This thesis reports on essential experimental work in the field of novel two-dimensional (2D) atomic crystals beyond graphene. It especially describes three new 2D crystal materials, namely germanene, hafnene, and monolayer PtSe2 fabricated experimentally for the first time, using an ultra-high vacuum molecular beam epitaxy (UHV-MBE) system. Multiple characterization techniques, including scanning tunneling microscope (STM), low energy electron diffraction (LEED), scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM), and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES), combined with theoretical studies reveal the materials' atomic and electronic structures, which allows the author to further investigate their physical properties and potential applications. In addition, a new epitaxial growth method for transition metal dichalcogenides involving direct selenization of metal supports is developed. These studies represent a significant step forward in expanding the family of 2D crystal materials and exploring their application potentials in future nanotechnology and related areas.

This book focuses on the topological fermion condensation quantum phase transition (FCQPT), a phenomenon that reveals the complex behavior of all strongly correlated Fermi systems, such as heavy fermion metals, quantum spin liquids, quasicrystals, and two-dimensional systems, considering these as a new state of matter. The book combines theoretical evaluations with arguments based on experimental grounds demonstrating that the entirety of very different strongly correlated Fermi systems demonstrates a universal behavior induced by FCQPT. In contrast to the conventional quantum phase transition, whose physics in the quantum critical region are dominated by thermal or quantum fluctuations and characterized by the absence of quasiparticles, the physics of a Fermi system near FCQPT are controlled by a system of quasiparticles resembling the Landau quasiparticles. The book discusses the modification of strongly correlated systems under the action of FCQPT, representing the "missing" instability, which paves the way for developing an entirely new approach to condensed matter theory; and presents this physics as a new method for studying many-body objects. Based on the authors' own theoretical investigations, as well as salient theoretical and experimental studies conducted by others, the book is well suited for both students and researchers in the field of condensed matter physics.

This updated and revised edition of a classic work provides a summary of methods for numerical computation of high resolution conventional and scanning transmission electron microscope images. At the limits of resolution, image artifacts due to the instrument and the specimen interaction can complicate image interpretation. Image calculations can help the user to interpret and understand high resolution information in recorded electron micrographs. The book contains expanded sections on aberration correction, including a detailed discussion of higher order (multipole) aberrations and their effect on high resolution imaging, new imaging modes such as ABF (annular bright field), and the latest developments in parallel processing using GPUs (graphic processing units), as well as updated references. Beginning and experienced users at the advanced undergraduate or graduate level will find the book to be a unique and essential guide to the theory and methods of computation in electron microscopy.

Although originally invented and employed by physicists, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy has proven to be a very efficient technique for studying a wide range of phenomena in many fields, such as chemistry, biochemistry, geology, archaeology, medicine, biotechnology, and environmental sciences. Acknowledging that not all studies require the same level of understanding of this technique, this book thus provides a practical treatise clearly oriented toward applications, which should be useful to students and researchers of various levels and disciplines. In this book, the principles of continuous wave EPR spectroscopy are progressively, but rigorously, introduced, with emphasis on interpretation of the collected spectra. Each chapter is followed by a section highlighting important points for applications, together with exercises solved at the end of the book. A glossary defines the main terms used in the book, and particular topics, whose knowledge is not required for understanding the main text, are developed in appendices for more inquisitive readers.

This book offers a complete and well-organized review of the latest advances made in developing ultra-weak chemiluminescence techniques for analytical applications. It systematically introduces the current theories, mechanisms, instruments, technologies, and real applications of ultra-weak chemiluminescence. Compared to books devoted to the normal chemiluminescence and bioluminescence, this book covers a wide range of ultra-weak chemiluminescence based on inorganic chemical reactions and nanotechnology from a principle and practical point of view. This book is intended for readers who are interested in expanding their knowledge of chemiluminescence and employing ultra-weak chemiluminescence techniques to develop new detection methods for analytical applications.

Modern Vibrational Spectroscopy and Micro-Spectroscopy: Theory, Instrumentation and Biomedical Applications unites the theory and background of conventional vibrational spectroscopy with the principles of microspectroscopy. It starts with basic theory as it applies to small molecules and then expands it to include the large biomolecules which are the main topic of the book with an emphasis on practical experiments, results analysis and medical and diagnostic applications. This book is unique in that it addresses both the parent spectroscopy and the microspectroscopic aspects in one volume. Part I covers the basic theory, principles and instrumentation of classical vibrational, infrared and Raman spectroscopy. It is aimed at researchers with a background in chemistry and physics, and is presented at the level suitable for first year graduate students. The latter half of Part I is devoted to more novel subjects in vibrational spectroscopy, such as resonance and non-linear Raman effects, vibrational optical activity, time resolved spectroscopy and computational methods. Thus, Part 1 represents a short course into modern vibrational spectroscopy. Part II is devoted in its entirety to applications of vibrational spectroscopic techniques to biophysical and bio-structural research, and the more recent extension of vibrational spectroscopy to microscopic data acquisition. Vibrational microscopy (or microspectroscopy) has opened entirely new avenues toward applications in the biomedical sciences, and has created new research fields collectively referred to as Spectral Cytopathology (SCP) and Spectral Histopathology (SHP). In order to fully exploit the information contained in the micro-spectral datasets, methods of multivariate analysis need to be employed. These methods, along with representative results of both SCP and SHP are presented and discussed in detail in Part II.

This book provides an introduction to fundamental concepts of solid mechanics for the uninitiated. It also includes a concise review of fundamentals for those who have been away from the field for a time or are studying for a final exam or engineering license exam. The coverage ranges from fundamental definitions through constitutive equations, axial loading, torsion, bending, thermal effects, stability, pressure vessels, plates and shells, computational mechanics, and fibrous composite materials.

This thesis reports a rare combination of experiment and theory on the role of geometry in materials science. It is built on two significant findings: that curvature can be used to guide crack paths in a predictive way, and that protected topological order can exist in amorphous materials. In each, the underlying geometry controls the elastic behavior of quasi-2D materials, enabling the control of crack propagation in elastic sheets and the control of unidirectional waves traveling at the boundary of metamaterials. The thesis examines the consequences of this geometric control in a range of materials spanning many orders of magnitude in length scale, from amorphous macroscopic networks and elastic continua to nanoscale lattices.

This second edition provides a cutting-edge overview of physical, technical and scientific aspects related to the widely used analytical method of confocal Raman microscopy. The book includes expanded background information and adds insights into how confocal Raman microscopy, especially 3D Raman imaging, can be integrated with other methods to produce a variety of correlative microscopy combinations. The benefits are then demonstrated and supported by numerous examples from the fields of materials science, 2D materials, the life sciences, pharmaceutical research and development, as well as the geosciences.

Solid-State NMR Characterization of Heterogeneous Catalysts and Catalytic Reactions provides a comprehensive account of state-of-the-art solid-state NMR techniques and the application of these techniques in heterogeneous catalysts and related catalytic reactions. It includes an introduction to the basic theory of solid-state NMR and various frequently used techniques. Special emphasis is placed on characterizing the framework and pore structure, active site, guest-host interaction, and synthesis mechanisms of heterogeneous catalysts using multinuclear one- and two-dimensional solid-sate NMR spectroscopy. Additionally, various in-situ solid-state NMR techniques and their applications in investigation of the mechanism of industrially important catalytic reactions are also discussed. Both the fundamentals and the latest research results are covered, making the book suitable as a reference guide for both experienced researchers in and newcomers to this field. Feng Deng is a Professor at Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

This book highlights the power and elegance of algebraic methods of solving problems in quantum mechanics. It shows that symmetries not only provide elegant solutions to problems that can be solved exactly, but also substantially simplify problems that must be solved approximately. Furthermore, the book provides an elementary exposition of quantum electrodynamics and its application to low-energy physics, along with a thorough analysis of the role of relativistic, magnetic, and quantum electrodynamic effects in atomic spectroscopy. Included are essential derivations made clear through detailed, transparent calculations. The book's commitment to deriving advanced results with elementary techniques, as well as its inclusion of exercises will enamor it to advanced undergraduate and graduate students.

This book features the essential material for any graduate or advanced undergraduate course covering solid-state electrochemistry. It provides the reader with fundamental course notes and numerous solved exercises, making it an invaluable guide and compendium for students of the subject. The book places particular emphasis on enhancing the reader's expertise and comprehension of thermodynamics, the Kroeger-Vink notation, the variation in stoichiometry in ionic compounds, and of the different types of electrochemical measurements together with their technological applications. Containing almost 100 illustrations, a glossary and a bibliography, the book is particularly useful for Master and PhD students, industry engineers, university instructors, and researchers working with inorganic solids in general.

This book presents experimental studies on emergent transport and magneto-optical properties in three-dimensional topological insulators with two-dimensional Dirac fermions on their surfaces. Designing magnetic heterostructures utilizing a cutting-edge growth technique (molecular beam epitaxy) stabilizes and manifests new quantization phenomena, as confirmed by low-temperature electrical transport and time-domain terahertz magneto-optical measurements. Starting with a review of the theoretical background and recent experimental advances in topological insulators in terms of a novel magneto-electric coupling, the author subsequently explores their magnetic quantum properties and reveals topological phase transitions between quantum anomalous Hall insulator and trivial insulator phases; a new topological phase (the axion insulator); and a half-integer quantum Hall state associated with the quantum parity anomaly. Furthermore, the author shows how these quantum phases can be significantly stabilized via magnetic modulation doping and proximity coupling with a normal ferromagnetic insulator. These findings provide a basis for future technologies such as ultra-low energy consumption electronic devices and fault-tolerant topological quantum computers.

This thesis extends our understanding of systems of independent electrons by developing a generalization of Bloch's Theorem which is applicable whenever translational symmetry is broken solely due to arbitrary boundary conditions. The thesis begins with a historical overview of topological condensed matter physics, placing the work in context, before introducing the generalized form of Bloch's Theorem. A cornerstone of electronic band structure and transport theory in crystalline matter, Bloch's Theorem is generalized via a reformulation of the diagonalization problem in terms of corner-modified block-Toeplitz matrices and, physically, by allowing the crystal momentum to take complex values. This formulation provides exact expressions for all the energy eigenvalues and eigenstates of the single-particle Hamiltonian. By precisely capturing the interplay between bulk and boundary properties, this affords an exact analysis of several prototypical models relevant to symmetry-protected topological phases of matter, including a characterization of zero-energy localized boundary excitations in both topological insulators and superconductors. Notably, in combination with suitable matrix factorization techniques, the generalized Bloch Hamiltonian is also shown to provide a natural starting point for a unified derivation of bulk-boundary correspondence for all symmetry classes in one dimension.

This book reports on the development and application of a new uniaxial pressure apparatus that is currently generating considerable interest in the field of materials physics. The author provides practical guidelines for performing such experiments, backed up by finite element simulations. Subsequently, the book reports on two uses of the device. In the first, high pressures are used to tune to a Van Hove singularity in Sr2RuO4, while the effects on the unconventional superconductivity and the normal state properties are investigated. In the second experiment, precise and continuous strain control is used to probe symmetry breaking and novel phase formation in the vicinity of a quantum critical point in Sr3Ru2O7.

This monograph deals with theoretical aspects and numerical simulations of the interaction of electromagnetic fields with nonlinear materials. It focuses in particular on media with nonlinear polarization properties. It addresses the direct problem of nonlinear Electrodynamics, that is to understand the nonlinear behavior in the induced polarization and to analyze or even to control its impact on the propagation of electromagnetic fields in the matter. The book gives a comprehensive presentation of the results obtained by the authors during the last decade and put those findings in a broader, unified context and extends them in several directions.It is divided into eight chapters and three appendices. Chapter 1 starts from the Maxwell's equations and develops a wave propagation theory in plate-like media with nonlinear polarizability. In chapter 2 a theoretical framework in terms of weak solutions is given in order to prove the existence and uniqueness of a solution of the semilinear boundary-value problem derived in the first chapter. Chapter 3 presents a different approach to the solvability theory of the reduced frequency-domain model. Here the boundary-value problem is reduced to finding solutions of a system of one-dimensional nonlinear Hammerstein integral equations. Chapter 4 describes an approach to the spectral analysis of the linearized system of integral equations. Chapters 5 and 6 are devoted to the numerical approximation of the solutions of the corresponding mathematical models. Chapter 7 contains detailed descriptions, discussions and evaluations of the numerical experiments. Finally, chapter 8 gives a summary of the results and an outlook for future work.

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. This extensively expanded second edition includes new material on adiabatic perturbation theory, kinetic coefficients, the Nyquist theorem, Bose condensation, and the field-theoretical approach to non-relativistic quantum electrodynamics. 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.

The interaction of electromagnetic waves with matter in the frequency range between 10-6 and 1012 Hz is the domain of broadband dielectric spectroscopy. In this extraordinarily extended dynamic range molecular and collective dipolar fluctuations, charge transport and polarisation effects at inner and outer boundaries take place and determine the dielectric properties of the material being studied. Hence, broadband dielectric spectroscopy enables one to gain a wealth of information on the dynamics of bound (dipoles) and mobile charge carriers depending on the details of a molecular system. It is the intention of this book to be both an introductory course to broadband dielectric spectroscopy as well as a monograph describing recent dielectric contributions to current topics. In this respect the book will correspond to the needs of graduate students but also to specialized researchers, molecular physicists, polymer scientists and materials scientists in academia and in industry.

Synchrotron radiation has been a revolutionary and invaluable research tool for a wide range of scientists, including chemists, biologists, physicists, materials scientists, geophysicists. It has also found multidisciplinary applications with problems ranging from archeology through cultural heritage to paleontology. The subject of this book is x-ray spectroscopy using synchrotron radiation, and the target audience is both current and potential users of synchrotron facilities. The first half of the book introduces readers to the fundamentals of storage ring operations, the qualities of the synchrotron radiation produced, the x-ray optics required to transport this radiation, and the detectors used for measurements. The second half of the book describes the important spectroscopic techniques that use synchrotron x-rays, including chapters on x-ray absorption, x-ray fluorescence, resonant and non-resonant inelastic x-ray scattering, nuclear spectroscopies, and x-ray photoemission. A final chapter surveys the exciting developments of free electron laser sources, which promise a second revolution in x-ray science. Thanks to the detailed descriptions in the book, prospective users will be able to quickly begin working with these techniques. Experienced users will find useful summaries, key equations, and exhaustive references to key papers in the field, as well as outlines of the historical developments in the field. Along with plentiful illustrations, this work includes access to supplemental Mathematica notebooks, which can be used for some of the more complex calculations and as a teaching aid. This book should appeal to graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and senior scientists alike.

This thesis addresses elementary dislocation processes occurring in single-crystalline alloys based on Fe-Al, and investigates correspondences between dislocation distribution inside crystals characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and surface patterns observed using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Fe-Al alloys with different degrees of ordering were prepared and deformed in compression at ambient temperature in-situ inside the AFM device. The evolution of slip line structures was captured in the sequences of AFM images and wavy slip bands, while cross slip at the tip of the slip band and homogeneous fine slip lines were also identified. Further, the thesis develops a technique for constructing 3D representations of dislocations observed by TEM without the prohibitive difficulties of tomography, and creates 3D models of dislocation structures. Generally speaking, the thesis finds good agreement between AFM and TEM observations, confirming the value of AFM as a relevant tool for studying dislocations.

This book presents recent advances in the design, fabrication and implementation of flexible printed sensors. It explores a range of materials for developing the electrode and substrate parts of the sensors, on the basis of their electrical and mechanical characteristics. The sensors were processed using laser cutting and 3D printing techniques, and the sensors developed were employed in a number of healthcare, environmental and industrial applications, including: monitoring of physiological movements, respiration, salinity and nitrate measurement, and tactile sensing. The type of sensor selected for each application depended on its dimensions, robustness and sensitivity. The sensors fabricated were also embedded in an IoT-based system, allowing them to be integrated into real-time applications.

Theoretical molecular spectroscopy has been the subject of intense activity in the last decade as a result of the increasing availability of powerful computers. Computational Molecular Spectroscopy is the first book ever to provide a comprehensive treatment of modern compuational techniques for predicting/interpreting molecular spectra.
Comprised essentially of four main parts, the book is a must for research workers in high resolution molecular spectroscopy and in quantum chemistry. It is also highly useful to undergraduate and postgraduate students of physics and chemistry, who are just starting out in the field.
The four main areas covered include:

• Ab initio calculation of potential energy surfaces and other electronic properties of molecules
• Perturbation-theory-based and variational approaches to the calculation of spectroscopic data
• Theory of calculating rovibronic energies, including the Renner and Jahn-Teller effects
• Special topics of high current interest: highly excited states and local modes, semi-classical approaches, time-dependent phenomena, and the Carr-Parrinello approach.

Annual Reports on NMR Spectroscopy, Volume 93 provides a thorough and in-depth accounting of progress in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and its many applications. This updated volume in this premier resource for both specialists and non-specialists focuses on NMR at Giga-Pascal Pressures, Ultrafast 2D NMR: Methods and Applications, Perspective on the Hyperpolarization Technique Signal Amplification by Reversible Exchange (SABRE) in NMR Spectroscopy and MR Imaging, and Recent Advances in 11B Solid-State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy of Crystalline Solids, and Progress in Our Understanding of 19F Chemical Shifts, amongst other timely topics.

This book presents not only the simultaneous combination of optical methods based on holographic principles for marker-free imaging, real-time trapping, identification and tracking of micro objects, but also the application of substantial low coherent light sources and non-diffractive beams. It first provides an overview of digital holographic microscopy (DHM) and holographic optical tweezers as well as non-diffracting beam types for minimal-invasive, real-time and marker-free imaging as well as manipulation of micro and nano objects. It then investigates the design concepts for the optical layout of holographic optical tweezers (HOTs) and their optimization using optical simulations and experimental methods. In a further part, the book characterizes the corresponding system modules that allow the addition of HOTs to commercial microscopes with regard to stability and diffraction efficiency. Further, based on experiments and microfluidic applications, it demonstrates the functionality of the combined setup, and discusses several types of non-diffracting beams and their application in optical manipulation. The book shows that holographic optical tweezers, including several non-diffracting beam types like Mathieu beams, combined parabolic and Airy beams, not only open up the possibility of generating efficient multiple dynamic traps for micro and nano particles with forces in the pico and nano newton range, but also the opportunity to exert optical torque with special beams like Bessel beams, which can facilitate the movement and rotation of particles by generating microfluidic flows. The last part discusses the potential use of a slightly modified DHM-HOT-system to explore the functionality of direct laser writing based on a two photon absorption process in a negative photoresist with a continuous wave laser

The series Advances in Polymer Science presents critical reviews of the present and future trends in polymer and biopolymer science. It covers all areas of research in polymer and biopolymer science including chemistry, physical chemistry, physics, material science. The thematic volumes are addressed to scientists, whether at universities or in industry, who wish to keep abreast of the important advances in the covered topics. Advances in Polymer Science enjoys a longstanding tradition and good reputation in its community. Each volume is dedicated to a current topic, and each review critically surveys one aspect of that topic, to place it within the context of the volume. The volumes typically summarize the significant developments of the last 5 to 10 years and discuss them critically, presenting selected examples, explaining and illustrating the important principles, and bringing together many important references of primary literature. On that basis, future research directions in the area can be discussed. Advances in Polymer Science volumes thus are important references for every polymer scientist, as well as for other scientists interested in polymer science - as an introduction to a neighboring field, or as a compilation of detailed information for the specialist. Review articles for the individual volumes are invited by the volume editors. Single contributions can be specially commissioned. Readership: Polymer scientists, or scientists in related fields interested in polymer and biopolymer science, at universities or in industry, graduate students