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This diploma thesis is focused on deposition Ga and GaN structures on graphene fabricated by method of mechanical exfoliation. For mechanical exfoliation was used new method with using DGL Gel-Film with kinetically controlled adhesion. Ga is deposited by Molecular beam epitaxy with using eusion cell in UHV conditions. GaN was obtained by post-nitridation of Ga islands. These structures were investigated with optical microscope, SEM, Raman spectroscopy and photoluminiscence.

In this study, the thermal properties of low dimensional materials such as graphene and boron nitride nanotube were investigated. As one of important heat transfer characteristics, interfacial thermal resistance (ITR) between graphene and Cu film was estimated by both experiment and simulation. In order to characterize ITR, the micropipette sensing technique was utilized to measure the temperature profile of suspended and supported graphene on Cu substrate that is subjected to continuous wave laser as a point source heating. By measuring the temperature of suspended graphene, the intrinsic thermal conductivity of suspended graphene was measured and it was used for estimating interfacial thermal resistance between graphene and Cu film. For simulation, a finite element method and a multiparameter fitting technique were employed to find the best fitting parameters. A temperature profile on a supported graphene on Cu was extracted by a finite element method using COMSOL Multiphysics. Then, a multiparameter fitting method using MATLAB software was used to find the best fitting parameters and ITR by comparing experimentally measured temperature profile with simulation one. In order to understand thermal transport between graphene and Cu substrate with different interface distances, the phonon density of states at the interface between graphene and Cu substrate was calculated by MD simulation.As another low dimensional material for thermal management applications, the thermal conductivity of BNNT was measured by nanoscale thermometry. For this work, a noble technique combining a focused ion beam (FIB) and nanomanipulator was employed to pick and to place a single BNNT on the desired location. The FIB technology was used to make nanoheater patterns (so called nanothermometer) on a prefabricated microelectrode device by conventional photolithography processes. With this noble technique and the nanoheater thermometry, the thermal conductivity of BNNT was successfully characterized by temperature gradient and heat flow measurements through BNNT.

The Thesis described within the scope of the Master Program is focused on cermets, which belong among cutting materials. The introductory portion of the Thesis presents the characteristics of cermets from the perspective of production, physical-mechanical characteristics, marking and usage in cutting. The core portion of the Thesis focuses on the role of cermets in the category of leading world producers of tools and instrumental materials, cutting evaluation, and the suggested working conditions of cermets in lathing operations. The working conditions are prepared for steel and cast iron. The conclusion of the Thesis focuses on a technical-economical analysis of cermets.

This diploma thesis deals with preparation of graphene samples for depositions of ultrathin layers of gallium and gallium nitride. Graphene substrates were prepared by chemical vapour deposition in home-build high temperature reactor. After graphene transfer to silicon wafers, a series of chemical and thermal treatments were performed. Obtained samples were suitable for the study of growth of ultrathin layers of Ga and GaN. The growth of Ga and GaN was realized in ultra high vacuum conditions. Molecular beam epitaxy technique was used for gallium depositions together with ion source for nitridation. Obtained ultrathin layers were studied with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy and with scanning electron microscopy.

This master's thesis deals with preparation and analysis of ultrathin films of aluminum and aluminum nitride. Films were prepared by effusion cells designed in previous bachelor's thesis. Cell construction and testing is included in this thesis. Behavior of aluminum on silicon dioxide, silicon and graphene was studied. Preparation of aluminum nitride by effusion cell and nitrogen ion source is described.

Ce travail de thèse se focalise sur l’étude de piézogénérateur à base de nanofils de GaN.L’objectif principal est de développer des nouveaux dispositifs pour la conversion d’énergie mécanique en énergie électrique pour la récupération d’énergie et la détection de déformations transitoires. Le région active des dispositifs développés consiste en des nanofils ou microfils de GaN encapsulé dans une couche polymère. Les nanofils sont synthétisés par épitaxie par jet moléculaire (EJM) tandis que les microfils sont synthétisés par épitaxie en phase vapeur aux organométalliques (EPVOM).Trois architectures de dispositifs sont explorées: basées sur une matrice rigide, une matrice flexible, et sur un dispositif entièrement flexible. Deux dispositifs d’excitation mécanique,développés et mis en place pour les besoins de la thèse, sont utilisés pour caractériser les dispositifs piézogénérateurs. En particulier, un mode d’excitation cyclique discontinue (tapping) et un mode d’excitation cyclique continue sont utilisés pour explorer les performances électriques des piezogénérateurs dans une large bande de fréquence (de 1 Hz à 3 kHz). Basé sur ces observations expérimentales, une synthèse complète du comportement des transitoires de tension aux bornes des piézogénérateurs lorsqu’ils sont soumis à différentes déformations est faite. Un désign basé sur une diode Schottky aux sommets des nanofils et différents designs capacitifs sont comparés et leurs circuits électriques équivalents sont proposés. Les mécanismes de fonctionnement des piézogénérateurs ont été validés par des observations expérimentales.Enfin, un processus pour fabriquer des piézogénérateurs et des capteurs entièrement flexibles a été développé et ces derniers ont été caractérisés. En particulier, la fabrication d’un dispositif flexiblecomposé d’une matrice de pixel actif a été démontrée.Pour le piézogénérateur rigide à base de nanofils synthétisés par EJM, la plus haute densité de puissance moyenne mesurée atteint 22.1 mW/cm3. Pour les piézogénérateurs flexibles à base de microfils synthétisés par EPVOM, la plus haute densité de puissance moyenne mesurée atteint 16.5μW/cm3. Le dispositif flexible montre une bonne sensibilité aux vibrations de faible amplitude et répond de façon stable à un tapotement avec le doigt. Une énergie moyenne d’environ 100 pJ peut être délivrée par ce dernier lorsqu’il est soumis à une déformation cyclique par le tapotement d’un doigt. / This PhD work focuses on the study of GaN nanowire-based piezogenerating devices.The main objective is to develop novel devices for mechanical-to-electrical energy conversion for energy harvesting and for detection of transient deformations. The active material of the developed devices consists of a polymer-embedded nanowire membranes containing either molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) grown GaN nanowires or metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) grown GaN microwires.Three device architectures are explored, namely a piezogenerator with a rigid matrix, with a flexible matrix and a fully flexible device. Two home-made mechanical excitation set-ups are used to characterize the generators. In particular, tapping mode and continuous compression deformations are applied to explore the devices’ electrical performance in a large frequency range (from 1 Hz to 3 kHz). Based on these extensive experimental investigations, a panoramic summary of the generator transient behavior under various deformation conditions are made. A Schottky diode design and different versions of capacitive design for the piezogeneration are compared, and their equivalent electrical circuits are proposed. The piezogenerators’ working mechanisms are further validated by experimental investigations.Finally, a process to fabricate fully flexible generators and sensors is developed and these flexible devices are extensively characterized. In particular, a flexible device composed of a matrix ofactive pixels is demonstrated.For the MBE nanowire-based piezogenerators on a rigid substrate, the best recorded average power output density reaches 22.1 mW/cm3. For the MOCVD microwire based flexible generators, the best recorded average power output density attains 16.5 μW/cm3. The flexible devices show a good sensitivity to ambient vibrations and respond stably to finger tapping deformations. An average energy of about 100 pJ can be delivered by the flexible device under one finger tapping gesture.

abstract: Photocatalytic water splitting over suspended nanoparticles represents a potential solution for achieving CO2-neutral energy generation and storage. To design efficient photocatalysts, a fundamental understanding of the material’s structure, electronic properties, defects, and how these are controlled via synthesis is essential. Both bulk and nanoscale materials characterization, in addition to various performance metrics, can be combined to elucidate functionality at multiple length scales. In this work, two promising visible light harvesting systems are studied in detail: Pt-functionalized graphitic carbon nitrides (g-CNxHys) and TiO2-supported CeO2-x composites. Electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) is used to sense variations in the local concentration of amine moieties (defects believed to facilitate interfacial charge transfer) at the surface of a g-CNxHy flake. Using an aloof-beam configuration, spatial resolution is maximized while minimizing damage thus providing nanoscale vibrational fingerprints similar to infrared absorption spectra. Structural disorder in g-CNxHys is further studied using transmission electron microscopy at low electron fluence rates. In-plane structural fluctuations revealed variations in the local azimuthal orientation of the heptazine building blocks, allowing planar domain sizes to be related to the average polymer chain length. Furthermore, competing factors regulating photocatalytic performance in a series of Pt/g-CNxHys is elucidated. Increased polymer condensation in the g-CNxHy support enhances the rate of charge transfer to reactants owing to higher electronic mobility. However, active site densities are over 3x lower on the most condensed g-CNxHy which ultimately limits its H2 evolution rate (HER). Based on these findings, strategies to improve the cocatalyst configuration on intrinsically active supports are given. In TiO2/CeO2-x photocatalysts, the effect of the support particle size on the bulk/nanoscale properties and photocatalytic performance is investigated. Small anatase supports facilitate highly dispersed CeO2-x species, leading to increased visible light absorption and HERs resulting from a higher density of mixed metal oxide (MMO) interfaces with Ce3+ species. Using monochromated EELS, bandgap states associated with MMO interfaces are detected, revealing electronic transitions from 0.5 eV up to the bulk bandgap onset of anatase. Overall, the electron microscopy/spectroscopy techniques developed and applied herein sheds light onto the relevant defects and limiting processes operating within these photocatalyst systems thus suggesting rational design strategies. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Materials Science and Engineering 2019

Several applications require the detection of terrestrial UV-C signatures. Efficiency, compactness, environmentally friendly and cost-effective requirements for UV-C–detectors resulted in a research interest in wide-bandgap (WBG) semiconductor-based photovoltaic diodes with a 280 nm cut-off wavelength. Advances in producing group-III-nitride materials allowed the growth of high quality Al[x]Ga[1−x]N, a direct-WBG ternary semiconductor in which the Al mole fraction (x) could be varied, allowing for a tuneable bandgap that made the semiconductor intrinsically 'blind' to longer wavelengths and responsive to selected wavelengths shorter than 360 nm. This dissertation reports on the development and characterization of a tuneable AlGaN-based solar-blind UV-sensitive Schottky photodiode. A fabrication procedure was established using optimized metallization techniques derived from literature. This included metallization schemes, metal thicknesses and annealing methods for metallization of both the ohmic and Schottky contacts for a front-irradiated photodiode. Characterization was done with a newly constructed optoelectronic characterization system. Electrical characterization was performed inside a light-tight shielded enclosure and a software routine aided in applying current–voltage and capacitance–voltage measurements on a Schottky diode. Spectral characterization made use of either a UV source or a visible-to-near-infrared source that was coupled to a monochromator that allowed for wavelength selection. The monochromatic electromagnetic radiation was guided by an optical fibre from the monochromator into the enclosure where the photodiode was irradiated. An additional software routine was developed that allowed for the automation of the spectral characterization. The system was calibrated against standards traceable to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) by following the photodetector substitution method. The study concluded with the manufacturing of an epoxy wire-bonded front-irradiated four-quadrant detector that was mounted on a commercial microchip carrier. Metal depositions were done through physical contact masks. The quadrants were surrounded with optimized layered ohmic contacts and a quadrant consisted of a thin-film iridium(IV) oxide (IrO₂) as Schottky contact that is UV transmissive with a Au contact on top to which a wire was bonded. Optoelectronic characterization verified that the four-quadrant detector was intrinsically solar-blind and showed good uniformity across the quadrants. Electrical parameters obtained included an average ideality factor of 1.97 ± 0.09, a Schottky barrier height of (1.22 ± 0.08) eV, a reverse leakage current density of (2.1 ± 3.3) nA/cm² and a series resistance of (120 ± 30) Ω. Spectral parameters obtained included a (275 ± 5) nm cut-off wavelength, an average current responsivity at 250 nm of (28 ± 1.0) mA/W with a quantum efficiency of (14 ± 0.5) % and an UV-to-visible and near-infrared rejection ratio between 10³ and 10⁵ for 400 nm to 1100 nm wavelengths. These characteristics allowed for the detector to be used in demonstrating a working solar-blind UV-sensitive electro-optic device. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2015. / Physics / Unrestricted

The main goal of the present work was the synthesis of alkaline-earth nitridomanganates (AExMnyNz) with extended anionic structures and the characterization of their electronic and magnetic properties. Up to now, only compounds with isolated nitridomanganate anions have been reported in the discussed ternary systems. A systematic exploratory synthesis, employing high-temperature treatment of AE nitrides and Mn under controlled N2 pressure, yielded more than ten new nitridomanganates. Their crystal structures contain anionic building blocks of different dimensionalities, ranging from isolated species to three-dimensional frameworks. In general, the formation of Mn-rich compositions was found to be driven by the emergence of Mn-Mn interactions, which creates a link between nitridometalates and transition-metal-rich binary nitrides. The obtained nitridomanganates display a plethora of interesting phenomena, such as large spin-orbit coupling, magnetic frustration, quenching of magnetism due to Mn-Mn interactions, and metal-insulator transition.