structurales par TEM révèlent l’absence de défaut étendu dansles nanofils. Dans un second temps, la croissance de structures à puits quantiques coeur-coquilles ZnO/ZnMgO est étudiée. L’imagerie de cathodoluminescence révèle l’émis-sion de puits quantiques axiaux (avec effet stark confiné) et radiaux. L’optimisation dela composition en Mg des barrières ZnMgO permet d’éviter la relaxation plastique dansles nanofils et montre une amélioration très significative de la tenue en température del’émission de photoluminescence des puits quantiques radiaux. Le rendement quantiqueinterne des meilleures structures est estimé à 54%. Enfin, la localisation de la croissancesur substrats structurés est démontrée. La morphologie ainsi que le taux de remplissagedes nanofils sont comparés en fonction de la polarité de la couche de germination utilisé,de la taille et de l’espacement des ouvertures pratiquées dans le masque. L’ensemble deces briques technologiques ouvre la voie à la réalisation de LEDs à base de nanofils ZnO. / This work deals with the MOVPE growth and the study of ZnO based structures,which is a direct and large gap semiconductor (3.37 eV) with a high potential for op-toelectronics applications. Systematic SEM and TEM observations of ZnO nanowires onsapphire grown under various conditions help us to understand growth mechanism, andmore particularly the role of the polarity in formation of nanowires. Structural TEM ob-servations reveal the lack of dislocations or stacking fault in nanowires. In a second hand,the growth of ZnO/ZnMgO core-shell structure with quantum wells is studied. Cathodolu-minescence mapping exhibit both radial and axial quantum wells emission with quantumconfinement and quantum confined stark effect, respectively. Mg composition is optimi-zed to avoid plastic relaxation in nanowires structure, which allow us to obtain internalquantum efficiency as high as 54%. Finally, the selective area growth is demonstrated onpatterned substrates. Morphology and efficiency of ZnO nanowires growth is compare asa function of seed layer polarity and size of holes in the mask. These technological stepsopen the way to ZnO nanowires based LEDs devices.

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In recent years, nanostructured materials incorporated with inorganic particles and polymers have attracted attention for simultaneous multifunctional biomedical applications. This thesis summarized three works, which are preparation of mesoporous silica coated superparamagnetic iron oxide (Fe3O4@mSiO2) nanoparticles (NPs) as magnetic resonance imaging T2 contrast agents, polymer grafted Fe3O4@mSiO2 NPs response to temperature change, synthesis and biocompatibility evaluation of high aspect ratio (AR) gold nanorods. Monodisperse Fe3O4@mSiO2 NPs have been prepared through a sol-gel process. The coating thickness and particle sizes can be precisely controlled by varying the synthesis parameters. Impact of surface coatings on magnetometric and relaxometric properties of Fe3O4 NPs is studied. The efficiency of these contrast agents, evaluated by MR relaxivities ratio (r2/r1), is much higher than that of the commercial ones. This coating-thickness dependent relaxation behavior is explained due to the effects of mSiO2 coatings on water exclusion. Multifunctional core-shell composite NPs have been developed by growing thermo-sensitive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylamide) (P(NIPAAm-co-AAm)) on Fe3O4@mSiO2 NPs through free radical polymerization. Their phase transition behavior is studied, and their lower critical solution temperature (LCST) can be subtly tuned from ca. 34 to ca. 42 °C, suitable for further in vivo applications. A seedless surfactant-mediated protocol has been applied for synthesis of high AR gold nanorods with the additive of HNO3. A growth mechanism based on the effect of nitrate ions on surfactant micelle elongation and Ostwald ripening process is proposed. The biocompatibility of high AR nanorods was evaluated on primary human monocyte derived dendritic cells (MDDCs). Their minor effects on viability and immune regulatory markers support further development for medical applications. / QC 20110701

Barium Titanate (BaTiO3 or BTO) has attracted an ever increasing research interest because of its wide range of potential applications. Nano-sized or nanostructured BTO has found applications in new, useful smart devices, such as sensors and piezoelectric devices. Not only limited to one material, multi-layers or multi-phases can lead to multifunctional applications; for example, nanocomposites can be fabricated with ferrite or metal phase with BTO. In this study, I synthesized various BTO-ferrites, ranging from nanoparticles, nanowires to thin films. BTO-ferrite coaxial nanotubes, BTO-ferrite self-assemble thin films, and BTO single phase films were prepared by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) and sol-gel process. BTO-ferrite nanocomposites were grown by solid state reaction. Furthermore, BTO-metal nanostructures were also synthesized by solid state reaction under hydrogen gas which gave us a great inspiration to fabricate metal-ceramic composites. To understand the relationship between metal and BTO ceramic phase, I also deposited BTO film on Au buffered substrates. A metal layer can affect the grain size and orientation in BTO film which can further help us to control the distribution of dielectric properties of BTO films. After obtaining different nanomaterials, I am interested in the applications of these materials. Recently, many interesting electric devices are developed based on nanotechnology, e.g.: memristor. Memristor is a resistor with memory, which is very important in the computer memory. I believe these newly-synthesized BTO based nanostructures are useful for development of memristor, sensors and other devices to fit increasing needs. / Ph. D.

The increase in the magnitude of local electric fields through resonances of plasmonic excitations in metallic nanoparticles is a major area of current optical research. This dissertation is focused on plasmon-enhanced second harmonic generation of organic ionic self-assembled films via localized surface plasmon resonance of gold nanorods. By matching the plasmon resonance of the gold nanorods to the wavelength of the fundamental light, it is possible to greatly enhance the SHG efficiency. To demonstrate this, the surface of the gold nanorods was functionalized with a nonlinear-optical (NLO) polymer, PCBS, via the layer-by-layer method and deposited on a polymer thin film created on a glass substrate using the ionic self-assembled multilayer (ISAM) method. The sample fabrication is divided into two parts: gold nanorod synthesis and functionalization. The gold nanorods were synthesized by the seed-mediated method with varying amounts of silver ions to control their LSPR wavelengths. The functionalization started by replacing the original thick CTAB bilayer on the surface of the gold nanorods by a thin PAH-DTC layer via dialysis. The nanorods were then alternately coated with PAH (polycation) and PCBS (NLO polyanion) up to three bilayers of PAH/PCBS. The number of polymer layers on the nanorods was chosen in consideration of the LSPR decay length (a few nm). The functionalized gold nanorods were then deposited on either PAH/PCBS or PAH/PSS ISAM films. Characterization was performed via optical spectral measurement, zeta potential measurement, and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The LSPR wavelength shifted when the surrounding medium changed. It was red-shifted for each added polymer layer on the nanorod surface. However, when the functionalized nanorods were deposited on the ISAM film, the resonance peak blue-shifted. The zeta potential confirmed the proper electric charge of each polymer layer coated on the nanorods. Finally, FESEM was performed on the samples for visual inspection of the nanorod deposition and distribution after the SHG measurement was complete. The SHG from the functionalized gold nanorods was measured using a Maker-like fringe method. In this method, second harmonic waves generated from the front and rear sides of the substrate interfere constructively and destructively when the sample is rotated with respect to the incoming pump wave. Electrical noise reduction techniques were implemented to improve the SHG signal readings. Signal processing was implemented using LabVIEW software in order to read a reliable SHG signal from the setup. The maximum tolerable fluence of the gold nanorods was determined in order to prevent optical damage. The interference fringe pattern was observed from the functionalized gold nanorods and compared with that from the conventional ISAM film. The enhancement from the gold nanorods was as high as 600 times compared to the bare films. Polarization dependent SHG measurements were conducted to ascertain the effect of coupling between p- or s-polarized fundamental incident light to the SH light. To further improve the SHG enhancement, the self-assembly method herein can be extended from a monolayer to multilayers of functionalized gold nanorods. / Ph. D. / The field of optics examines the interactions of light and matter. The most commonly observed optical phenomena are the reflection and refraction of light where the frequency of light remains unchanged. However, when light becomes intense, interesting optical phenomena occur where the frequency of the outgoing light differs from that of the incoming light. With the invention of the first working laser in 1960, many interesting nonlinear phenomena were experimentally confirmed, including second harmonic generation (SHG) which was the first nonlinear optical process to be observed. In the original SHG experiment, a visible ruby laser was illuminated into a quartz crystal which produced UV light. This demonstrated light frequency doubling corresponding to wavelength halving from 694 nm (ruby laser) to 347 nm (UV light). Following progress in molecular engineering, many organic materials and polymers have been employed to study nonlinear optics for applications such as optical frequency conversion, electro-optic modulation, and second harmonic generation imaging microscopy. Nonetheless, the SHG conversion efficiency is very low due to phase-mismatch. This stems from frequency dispersion in a medium, where the incoming light and the generated light travel at different velocities. In the past, efforts toward enhancing the SHG conversion efficiency was focused on selecting specific crystals in which the incoming light and the second harmonic light pass through different effective path lengths in the medium. Although the phase-matching method is the most effective method to achieve high conversion efficiency it is also important to increase the intrinsic nonlinearity of a material. A new multidisciplinary approach using the surface plasmon resonance has become an important technique for improving the conversion efficiency. Plasmons are the collective oscillation of electrons on a metal surface. At the resonant optical frequency, the amplitude of the plasmon oscillation becomes maximized. When metallic nanoparticles are resonantly illuminated with light, the electric field can be locally intensified at the sharp boundaries of the nanoparticle. Since the intensity of SHG increases by the square of the incoming light intensity, the SHG efficiency can be greatly enhanced via surface plasmons on the metal nanoparticles. In this dissertation, the fabrication of new optical materials incorporating gold plasmonic nanoparticles for SHG enhancement was demonstrated. The plasmonic nanomaterials were fabricated by coating the surface of gold nanorods with nonlinear polymer films and depositing them on another polymer thin film on a flat glass substrate. The enhanced SHG intensity was measured and compared with that of the conventional nonlinear polymer films alone. It was observed that the enhancement from the gold nanorods was as high as 600 times. To further improve the SHG enhancement, the surface modified gold nanorods can be extended from a single layer to multilayers on the polymer film substrate.

Recentemente, nanopartículas (NP) de FePt de fase tetragonal de face centrada (fct) em sistemas auto-organizados tem sido sintetizados como potenciais candidatos para gravação magnética de ultra-alta densidade (UHMR), devido a sua elevada anisotropia magnetocristalina. Entretanto, o alinhamento magnético de NP esféricas tem sido constantemente um problema, pois os eixos de fácil magnetização das NP permanecem randomicamente orientados nas três direções. Na tentativa de superar os problemas decorrentes da falta de alinhamento magnético, trabalhos recentes sugerem que NP alongadas em sistemas auto-organizados orientados perpendicularmente a superfície do substrato como possível solução para a textura e alinhamento magnético. Até o presente momento, as sínteses de nanobastões (NB) e de nanofios (NF) de FePt reportadas na literatura levam a obtenção de NP na fase cúbica de face centrada (fcc), a qual possui baixa anisotropia magnetocristalina e se mostrou termicamente instável, resultando em NP esferoidais após o processo de recozimento para a transformação da fase fcc para fct. Neste trabalho, NP de Fe55Pt55 com tamanho e composição química controlada e morfologia de nanofios e nanobastões foram sintetizadas através da adequação do método do poliol modificado. Além disso, as condições de sínteses foram ajustadas para a obtenção direta das NP na fase fct. Sistemas auto-organizados de NB orientados longitudinalmente ou perpendicularmente em arranjos hexagonais compactos foram obtidos utilizando, respectivamente, ácido oléico (AO) e oleilamina (Oam) ou hexadecilamina (HDA) como agentes espaçadores. Sistemas de NB orientados perpendicularmente com alinhamento magnético devido à anisotropia de forma combinado com as propriedades magnéticas resultantes da fase parcialmente tetragonal obtida sugerem um forte candidato a aplicação em UHMR com densidade de gravação magnética na ordem de terabits/pol2. / Recently, self-assembled FePt nanoparticles (NP) in face-centered tetragonal phase (fct) has been synthesizes as potential candidates for Ultra-High Magnetic Recording Systems (UHMR) due to high magnetocrystalline anisotropy. However, the magnetic alignment of these self-assembled fct-FePt nanoparticles also has been a constant limiting factor, since the axes of easy magnetization of spherical nanoparticles are presented randomly oriented in three directions. Concerning to avoid these restrictions arising from magnetic alignment, one-dimensional NP perpendicularly oriented on the magnetic medium surface has been reported as a possible solution for texture and magnetic alignment. To date, the reported nanorods (NR) and nanowires (NW) synthesized in the literature showed face centered cubic phase (fcc) which present poor magnetocrystalline anisotropy, instead the fct desirable phase, and were found to be thermally unstable resulting in spheroidal NP after annealing required to phase transformation from fcc to fct. In this work, Fe55Pt45 NP with morphologies varying from nanospheres, NR with different lengths up to NW were synthesized by a modified polyol process. Furthermore, the synthesis conditions were adjusted to obtain FePt NP directly in fct phase. Either longitudinal or perpendicular self-assembled NR systems in a hexagonal compact array were obtained using oleic acid (OA) and oleylamine (Oam) or hexadecylamine (HAD), respectively, as molecular organic spacers. Perpendicularly oriented NR system led to magnetic alignment due to shape anisotropy and combined with the magnetic properties due to partial tetragonal phase suggest a strong future candidate to ultra-high magnetic density recording applications capable to achieve density of Terabits/in2.

With the recent development of in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) characterization techniques, the real time study of property-structure correlations in nanomaterials becomes possible. This dissertation reports the direct observations of deformation behavior of Al2O3-ZrO2-MgAl2O4 (AZM) bulk ceramic nanocomposites, strengthening mechanism of twins in YBa2Cu3O7-x (YBCO) thin film, work hardening event in nanocrystalline nickel and deformation of 2wt% Al doped ZnO (AZO) thin film with nanorod structures using the in situ TEM nanoindentation tool. The combined in situ movies with quantitative loading-unloading curves reveal the deformation mechanism of the above nanomaterial systems. At room temperature, in situ dynamic deformation studies show that the AZM nanocomposites undergo the deformation mainly through the grain-boundary sliding and rotation of small grains, i.e., ZrO2 grains, and some of the large grains, i.e., MgAl2O4 grains. We observed both plastic and elastic deformations in different sample regions in these multi-phase ceramic nanocomposites at room temperature. Both ex situ (conventional) and in situ nanoindentation were conducted to reveal the deformation of YBCO films from the directions perpendicular and parallel to the twin interfaces. Hardness measured perpendicular to twin interfaces is ~50% and 40% higher than that measured parallel to twin interfaces, by ex situ and in situ, respectively. By using an in situ nanoindentation tool inside TEM, dynamic work hardening event in nanocrystalline nickel was directly observed. During stain hardening stage, abundant Lomer-Cottrell (L-C) locks formed both within nanograins and against twin boundaries. Two major mechanisms were identified during interactions between L-C locks and twin boundaries. Quantitative nanoindentation experiments recorded during in situ experiments show an increase of yield strength from 1.64 to 2.29 GPa during multiple loading-unloading cycles. In situ TEM nanoindentation has been conducted to explore the size dependent deformation behavior of two different types (type I: ~ 0.51 of width/length ratio and type II: ~ 088 ratio) of AZO nanorods. During the indentation on type I nanord structure, annihilation of defects has been observed which is caused by limitation of the defect activities by relatively small size of the width. On the other hand, type II nanorod shows dislocation activities which enhanced the grain rotation under the external force applied on more isotropic direction through type II nanorod.

The objectives of the work presented were to 1) fabricate reproducible nanorod array SERS substrates, 2) detection of bacteria using nanorod substrates, 3) detection of DNA hybridization using nanorod substrates and 4) critically evaluate the sensing method. Important findings from this work are as follows. A novel method for batch fabrication of substrates for surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has been developed using a modified platen machined to fit in a commercial electron beam evaporator. The use of this holder enables simultaneous deposition of silver nanorod (AgNR) arrays onto six microscope slide substrates utilizing glancing angle deposition. In addition to multiple substrate fabrication, patterning of the AgNR substrates with 36 wells allows for physical isolation of low volume samples. The well-to-well, slide-to-slide, and batch-to-batch variability in both physical characteristics and SERS response of substrates prepared via this method was nominal. A critical issue in the continued development of AgNR substrates is their stability over time, and the potential impact on the SERS response. The thermal stability of the arrays was investigated and changes in surface morphology were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction and correlated with changes in SERS enhancement. The findings suggest that the shelf-life of AgNR arrays is limited by migration of silver on the surface. Continued characterization of the AgNR arrays was carried out using fluorescent polystyrene microspheres of two different sizes. Theory suggests that enhancement between nanorods would be significantly greater than at the tops due to contributing electromagnetic fields from each nanostructure. In contrast to the theory, SERS response of microspheres confined to the tops of the AgNR array was significantly greater than that for beads located within the array. The location of the microspheres was established using optical fluorescence and scanning electron microscopy. The application of SERS to characterizing pathogens such as bacteria and viruses is an active area of investigation. AgNR array-based SERS substrates have enabled detection of pathogens present in biofluids. Specifically, several publications have focused on determining the spectral bands characteristic of bacteria from different species and cell lines. Studies were carried out on three strains of bacteria as well as the medium in which the bacteria were grown. The spectra of the bacteria and medium were surprisingly similar, so additional spectra were acquired for commonly used bacterial growth media. In many instances, these spectra were similar to published spectra purportedly characteristic of specific bacterial species. In addition to bacterial samples, nucleic acid hybridization assays were investigated. Oligonucleotide pairs specifically designed to detect respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in nasal fluids were prepared and evaluated. SERS spectra acquired on oligos, alone or in combination, contain the known spectral signatures of the nucleosides that comprise the oligo. However, spectra acquired on an oligo with a 5'- or 3' thiol were distinctly different from that acquired on the identical oligo without a thiol pendant group suggesting some control over the orientation of the oligo on the nanorod surface. The signal enhancement in SERS depends markedly upon the location of the probe relative to the substrate surface. By systematic placement of nucleotide markers along the oligo chain, the point at which the nucleotide disappears from the spectrum was identified. The overall findings for AgNR SERS substrates suggest that the applicability of SERS for detecting nucleic acid hybridization is limited. The strong distance dependence coupled with the lack of substrate stability at temperatures required for annealing oligos during hybridization suggest that AgNRs are not the platform to use for hybridization assays.

L‐glutamate is associated with several neurological disorders; thus, monitoring fast dynamics of L‐glutamate is of great importance in the field of neuroscience. Electrode miniaturization demanded by many applications leads to reduced surface area and decreased amounts of immobilized enzymes on coated electrodes. As a result, lower signal‐to‐noise ratios are observed for oxidase‐enzyme based sensors. To increase the signal‐to‐noise ratio we have developed a process to fabricate micro‐ and nano‐ structures on the microelectrode surface. Localized surface‐plasmon resonances (SPR) has been extensively used to design label‐free biosensors that can monitor receptor‐ligand interactions. A major challenge with localized SPR sensors is that they remain highly susceptible to interference because they respond to both solution refractive index changes and surface binding of the target analyte. The key concept introduced in the present work is the exploitation of transverse and longitudinal resonance modes of nanorod arrays to differentiate between bulk refractive index changes and surface interactions. The transverse bulk sensitivity of the localized SPR sensor (107 nm/RIU) remains competitive with typical single mode gold nanosphere SPR sensors. The figure of merit for the device’s cross‐sensitivity (1.99) is comparable to that of typical wavelength‐interrogated propagating SPR sensors with self referencing.