Effective-mass theory for InAs/GaAs strained coupled quantum dots

In the framework of effective-mass envelope-function theory, the optical transitions of InAs/GaAs strained coupled quantum dots grown on GaAs (100) oriented substrates are studied. At the Gamma point, the electron and hole energy levels, the distribution of electron and hole wave functions along the growth and parallel directions, the optical transition-matrix elements, the exciton states, and absorption spectra are calculated. In calculations, the effects due to the different effective masses of electrons and holes in different materials are included. Our theoretical results are in good agreement with the available experimental data.

Single Layer Growth of Strained Epitaxy at Low Temperature

Contacting mode atomic force microscopy (AFM) is used to measure the In0.asGao.65As/GaAs epilayer grown at low temperature (460°C). Unlike the normal layer-by-layer growth (FvdM mode) or self-organized islands growth (SK mode) ,samples grown under 460 C are found to be large islands with atomic thick terraces. AFM measurements reveale near one monolayer high steps. This kind of growth is good between FvdM and SK growth modes and can be used to understand the evolution of strained epitaxy from FvdM to SK mode.

Surface Morphology and Photoluminescence of 1.3 μm Wavelength In(Ga)As/GaAs Quantum Dots

Self-organized In_(0.5)Ga_(0.5)As/GaAs quantum island structure emitting at 1. 35 (im at room temperature has been successfully fabricated by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) via cycled (InAs)_1/( GaAs)_1 monolayer deposition method. Photoluminescence (PL) measurement shows that very narrow PL linewidth of 19.2 meV at 300 K has been reached for the first time, indicating effective suppression of inhomogeneous broadening of optical emission from the In_(0.5)Ga_(0.5)As islands structure. Our results provide important information for optimizing the epitaxial structures of 1.3 μm wavelength quantum dot (QD) devices.

Optical characterization of the Ge/Si (001) islands in multilayer structure

We show that the observed temperature dependence of the photoluminescence (PL) features can be consistently explained in terms of thermally activated carrier transfer processes in a multilayer structure of the self-organized Ge/Si(001) islands. The type II (electron confinement in Si) behavior of the Ge/Si islands is verified. With elevated temperature, the thermally activated electrons and holes enter the Ge islands from the Si and from the wetting layer (WL), respectively. An involvement of the type I (spatially direct) into type II (spatially indirect) recombination transition takes place at a high temperature.

Structural and optical changes in GaAs/InAs/GaAs structure induced by thermal annealing

Self-organized InAs quantum; dots sheets are grown on GaAs(100) substrate and tapped by 80nm GaAs layer with molecular beam epitaxy. Samples were annealed and characterized with Raman spectra, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and photolumincscence (PL). The Raman spectra indicates arsenic clusters in the GaAs capping layer. The TEM analysis revealed the relaxation of strain in some InAs islands with the introduction of the network of 90 dislocations. In addition, the structural changes also lead to the changes of the PL spectra from me InAs islands. Their correlation was discussed, Our results suggest:est that annealing may be used to intentionally modify me properties of self-organized InAs islands on GaAs.

Synthesis and photoluminescence of the Y2O3 : Eu3+ phosphor nanowires in AAO template

The monodisperse array and nanowires Of Y2O3:Eu3+ phosphor were synthesized using anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template by sol-gel method. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images indicated that Y2O3:Eu3+ nanowires are parallelly arranged, all of which are in uniform diameter of about 50 nm. The high-magnification SEM image showed that each nanowire is composed of a lot of agglutinating particles. The patterns of selected-area electron diffraction confirmed that Y2O3:EU3+ nanowires mainly consist of polycrystalline materials. Excitation and emission spectra Of Y2O3:E U3+/AAO composite films were measured. The characteristic red emission peak of EU3+ ion attributed to D-5(0)-->F-7(2) transition in Y2O3:EU3+/AAO nanowires broadened its halfwidth.

Preparation, structures, and electrochemistry of a new polyoxometalate-based organic/inorganic film on carbon surfaces

The preparation, structure, and electrochemical and electrocatalytical properties of a new polyoxometalate-based organic/inorganic film, composed of cetyl pyridinum 11-molybdovanadoarsenate (CPMVA) molecules, have been studied. Cyclic potential scanning in acetone solution led to a stable CPMVA film formed on a highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) surface. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning tunneling microscopy, and cyclic voltammetry were used for characterizing the structure and properties of the CPMVA film. These studies indicated that self-aggregated clusters were formed on a freshly cleaved HOPG surface, while a self-organized monolayer was formed on the precathodized HOPG electrode. The CPMVA film exhibited reversible redox kinetics both in acidic aqueous and in acetone solution, which showed that it could be used as a catalyst even in organic phase. The CPMVA film remained stable even at pH > 7.0, and the pH dependence of the film was much smaller than that of its inorganic film (H4AsMo11VO40) in aqueous solution. The CPMVA film showed strong electrocatalysis on the reduction of bromate, and the catalytic currents were proportional to the square of the concentration of bromate. The new kind of polyoxometalate with good stability may have extensive promise in catalysis.

二维自组织介质中地震波的传播特性

The topic of this study is simulation in the two dimensional self-organized media. The study in complexity of the earth plays an important role in structures, sources and energy seismic detection. And it mainly focuses on vertical or horizontal heterogeneous, anisotropic and linear media. Based on 2D self-organized velocity model and four-order finite-difference method, we simulate different types self-organized media and the same type mode with various parameters such as horizontal relative length, vertical relative length, variations, and velocity background gradient. Also we analyze the seismograms with complexity methods with instant information including amplitude, energy and frequency. The results can be summarized as the fallows: (1) The waveforms fluctuate with the velocity variations; (2) Different type self-organized media bring different effects on the amplitudes, energy and waveforms; (3) Different parameters also produce various influences to seismograms. (4) The layer contains their self-organized features, from which we can investigate the quality of the earth.

The formation of nanotubes and nanocoils of molybdenum disulphide

This work reports the successful realization of MoS2 nanotubes by a novel intercalation chemistry and hydrothermal treatment. An inorganic-organic precursor of hexadecylamine (HDA) and molybdenum disulphide (MoS2) were used in synthesizing the nanocomposite comprising laminar MoS2 with HDA intercalated in the interlaminar spacing. The formation of MoS2 nanotubes occurred during hydrothermal treatment (HT) by a self-organized rolling mechanism. The nanotubes were observed to have dimensions 2-12 µm in length and inner diameters typically in the range of 25-100 nm. We also report the formation of amorphous nanocoils of MoS2 obtained during similar procedures.

Universal Quake Statistics: From Compressed Nanocrystals to Earthquakes.

Slowly-compressed single crystals, bulk metallic glasses (BMGs), rocks, granular materials, and the earth all deform via intermittent slips or "quakes". We find that although these systems span 12 decades in length scale, they all show the same scaling behavior for their slip size distributions and other statistical properties. Remarkably, the size distributions follow the same power law multiplied with the same exponential cutoff. The cutoff grows with applied force for materials spanning length scales from nanometers to kilometers. The tuneability of the cutoff with stress reflects "tuned critical" behavior, rather than self-organized criticality (SOC), which would imply stress-independence. A simple mean field model for avalanches of slipping weak spots explains the agreement across scales. It predicts the observed slip-size distributions and the observed stress-dependent cutoff function. The results enable extrapolations from one scale to another, and from one force to another, across different materials and structures, from nanocrystals to earthquakes.

Interactions spatiales et auto-organisation des végétations semi-arides

Les recherches récapitulées dans cette thèse de doctorat ont porté sur les causes de l’organisation spatiale des végétations périodiques. Ces structures paysagères aux motifs réguliers, tachetés, tigrés ou labyrinthiques, d’échelle décamétrique à hectométrique, couvrant des étendues considérables sur au moins trois continents, constituent un cas d’école dans l’étude des processus endogènes présidant à l’hétérogénéité du couvert végétal. Ces structures prennent place sur un substrat homogène, mis à part la rétroaction du couvert lui-même, et sont marquées par des écotones abrupts et la persistance d’une proportion considérable de sol nu. Plusieurs modèles ont mis en avant l’existence possible d’un phénomène d’auto-organisation du couvert, qui verrait une structure d’ensemble émerger des interactions locales entre individus. Ces modèles se basent sur le jeu simultané de la consommation de la ressource (compétition) et de l’amélioration de l’un ou l’autre des éléments du bilan de la même ressource par le couvert (facilitation). La condition à l’existence d’une structure d’ensemble spatialement périodique et stable réside dans une différence entre la portée de la compétition (plus grande) et celle de la facilitation. L’apparition de ces structures est modulée par le taux de croissance biologique, qui est le reflet des contraintes extérieures telles que l’aridité, le pâturage ou la coupe de bois. Le modus operandi des interactions spatiales supposées entre individus reste largement à préciser.

Nos recherches ont été menées au sud-ouest de la République du Niger, à l’intérieur et dans les environs du parc Régional du W. Trois axes ont été explorés :(i) Une étude de la dépendance spatiale entre la structure de la végétation (biovolumes cartographiés) et les paramètres du milieu abiotique (relief, sol), sur base d’analyses spectrales et cross-spectrales par transformée de Fourier (1D et 2D). (ii) Une étude diachronique (1956, 1975 et 1996) à large échelle (3000 km²) de l’influence de l’aridité et des pressions d’origine anthropique sur l’auto-organisation des végétations périodiques, basée sur la caractérisation de la structure spatiale des paysages sur photos aériennes via la transformée de Fourier en 2D. (iii) Trois études portant sur les interactions spatiales entre individus :En premier lieu, via l’excavation des systèmes racinaires (air pulsé) ;Ensuite, par un suivi spatio-temporel du bilan hydrique du sol (blocs de gypse) ;Enfin, via le marquage de la ressource par du deutérium.

Nous avons ainsi pu établir que les végétations périodiques constituent bien un mode d’auto-organisation pouvant survenir sur substrat homogène et modulé par les contraintes climatiques et anthropiques. Un ajustement rapide entre l’organisation des végétations périodiques et le climat a pu être montrée en zone protégée. La superficie et l’organisation des végétations périodiques y ont tour à tour progressé et régressé en fonction d’épisodes secs ou humides. Par contre, en dehors de l’aire protégée, la possibilité d’une restauration du couvert semble fortement liée au taux d’exploitation des ressources végétales. Ces résultats ont d’importantes implications quant à la compréhension des interactions entre climat et écosystèmes et à l’évaluation de leurs capacités de charge. La caractérisation de la structure spatiale des végétations arides, notamment par la transformée de Fourier d’images HR, devrait être généralisée comme outil de monitoring de l’état de ces écosystèmes. Nos études portant sur les modes d’interactions spatiales ont permis de confirmer l’existence d’une facilitation à courte portée du couvert végétal sur la ressource. Cependant, cette facilitation ne semble pas s’exercer sur le terme du bilan hydrique traditionnellement avancé, à savoir l’infiltration, mais plutôt sur le taux d’évaporation (deux fois moindre à l’ombre des canopées). Ce mécanisme exclut l’existence de transferts diffusifs souterrains entre sols nu et fourrés. Des transferts inverses semblent d’ailleurs montrés par le marquage isotopique. L’étude du bilan hydrique et la cartographie du micro-relief, ainsi que la profondeur fortement réduite de la zone d’exploitation racinaire, jettent de sérieux doutes quant au rôle communément admis des transferts d’eau par ruissellement/diffusion de surface en tant que processus clé dans la compétition à distance entre les plantes. L’alternative réside dans l’existence d’une compétition racinaire de portée supérieure aux canopées. Cette hypothèse trouve une confirmation tant par les rhizosphères excavées, superficielles et étendues, que dans le marquage isotopique, montrant des contaminations d’arbustes situés à plus de 15 m de la zone d’apport. De même, l’étude du bilan hydrique met en évidence les influences simultanées et contradictoires (facilitation/compétition) des ligneux sur l’évapotranspiration.

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This PhD thesis gathers results of a research dealing with the causes of the spatial organisation of periodic vegetations. These landscape structures, featuring regular spotted, labyrinthine or banded patterns of decametric to hectometric scale, and extending over considerable areas on at least three continents, constitute a perfect study case to approach endogenous processes leading to vegetation heterogeneities. These patterns occur over homogeneous substratum, except for vegetation’s own feedbacks, and are marked by sharp ecotones and the persistence of a considerable amount of bare soil. A number of models suggested a possible case of self-organized patterning, in which the general structure would emerge from local interactions between individuals. Those models rest on the interplay of competitive and facilitative effects, relating to soil water consumption and to soil water budget enhancement by vegetation. A general necessary condition for pattern formation to occur is that negative interactions (competition) have a larger range than positive interactions (facilitation). Moreover, all models agree with the idea that patterning occurs when vegetation growth decreases, for instance as a result of reduced water availability, domestic grazing or wood cutting, therefore viewing patterns as a self-organised response to environmental constraints. However the modus operandi of the spatial interactions between individual plants remains largely to be specified.

We carried out a field research in South-West Niger, within and around the W Regional Park. Three research lines were explored: (i) The study of the spatial dependency between the vegetation pattern (mapped biovolumes) and the factors of the abiotic environment (soil, relief), on the basis of spectral and cross-spectral analyses with Fourier transform (1D and 2D). (ii) A broad scale diachronic study (1956, 1975, 1996) of the influence of aridity and human induced pressures on the vegetation self-patterning, based on the characterisation of patterns on high resolution remote sensing data via 2D Fourier transform. (iii) Three different approaches of the spatial interactions between individuals: via root systems excavation with pulsed air; via the monitoring in space and time of the soil water budget (gypsum blocks method); and via water resource labelling with deuterated water.

We could establish that periodic vegetations are indeed the result of a self-organisation process, occurring in homogeneous substratum conditions and modulated by climate and human constraints. A rapid adjustment between vegetation patterning and climate could be observed in protected zones. The area and patterning of the periodic vegetations successively progressed and regressed, following drier or wetter climate conditions. On the other hand, outside protected areas, the restoration ability of vegetation appeared to depend on the degree of vegetation resource exploitation. These results have important implications regarding the study of vegetation-climate interactions and the evaluation of ecosystems’ carrying capacities. Spatial pattern characterisation in arid vegetations using Fourier transform of HR remote sensing data should be generalised for the monitoring of those ecosystems. Our studies dealing with spatial interaction mechanisms confirmed the existence of a short range facilitation of the cover on water resource. However, this facilitation does not seem to act through the commonly accepted infiltration component, but rather on the evaporative rate (twice less within thickets). This mechanism excludes underground diffusive transfers between bare ground and vegetation. Inverse transfers were even shown by deuterium labelling. Water budget study and micro-elevation mapping, along with consistent soil shallowness, together cast serious doubts on the traditional mechanism of run-off/diffusion of surface water as a key process of the long range competition between plants. An alternative explanation lies in long range root competition. This hypothesis find support as well in the excavated root systems, shallow and wide, as in isotopic labelling, showing contaminations of shrubs located up to 15 m of the irrigated area. Water budget study also evidenced simultaneous contradictory effects (facilitation/competition) of shrubs on evapotranspiration.

Effect of wall thickness on the ferroelastic domain size of BaTiO3

Extremely regular self-organized patterns of 90^o ferroelastic domains have been reported in freestanding single crystal thin films of ferroelectric BaTiO₃. Lukyanchuk et al. [Phys Rev B 79, 144111 (2009)] have recently shown that the domain size as a function of thickness for such free standing films can be well described assuming that the domains are due to stress caused by a surface tension layer that does not undergo the paraelectric–ferroelectric transition. From the starting point of Lukyanchuk’s model, it is shown here that the ‘‘universal’’relationship between domain size and domain wall thickness previously observed in ferroelectrics, ferromagnets and multiferroics is also valid for ferroelastic domains.Further analysis of experimental data also shows that the domain wall thickness can vary considerably (an order of magnitude) from sample to sample even for the same material (BaTiO₃), in spite of which the domain size scaling model is still valid, provided that the correct,sample dependent, domain wall thickness is used.

Thermal and quantum fluctuations in chains of ultracold polar molecules

Ultracold polar molecules, in highly anisotropic traps and interacting via a repulsive dipolar potential, may form one-dimensional chains at high densities. According to classical theory, at low temperatures there exists a critical value of the density at which a second-order phase transition from a linear to a zigzag chain occurs. We study the effect of thermal and quantum fluctuations on these self-organized structures using classical and quantum Monte Carlo methods, by means of which we evaluate the pair correlation function and the static structure factor. Depending on the parameters, these functions exhibit properties typical of a crystalline or of a liquid system. We compare the thermal and the quantum results, identifying analogies and differences. Finally, we discuss experimental parameter regimes where the effects of quantum fluctuations on the linear-zigzag transition can be observed.

Ground state of low-dimensional dipolar gases: Linear and zigzag chains

We study the ground-state phase diagram of ultracold dipolar gases in highly anisotropic traps. Starting from a one-dimensional geometry, by ramping down the transverse confinement along one direction, the gas reaches various planar distributions of dipoles. At large linear densities, when the dipolar gas exhibits a crystal-like phase, critical values of the transverse frequency exist below which the configuration exhibits transverse patterns. These critical values are found by means of a classical theory, and are in full agreement with classical Monte Carlo simulations. The study of the quantum system is performed numerically with Monte Carlo techniques and shows that the quantum fluctuations smoothen the transition and make it completely disappear in a gas phase. These predictions could be experimentally tested and would allow one to reveal the effect of zero-point motion on self-organized mesoscopic structures of matter waves, such as the transverse pattern of the zigzag chain.

Random neighbor sandpile model with constrained total energy

We propose as energy-constrained sandpile model with random neighbors. The critical behavior of the model is in the same universality class as the mean-field self-organized criticality sandpile. The critical energy E-c depends on the number of neighbors n of each site, but the various exponents do not. For n = 6, we got that E-c = 0.4545; and a self-similar structure of the energy distribution function with five major peaks is also observed. This is a natural result of system dynamics and the way the system is disturbed.