Lepidoptera and Coleoptera - butterflies and beetles - are the most beautifully colored insects we can find. This book explores the origin of these brilliant colors from a physics perspective, beginning with the simplest question: Why Colors? The author masterfully explains at an introductory level the coloring of insects and illustrates his points with more than 240 brilliant figures. The book is a rich source for optical physicists, biologists, and teachers alike.

This book covers the latest research work done in the area of interface mechanics of collagen and chitin-based biomaterials along with various techniques that can be used to understand mechanics of biological systems and materials. Topics covered include Raman spectroscopy of biological systems, scale dependence of the mechanical properties and microstructure of crustaceans thin films as biomimetic materials, as well as the role of molecular-level modeling. The use of nanomechanics to investigate interface thermomechanics of collagen and chitin-based biomaterials is also covered in detail. This book also: * Details spectroscope experiments as well as nanomechanic experiments * Reviews exhaustively phenomenological models and Raman spectroscopy of biological systems * Covers the latest in multiscaling for molecular models to predict lab-scale sample properties and investigates interface thermomechanics

This thesis presents a systematic discussion of experimental approaches to investigating the nonlinear interaction of ultrashort visible strong fields with dielectrics directly in the time domain. The key finding is the distinctly different peak-intensity dependence of the light-matter energy transfer dynamics on the one hand, and the observed transient optical and electronic modifications on the other. As the induced electron dynamics evolve on sub-femtosecond timescales, real-time spectroscopy requires attosecond temporal resolution. This allows a range of parameters to be identified where the optical properties of the samples exposed to ultrashort light fields suffer dramatic changes allowing signal metrology while real absorption leading to dissipation is essentially absent. These findings indicate the feasibility of efficient optical switching at frequencies several orders of magnitude faster than current state-of-the-art electronics and thus have far-reaching technological consequences.

This Springer Laboratory volume is a practical guide for scientists and students dealing with the measurement of mechanical properties of polymers at the nanoscale through AFM force-distance curves. In the first part of the book the reader will find a theoretical introduction about atomic force microscopy, focused on force-distance curves, and mechanical properties of polymers. The discussion of several practical issues concerning the acquisition and the interpretation of force-distance curves will help scientists starting to employ this technique. The second part of the book deals with the practical measurement of mechanical properties of polymers by means of AFM force-distance curves. Several "hands-on" examples are illustrated in a very detailed manner, with particular attention to the sample preparation, data analysis, and typical artefacts. This section gives a complete overview about the qualitative characterization and quantitative determination of the mechanical properties of homogeneous polymer samples, polymer brushes, polymer thin films, confined polymer samples, model blends and microstructured polymer blends through AFM force-distance curves. The book also introduces to new approaches and measurement techniques, like creep compliance and force modulation measurements, pointing out approximations, limitations and issues requiring further confirmation.

This book provides an easily understandable introduction to solid state physics for chemists and engineers. Band theory is introduced as an extension of molecular orbital theory, and its application to organic materials is described. Phenomena beyond band theory are treated in relation to magnetism and electron correlation, which are explained in terms of the valence bond theory and the Coulomb and exchange integrals. After the fundamental concepts of magnetism are outlined, the relation of correlation and superconductivity is described without assuming a knowledge of advanced physics. Molecular design of organic conductors and semiconductors is discussed from the standpoint of oxidation-reduction potentials, and after a brief survey of organic superconductors, various applications of organic semiconductor devices are described. This book will be useful not only for researchers but also for graduate students as a valuable reference.

This thesis presents a method for reliably and robustly producing samples of amyloid- (A ) by capturing them at various stages of aggregation, as well as the results of subsequent imaging with various atomic force microscopy (AFM) methods, all of which add value to the data gathered by collecting information on the peptide's nanomechanical, elastic, thermal or spectroscopical properties. Amyloid- (A ) undergoes a hierarchy of aggregation following a structural transition, making it an ideal subject of study using scanning probe microscopy (SPM), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and other physical techniques. By imaging samples of A with Ultrasonic Force Microscopy, a detailed substructure to the morphology is revealed, which correlates well with the most advanced cryo-EM work. Early stage work in the area of thermal and spectroscopical AFM is also presented, and indicates the promise these techniques may hold for imaging sensitive and complex biological materials. This thesis demonstrates that physical techniques can be highly complementary when studying the aggregation of amyloid peptides, and allow the detection of subtle differences in their aggregation processes.

Scanning and stationary-beam electron microscopes are indispensable tools for both research and routine evaluation in materials science, the semiconductor industry, nanotechnology and the biological, forensic, and medical sciences. This book introduces current theory and practice of electron microscopy, primarily for undergraduates who need to understand how the principles of physics apply in an area of technology that has contributed greatly to our understanding of life processes and "inner space." Physical Principles of Electron Microscopy will appeal to technologists who use electron microscopes and to graduate students, university teachers and researchers who need a concise reference on the basic principles of microscopy.

This book mainly focuses on the study of the high-temperature superconductor Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+ (Bi2212) and single-layer FeSe film grown on SrTiO3 (STO) substrate by means of angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES). It provides the first electronic evidence for the origin of the anomalous high-temperature superconductivity in single-layer FeSe grown on SrTiO3 substrate. Two coexisted sharp-mode couplings have been identified in superconducting Bi2212. The first ARPES study on single-layer FeSe/STO films has provided key insights into the electronic origin of superconductivity in this system. A phase diagram and electronic indication of high Tc and insulator to superconductor crossover have been established in the single-layer FeSe/STO films. Readers will find essential information on the techniques used and interesting physical phenomena observed by ARPES.

"...a comprehensive and well written book, which...will be useful reading for both researchers entering the field and experienced specialists looking for new ideas....a valuable and long-lasting contribution to experimental mechanics." - Stepan Lomov, KU Leuven This expert volume, an enhanced Habilitation thesis by the head of the Materials Testing Research Group at the University of Augsburg, provides detailed coverage of a range of inspection methods for insitu characterization of fiber-reinforced composites. The failure behavior of fiber reinforced composites is a complex evolution of microscopic damage phenomena. Beyond the use of classical testing methods, the ability to monitor the progression of damage insitu offers new ways to interpret the materials failure modes. Methods covered include digital image correlation, acoustic emission, electromagnetic emission, computed tomography, thermography, shearography, and promising method combinations. For each method, the discussion includes operational principles and practical applications for quality control as well as thoughtful assessment of the method's strengths and weakness so that the reader is equipped to decide which method or methods are most appropriate in a given situation. The book includes extensive appendices covering common experimental parameters influencing comparability of acoustic emission measurements; materials properties for modeling; and an overview of terms and abbreviations.

This thesis presents the first direct observations of the 3D-shape, size and electrical properties of nanoscale filaments, made possible by a new Scanning Probe Microscopy-based tomography technique referred to as scalpel SPM. Using this innovative technology and nm-scale observations, the author achieves essential insights into the filament formation mechanisms, improves the understanding required for device optimization, and experimentally observes phenomena that had previously been only theoretically proposed.

This book discusses the promising area of perovskite-based solar cells. It places particular emphasis on a highly unique perovskite solar cell structure, focusing on the special properties of hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites. As such, it offers readers sound essentials, serving as building blocks for the future development of this rapidly evolving field.

This book explores the conversion for solar energy into renewable liquid fuels through electrochemical reactions. The first section of the book is devoted to the theoretical fundamentals of solar fuels production, focusing on the surface properties of semiconductor materials in contact with aqueous solutions and the reaction mechanisms. The second section describes a collection of current, relevant characterization techniques, which provide essential information of the band structure of the semiconductors and carrier dynamics at the interface semiconductor. The third, and last section comprises the most recent developments in materials and engineered structures to optimize the performance of solar-to-fuel conversion devices.

This book focuses on recently developed crystal growth techniques to grow large and high quality superconducting single crystals. The techniques applied are traveling solvent floating zone (TSFZ) with infrared image furnace, Bridgeman, solution/flux and top seeded solution growth (TSSG) methods. The materials range from cuprates, cobaltates to pnictides including La2CuO4-based (LCO), YBa2Cu3O7-d (YBCO), Bi2Sr2Can 1CunO2n+4+ (n=1,2,3) (BSCCO) to NaxCoO2. The modified Bridgman "cold finger" method is devoted to the pnictide system with the best quality (transition width DTc~0.5 K) with highest Tc~38.5 K of Ba0.68K0.32Fe2A2. The book presents various iron-based superconductors with different structures, such as 1111, 122, 111, 11 and 42622,10-3-8. Detailed single crystal growth methods (fluxes, Bridgman, floating zone), the associated procedures and their impact to crystal size and quality are presented. The book also describes the influence of doping on the structure and the electric, magnetic, and superconducting properties of these compounds in a comparative study of different growth methods. It describes particularly under-, optimal and over-doped with oxygen cuprates (LCO, YBCO and BSCCO) and hole/electron/isovalently doped parent compounds AFe2As2 (A = Ba, Sr, Ca) (122), chalcogenides AxFe2-ySe2(A = K, Rb, Cs) (122), and Fe1-dTe1-xSex (11). A review of the current growth technologies and future growth efforts handling volatile and poisonous components are also presented.

This thesis reports studies on the substrate specificity of crucial ketosynthase (KS) domains from trans-AT Polyketide Synthases (PKSs). Using a combination of electrospray ionisation-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and simple N-acetyl cysteamine (SNAC) substrate mimics, the specificity of a range of KS domains from the bacillaene and psymberin PKSs have been succsessfully studied with regard to the initial acylation step of KS-catalysis. In addition, the ability to alter the substrate tolerance of KS domains by simple point mutations in the active site has been demonstrated. A series of acyl-ACPs have been synthesised using a novel methodology and employed to probe the substrate specificity of both KS domains and the previously uncharcterised acyl hydrolase domain, PedC. KS-catalysed chain elongation reactions have also been conducted and monitored by ESI-MS/MS. All KS domains studied exhibited higher substrate specificity at the elongation step than in the preceeding acylation step. Furthermore, a mechanism of reversible acylation is proposed using the PsyA ACP1-KS1 di-domain. The findings in this thesis provide important insights into mechanisms of KS specificity and show that mutagenesis can be used to expand the repertoire of acceptable substrates for future PKS engineering.

In this thesis, the ionization of atoms and small molecules in strong laser fields is experimentally studied using a reaction microscope. The population of autoionizing doubly excited states in the laser fields is proven and a possible connection to the well-known dielectronic recombination processes is discussed. The fundamental process of tunnel ionization in strong laser fields is subject of investigation in a pump-probe experiment with ultrashort laser pulses. A coherent superposition of electronic states in singly charged argon ions is created within the first, and subsequently tunnel-ionized with the second pulse. This gives access to state-selective information about the tunneling process and allows to test common models. Moreover, the ionization of krypton and argon at different wavelengths is studied, from the multiphoton to the tunneling regime. The wavelength-dependent investigations are furthermore extended to molecular hydrogen. In addition to ionization, this system might undergo different dissociative processes. Channel-selective electron momentum distributions are presented and compared to each other.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the main nuclear characterization techniques used to study hydrogen absorption and desorption in materials. The various techniques (neutron scattering, nuclear magnetic resonance, ion-beams, positron annihilation spectroscopy) are explained in detail, and a variety of examples of recent research projects are given to show the unique advantage of these techniques to study hydrogen in materials. Most of these nuclear techniques require very specialized instrumentation, and there are only a handful of these instruments available worldwide. Therefore, the aim of this book is to reach out to a readership with a very diverse background in the physical sciences and engineering and a broad range of hydrogen-related research interests. The same technique can be used by researchers interested in the improvement of the performance of hydrogen storage materials and by those focused on hydrogen ingress causing embrittlement of metals. The emphasis of this book is to provide tutorial material on how to use nuclear characterization techniques for the investigation of hydrogen in materials - information that cannot readily be found in conference and regular research papers. Provides a comprehensive overview of nuclear techniques used for hydrogen-related research Explains all nuclear techniques in detail for the non-expert Covers the whole range of hydrogen-related research Features chapters written by world-renowned experts in nuclear technique and hydrogen-related research

This volume presents pedagogical content to understand theoretical and practical aspects of diagnostic imaging techniques. It provides insights to current practices, and also discusses specific practical features like radiation exposure, radiation sensitivity, signal penetration, tissue interaction, and signal confinement with reference to individual imaging techniques. It also covers relatively less common imaging methods in addition to the established ones. It serves as a reference for researchers and students working in the field of medical, biomedical science, physics, and instrumentation. Key Features * Focusses on the clinical applications while ensuring a steady understanding of the underlying science * Follows a bottom-up approach to cover the theory, calculations, and modalities to aid students and researchers in biomedical imaging, radiology and instrumentation * Covers unique concepts of nanoparticle applications along with ethical issues in medical imaging

This book provides an overview of the application of IR spectroscopy in mineralogical investigations, as well as modern trends in the IR spectroscopy of minerals. It includes the most important methodological aspects; characteristic IR bands of different chemical groups and coordination polyhedra; application of IR spectroscopy to the investigation of the crystal chemistry of amphiboles, phyllosilicates, tourmalines etc.; neutral molecules entrapped by microporous minerals; and analysis of hydrogen in nominally anhydrous minerals. About 1600 IR spectra (illustrations as well as a list of wavenumbers) of minerals and some related compounds are accompanied by detailed descriptions of the standard samples used. Each spectrum provides information about the occurrence, appearance, associated minerals, its empirical formula, and unit-cell parameters. The book also provides insights into sample preparation and/or spectrum registration methods. It includes IR spectra of 1020 minerals that were not covered in the book "Infrared spectra of mineral species: Extended library" published in 2014 and written by one of the authors. On average, each page provides information on two minerals/compounds. Subsections correspond to different classes of compounds (silicates, phosphates, arsenates, oxides etc.). About 290 new spectra have been obtained, and the remaining 1310 spectra are taken from most reliable literature sources (published over the last 60 years) and are redrawn in a unified style.

This book provides a state-of-the art overview of a highly interesting emerging research field in solid state physics/nanomaterials science, topological structures in ferroic materials. Topological structures in ferroic materials have received strongly increasing attention in the last few years. Such structures include domain walls, skyrmions and vortices, which can form in ferroelectric, magnetic, ferroelastic or multiferroic materials. These topological structures can have completely different properties from the bulk material they form in. They also can be controlled by external fields (electrical, magnetic, strain) or currents, which makes them interesting from a fundamental research point of view as well as for potential novel nanomaterials applications. To provide a comprehensive overview, international leading researches in these fields contributed review-like chapters about their own work and the work of other researchers to provide a current view of this highly interesting topic.

This volume describes the application of fluorescence spectroscopy in polymer research. The first chapters outline the basic principles of the conformational and dynamic behavior of polymers and review the problems of polymer self-assembly. Subsequent chapters introduce the theoretical principles of advanced fluorescence methods and typical examples of their application in polymer science. The book closes with several reviews of various fluorescence applications for studying specific aspects of polymer-solution behavior. It is a useful resource for polymer scientists and experts in fluorescence spectroscopy alike, facilitating their communication and cooperation.

This volume describes prominent methodologies developed by laboratories that have been leading the field of quantitative proteomics by mass spectrometry. The procedures for performing the experiments are described in an easy-to-understand manner with many technical details that usually are not reported in typical research articles. This second edition of Quantitative Proteomics by Mass Spectrometry provides a broad perspective of the methodologies used for quantifying proteins and post-translational modifications in different types of biomedical specimens. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and thorough, Quantitative Proteomics by Mass Spectrometry, Second Edition is a valuable resource to help researchers understand and learn about the latest tools used in the study of quantitative proteomics by mass spectrometry.

A comprehensive device model considering both spatial distributions of the terahertz field and the field-effect self-mixing factor has been constructed for the first time in the thesis. The author has found that it is the strongly localized terahertz field induced in a small fraction of the gated electron channel that plays an important role in the high responsivity. An AlGaN/GaN-based high-electron-mobility transistor with a 2-micron-sized gate and integrated dipole antennas has been developed and can offer a noise-equivalent power as low as 40 pW/Hz1/2 at 900 GHz. By further reducing the gate length down to 0.2 micron, a noise-equivalent power of 6 pW/Hz1/2 has been achieved. This thesis provides detailed experimental techniques and device simulation for revealing the self-mixing mechanism including a scanning probe technique for evaluating the effectiveness of terahertz antennas. As such, the thesis could be served as a valuable introduction towards further development of high-sensitivity field-effect terahertz detectors for practical applications.

This book provides a detailed review of power amplifiers, including classes and topologies rarely covered in books, and supplies sufficient information to allow the reader to design an entire amplifier system, and not just the power amplification stage. A central aim is to furnish readers with ideas on how to simplify the design process for a preferred power amplifier stage by introducing software-based routines in a programming language of their choice. The book is in two parts, the first focusing on power amplifier theory and the second on EDA concepts. Readers will gain enough knowledge of RF and microwave transmission theory, principles of active and passive device design and manufacturing, and power amplifier design concepts to allow them to quickly create their own programs, which will help to accelerate the transceiver design process. All circuit designers facing the challenge of designing an RF or microwave power amplifier for frequencies from 2 to 18 GHz will find this book to be a valuable asset.

This thesis provides the first successful study of jump diffusion processes in glasses on the atomic scale, utilizing a novel coherent technique. This new method, called atomic-scale X-ray Photon Correlation Spectroscopy or aXPCS, has only recently been proven to be able to capture diffusion processes with atomic resolution in crystal systems. With this new toolkit for studying atomic diffusion in amorphous systems, new insight into basic processes in a wide range of technically relevant materials, like fast ionic conductors, can be obtained.

In the last quarter century, advances in mass spectrometry (MS) have been at the forefront of efforts to map complex biological systems including the human metabolome, proteome, and microbiome. All of these developments have allowed MS to become a well-established molecular level technology for microorganism characterization. MS has demonstrated its considerable advantage as a rapid, accurate, and cost-effective method for microorganism identification, compared to conventional phenotypic techniques. In the last several years, applications of MS for microorganism characterization in research, clinical microbiology, counter-bioterrorism, food safety, and environmental monitoring have been documented in thousands of publications. Regulatory bodies in Europe, the US, and elsewhere have approved MS-based assays for infectious disease diagnostics. As of mid-2015, more than 3300 commercial MS systems for microorganism identification have been deployed worldwide in hospitals and clinical labs. While previous work has covered broader approaches in using MS to characterize microorganisms at the species level or above, this book focuses on strain-level and subtyping applications. In twelve individual chapters, innovators, leaders and practitioners in the field from around the world have contributed to a comprehensive overview of current and next-generation approaches for MS-based microbial characterization at the subspecies and strain levels. Chapters include up-to-date reference lists as well as web-links to databases, recommended software, and other useful tools. The emergence of new, antibiotic-resistant strains of human or animal pathogens is of extraordinary concern not only to the scientific and medical communities, but to the general public as well. Developments of novel MS-based assays for rapid identification of strains of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms are reviewed in the book as well. Microbiologists, bioanalytical scientists, infectious disease specialists, clinical laboratory and public health practitioners as well as researchers in universities, hospitals, government labs, and the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries will find this book to be a timely and valuable resource.