Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Ultrafast electron diffraction is a powerful method to study atomic movement in crystals on sub-picosecond
timescales. This thesis consists of three parts. In part one the ultrafast electron diffraction machine is
described, followed by improvements that were made and techniques that were developed in order to bring
the system to state of the art level and enable the acquisition of suffcient data to obtain information on the
structural dynamics in crystals. The second part contains a description of the sample which was studied
in our fi rst time-resolved measurements, the transition-metal dichalcogenide 4Hb-TaSe2. This particular
crystal is an example of a strongly coupled electronic system which develops a charge density wave (CDW)
accompanied by a periodic lattice distortion (PLD). An overview of the formation of electron diffraction
patterns and what can be learned from them are also given, followed by the results of the ultrafast
electron diffraction experiments done with 4Hb-TaSe2. Part three describes an alternative source to study
dynamics in crystalline samples, namely laser plasma-based ultrafast X-ray diffraction.
The ultrafast electron diffraction group functions as a unit, but my tasks ranged from sample preparation
and characterisation of the electron beam to the setting up and execution of experiments. I was
involved in analysing the data and contributed small parts to the data analysis software. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Ultravinnige elektron diffraksie is a metode om die beweging van atome in kristalle op sub-pikosekonde
tydskale te bestudeer. Hierdie tesis bestaan uit drie dele. In deel een van die tesis word die ultravinnige
elektron diffraksie masjien beskryf, gevolg deur verbeteringe wat aangebring is en tegnieke wat ontwikkel
is om die sisteem tot op 'n wêreldklas vlak te bring waar die insameling van genoegsame data om inligting
oor die strukturele dinamika in kristalle te bekom, moontlik is. Die tweede deel bevat 'n beskrywing
van die monster wat in ons eerste tydopgeloste eksperimente gebruik is, naamlik die oorgangsmetaaldichalkogenied
4Hb-TaSe2. Hierdie kristal is 'n voorbeeld van 'n sterk gekoppelde elektroniese sisteem
wat 'n ladingsdigtheid-golf en 'n gepaardgaande periodiese versteuring van die kristalrooster ontwikkel. 'n
Oorsig van die formasie van elektron diffraksiepatrone en wat ons daaruit kan leer word ook gegee. Daarna
word die resultate van die ultravinnige elektron diffraksie eksperimente wat op 4Hb-TaSe2uitgevoer is
beskryf en bespreek. In deel drie word 'n alternatiewe metode om die dinamika in kristalmonsters te
bestudeer, naamlik laser plasma-gebaseerde ultravinnige X-straal diffraksie, beskryf.
Die ultravinnige elektron diffraksie groep funksioneer as 'n eenheid, maar my verantwoordelikhede het
gestrek van die voorbereiding van monsters en die karakterisering van die elektron bundel tot die opstel
en uitvoer van eksperimente. Ek was ook betrokke by die analisering van data en het dele van die data
analise sagteware geskryf.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/20062 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Boshoff, Ilana |
| Contributors | Schwoerer, Heinrich, Rohwer, Erich, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Science. Dept. of Physics. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 56 p. : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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