This book reports on the design, synthesis and characterization of new small molecule electron acceptors for polymer solar cells. Starting with a detailed introduction to the science behind polymer solar cells, the author then goes on to review the challenges and advances made in developing non-fullerene acceptors so far. In the main body of the book, the author describes the design principles and synthetic strategy for a new family of acceptors, including detailed synthetic procedures and molecular modeling data used to predict physical properties. An indepth characterization of the photovoltaic performance, with transient absorption spectroscopy (TAS), photo-induced charge extraction, and grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) is also included, and the author uses this data to relate material properties and device performance. This book provides a useful overview for researchers beginning a project in this or related areas.

This book systematically reviews the history of lead-free piezoelectric materials, including the latest research. It also addresses a number of important issues, such as new types of materials prepared in a multitude of sizes, structural and physical properties, and potential applications for high-performance devices. Further, it examines in detail the state of the art in lead-free piezoelectric materials, focusing on the pathways to modify different structures and achieve enhanced physical properties and new functional behavior. Lastly, it discusses the prospects for potential future developments in lead-free piezoelectric materials across disciplines and for multifunctional applications. Given its breadth of coverage, the book offers a comprehensive resource for graduate students, academic researchers, development scientists, materials producers, device designers and applications engineers who are working on or are interested in advanced lead-free piezoelectric materials.

This book, now in its second edition, introduces readers to quantum rings as a special class of modern high-tech material structures at the nanoscale. It deals, in particular, with their formation by means of molecular beam epitaxy and droplet epitaxy of semiconductors, and their topology-driven electronic, optical and magnetic properties. A highly complex theoretical model is developed to adequately represent the specific features of quantum rings. The results presented here are intended to facilitate the development of low-cost high-performance electronic, spintronic, optoelectronic and information processing devices based on quantum rings. This second edition includes both new and significantly revised chapters. It provides extensive information on recent advances in the physics of quantum rings related to the spin-orbit interaction and spin dynamics (spin interference in Rashba rings, tunable exciton topology on type II InAs/GaAsSb quantum nanostructures), the electron-phonon interaction in ring-like structures, quantum interference manifestations in novel materials (graphene nanoribbons, MoS2), and the effects of electrical field and THz radiation on the optical properties of quantum rings. The new edition also shares insights into the properties of various novel architectures, including coupled quantum ring-quantum dot chains and concentric quantum rings, topologic states of light in self-assembled ring-like cavities, and optical and plasmon m.odes in Moebius-shaped resonators.

Advances in understanding the interactions between light and subwavelength materials have enabled the author and his collaborators to tailor unique optical responses at the nanoscale. In particular, metallic nanostructures capable of supporting surface plasmons can be designed to possess spectrally narrow plasmon resonances, which are of particular interest due to their exceptional sensitivity to their local environment. In turn, combining plasmonic nanostructures with other materials in hybrid systems allows this sensitivity to be exploited in a broad range of applications. In this book the author explores two different approaches to attaining narrow plasmon resonances: in gold nanoparticle arrays by utilising diffraction coupling, and in copper thin films covered by a protective graphene layer. The performance of these resonances is then considered in a number of applications. Nanoparticle arrays are used along with an atomic heterostructure as elements in a nanomechanical electro-optical modulator that is capable of strong, broadband modulation. Strong coupling between diffraction-coupled plasmon resonances and a gold nanoparticle array and guided modes in a dielectric slab is used to construct a hybrid waveguide. Lastly, the extreme phase sensitivity of graphene-protected copper is used to detect trace quantities of small toxins in solution far below the detection limit of commercial surface plasmon resonance sensors.

This book is focused on the study of physical mechanisms and device design for achieving high-performance infrared photodetection based on low-dimensional materials. Through theory analysis, material characterization and photo-electric measurements, it provides solutions to the trade-off problems which are commonly encountered in traditional infrared photodetectors and presents novel methods to improve the responsivity, detectivity and response speed. Researchers and scientists in the field of opto-electronic device can benefit from the book.

Designed to sit alongside more conventional established condensed matter physics textbooks, this compact volume offers a concise presentation of the principles of solid state theory, ideal for advanced students and researchers requiring an overview or a quick refresher on a specific topic. The book starts from the one-electron theory of solid state physics, moving through electron-electron interaction and many-body approximation schemes, to lattice oscillations and their interactions with electrons. Subsequent chapters discuss transport theory and optical properties, phase transitions and some properties of low-dimensional semiconductors. Throughout the text, mathematical proofs are often only sketched, and the final chapter of the book reviews some of the key concepts and formulae used in theoretical physics. Aimed primarily at graduate and advanced undergraduate students taking courses on condensed matter theory, the book serves as a study guide to reinforce concepts learned through conventional solid state texts. Researchers and lecturers will also find it a useful resource as a concise set of notes on fundamental topics.

This book describes the advanced developments in methodology and applications of NMR spectroscopy to life science and materials science. Experts who are leaders in the development of new methods and applications of life and material sciences have contributed an exciting range of topics that cover recent advances in structural determination of biological and material molecules, dynamic aspects of biological and material molecules, and development of novel NMR techniques, including resolution and sensitivity enhancement. First, this book particularly emphasizes the experimental details for new researchers to use NMR spectroscopy and pick up the potentials of NMR spectroscopy. Second, the book is designed for those who are involved in either developing the technique or expanding the NMR application fields by applying them to specific samples. Third, the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Society of Japan has organized this book not only for NMR members of Japan but also for readers worldwide who are interested in using NMR spectroscopy extensively.

This book explores the new materials and the resultant new field of piezotronics. The growth and alignment of the zinc oxide nanostructures are discussed in detail because of its wide adoption in this field and its significance in optics, health, and sensing applications. The characterization of the piezotronic effect and how to distinguish it from other similar but, fundamentally different effects, like piezoresistive effect is also considered. The huge potential in the wearable and flexible devices, as well as organic materials, is further examined. The stain/stress sensing is introduced as an example of an application with piezotronic materials.

This thesis focuses on the design and synthesis of novel one-dimensional colloidal chalcogenide hetero-nanostructures for enhancing solar energy conversion applications. Semiconducting nanomaterials are particular attractive for energy conversion due to the quantum confinement effects dictating their unique optical and electronic properties. Steering the photo-induced charge-flow based on unique bandgap alignment in semiconductor heterojunctions is critical for photo-electric/chemical conversion. The author presents the controllable preparation strategies to synthesize 1D chalcogenide hetero-nanostructures with various fine structures, further been used as excellent template materials for preparing other novel and complex hybrid architectures through a series of chemical transformations. The heterogeneous growth mechanisms of novel hetero-nanostructures is studied for developing a facile and general method to prepare more novel heterostructures. The band gap structure simulations, detailed charge carrier behaviour and unique solar energy conversion properties of the prepared hybrid nanostructures are deeply investigated. This work would open a new door to rationally designing hybrid systems for photo-induced applications.

This book examines the electronic structure of earth-abundant and environmentally friendly materials for use as absorber layers within photovoltaic cells. The corroboration between high-quality photoemission measurements and density of states calculations yields valuable insights into why these materials have demonstrated poor device efficiencies in the vast literature cited. The book shows how the materials' underlying electronic structures affect their properties, and how the band positions make them unsuitable for use with established solar cell technologies. After explaining these poor efficiencies, the book offers alternative window layer materials to improve the use of these absorbers. The power of photoemission and interpretation of the data in terms of factors generally overlooked in the literature, such as the materials' oxidation and phase impurity, is demonstrated. Representing a unique reference guide, the book will be of considerable interest and value to members of the photoemission community engaged in solar cell research, and to a wider materials science audience as well.

This book provides expert coverage of the physical properties of new non-crystalline solids-tellurite glass smart materials-and the latest applications of these materials, offering insights into innovative applications for radiation shielding, energy harvesting, laser devices, and temperature sensing, among others. In particular, there is a focus on optics, energy conversion technology and laser devices, structural and luminescence properties for laser applications, optothermal and optical properties in the presence of gold nanoparticles, and lanthanide doped zinc oxyfluoro-tellurite glass as a new smart material. Additional chapters address the properties and uses of tellurite glasses in optical sensing, the significance of Near Infrared (NIR) emissions, solar cells, solar energy harvesting, luminescent displays, and the development of bioactive-based tellurite-lanthanide (Te-Ln) doped hydroxyapatite composites for biomedical applications. As the world's reliance on glass increases, this book serves as a link between the latest findings on tellurite glasses and real-world technological advancement. Academic researchers and industry professionals alike will find this book a useful resource in keeping abreast of recent developments in the field.

This thesis focuses on the nanomanufacturing of graphene-a newly discovered, two-dimensional material with extraordinary properties-in order to realize its numerous potential applications. Combining experimental implementation with theoretical modelling, it investigates three classes of graphene nanostructure fabrication using particle beam irradiation: (i) doping of graphene using low energy nitrogen irradiation; (ii) joining of graphene sheets with laser and C, N, and Ar ion beam irradiation; and (iii) fabrication of graphene nanopores by means of focused ion beam and electron beam irradiation. The feasibility of the nanomanufacture of graphene using particle beam irradiation is demonstrated by various experimental methods, and the mechanisms involved under different types of beam irradiation are revealed using theoretical calculations. Further, the book analyzes the mechanical and electrical properties of the fabricated graphene nanostructures by means of atomic simulations to predict the application potentials of the proposed methods. The findings help promote the implementation of graphene-structure applications in industry.

This book is an up-to-date survey of the major optical characterization techniques for thin solid films. Emphasis is placed on practicability of the various approaches. Relevant fundamentals are briefly reviewed before demonstrating the application of these techniques to practically relevant research and development topics. The book is written by international top experts, all of whom are involved in industrial research and development projects.

This book mainly focuses on the study of steering electromagnetic fields in near-field and far-field contexts involving plasmonic structures. It also offers a new approach to achieving full control of optical polarizations and potentially boosting the development in photonic information processing. A new in-plane phase modulation method is proposed and described, by means of which a series of optical beams were realized with nanostructures in metal surfaces, such as a plasmonic Airy beam, broad band focusing beam, and demultiplexing, collimated beam, as well as an optical orbital angular momentum (OAM) beam. Further, the book presents a plasmonic polarization generator, which can reconfigure an input polarization to all kinds of states simultaneously.

This thesis presents the latest findings on macroscopic-scale nanowire thin films composed of integrated nanowires. It introduces readers to essential synthesis and assembly strategies for the design and fabrication of high-quality nanowire thin films, and discusses their underlying principles in detail. The book highlights examples specific to well-aligned nanowire systems, and explores the applications of nanowire systems, including memory devices, flexible transparent electrodes, etc. The book offers a valuable resource for researchers and graduate students working in materials science, especially in nanowire device fabrication.

The book covers recent advances and progress in understanding both the fundamental science of lasers interactions in materials science, as well as a special emphasis on emerging applications enabled by the irradiation of materials by pulsed laser systems. The different chapters illustrate how, by careful control of the processing conditions, laser irradiation can result in efficient material synthesis, characterization, and fabrication at various length scales from atomically-thin 2D materials to microstructured periodic surface structures. This book serves as an excellent resource for all who employ lasers in materials science, spanning such different disciplines as photonics, photovoltaics, and sensing, to biomedical applications.

This book provides a comprehensive introduction to ferroics and frustrated materials. Ferroics comprise a range of materials classes with functionalities such as magnetism, polarization, and orbital degrees of freedom and strain. Frustration, due to geometrical constraints, and disorder, due to chemical and/or structural inhomogeneities, can lead to glassy behavior, which has either been directly observed or inferred in a range of materials classes from model systems such as artificial spin ice, shape memory alloys, and ferroelectrics to electronically functional materials such as manganites. Interesting and unusual properties are found to be associated with these glasses and have potential for novel applications. Just as in prototypical spin glass and structural glasses, the elements of frustration and disorder lead to non-ergodocity, history dependence, frequency dependent relaxation behavior, and the presence of inhomogeneous nano clusters or domains. In addition, there are new states of matter, such as spin ice; however, it is still an open question as to whether these systems belong to the same family or universality class. The purpose of this work is to collect in a single volume the range of materials systems with differing functionalities that show many of the common characteristics of geometrical frustration, where interacting degrees of freedom do not fit in a lattice or medium, and glassy behavior is accompanied by additional presence of disorder. The chapters are written by experts in their fields and span experiment and theory, as well as simulations. Frustrated Materials and Ferroic Glasses will be of interest to a wide range of readers in condensed matter physics and materials science.

This book covers key theoretical and practical aspects of optics, photonics and lasers. It addresses optical instrumentation and metrology, photonic and optoelectronic materials and devices, nanophotonics, organic and bio-photonics and high-field phenomena. Researchers, engineers, students and practitioners interested in any of these fields will find a wealth of new methods, technologies, advanced prototypes, systems, tools and techniques, as well as general surveys outlining future directions.

In this book Gregor Posnjak unravels the long-standing mystery of the internal director structure of chiral nematic droplets, which has been studied both experimentally and theoretically since the 1970s. To do so, he develops a new method for the reconstruction of director fields from a set of fluorescent confocal polarising microscopy images, which he augments with a simulated annealing algorithm. This allows the full reconstruction of 3D director fields, describing the ordering of the liquid crystal. The reconstruction procedure and its principles, which are applicable to other methods of studying vector fields, are explained in detail. The method is subsequently used to explore complex 3D structures in chiral nematic liquid crystal droplets with perpendicular surface anchoring. Twentyfour distinct states are identified and presented, including the layered structures of different symmetries and states with multiple topological point defects, separated by localized chiral structures. In closing, the book reports on the first observation of topological point defects with higher topological charges q = 2 and q = 3.

This book offers a complete overview of photonic-enhanced materials from material development to a final photonic biomedical application. It includes fundamental, applied, and industrial photonics. The authors cover synthesis, the modification and the processing of a variety of (bio)polymers including thermoplasts (e.g. polyesters) and hydrogels (e.g. proteins and polysaccharides) for a plethora of applications in the field of optics and regenerative medicine.

Model-based development methods, and supporting technologies, can provide the techniques and tools needed to address the dilemma between reducing system development costs and time, and developing increasingly complex systems. This book provides the information needed to understand and apply model-drive engineering (MDE) and model-drive architecture (MDA) approaches to the development of embedded systems. Chapters, written by experts from academia and industry, cover topics relating to MDE practices and methods, as well as emerging MDE technologies. Much of the writing is based on the presentations given at the Summer School "MDE for Embedded Systems" held at Brest, France, in September 2004.

This book brings together more closely researchers working in the two fields of quantum optics and nano-optics and provides a general overview of the main topics of interest in applied and fundamental research. The contributions cover, for example, single-photon emitters and emitters of entangled photon pairs based on epitaxially grown semiconductor quantum dots, nitrogen vacancy centers in diamond as single-photon emitters, coupled quantum bits based on trapped ions, integrated waveguide superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors, quantum nano-plasmonics, nanosensing, quantum aspects of biophotonics and quantum metamaterials. The articles span the bridge from pedagogical introductions on the fundamental principles to the current state-of-the-art, and are authored by pioneers and leaders in the field. Numerical simulations are presented as a powerful tool to gain insight into the physical behavior of nanophotonic systems and provide a critical complement to experimental investigations and design of devices.

The series Topics in Current Chemistry Collections presents critical reviews from the journal Topics in Current Chemistry organized in topical volumes. The scope of coverage is all areas of chemical science including the interfaces with related disciplines such as biology, medicine and materials science. The goal of each thematic volume is to give the non-specialist reader, whether in academia or industry, a comprehensive insight into an area where new research is emerging which is of interest to a larger scientific audience. Each review within the volume critically surveys one aspect of that topic and places it within the context of the volume as a whole. The most significant developments of the last 5 to 10 years are presented using selected examples to illustrate the principles discussed. The coverage is not intended to be an exhaustive summary of the field or include large quantities of data, but should rather be conceptual, concentrating on the methodological thinking that will allow the non-specialist reader to understand the information presented. Contributions also offer an outlook on potential future developments in the field.

This book addresses the control of electronic properties of carbon nanotubes. It presents thermodynamic calculations of the formation of impurities and defects in the interaction of nanotubes with hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and boron, based on theoretical models of the formation of defects in carbon nanotubes. It is shown that doping and adsorption lead to changes in the electronic structure of the tubes as well as to the appearance of impurity states in the HOMO-LUMO gap. The book presents examples of specific calculations for doping of carbon nanotubes with oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen and boron, together with numerous experimental results and a comparison with the author's thermodynamic calculations. Possible directions of the technological processes of optimization are pointed out, as well as the perspectives of p-n-transition creation with the help of carbon nanotube arrays. The results presented were derived from the physics of the processes and a theoretical model of the technological processes. Though a wealth of empirical information on doping nanotubes has been accumulated in the scientific literature, what is lacking is a theoretical model for their analysis. As such, the book develops a thermodynamic model of the self-organization of structural elements in multicomponent systems - including carbon nanotubes, clusters and precipitates in condensed matter - and subsequently adapts it to the doping of carbon nanotubes. This approach allows readers to gain a far deeper understanding of the processes of doping carbon nanotubes.