We investigated the thermal stability of a new ternary amorphous metal thin film, Ta₂.₄Ni₂.₂Si, and assessed its suitability as a Cu diffusion barrier for semiconductor device applications. Transmission electron microscopy was coupled with atom probe tomography to provide a detailed understanding of the atomic-scale evolution of both structure and composition...
We introduce a novel ambient hydrolysis deposition (AHD) methodology that, for the first time, employs sequential water adsorption followed by a hydrolysis reaction to infiltrate tiny SnO2₂ particles inside nanopores of mesoporous carbon in a conformal and controllable manner. The empty space in the SnO2₂/C composites can be adjusted by...
Excess fatty acids and sterols are stored as triacylglycerols and sterol esters in
specialized cellular organelles, called lipid droplets. Understanding what determines the cellular
amount of neutral lipids and their packaging into lipid droplets is of fundamental and
applied interest. Using two species of fission yeast, we show that cycling...
Despite advances in treatment, cancer remains among the leading causes of death in the world. Progress in the treatment of metastatic cancers was seen with chemotherapy and radiotherapy, however, the major drawbacks of conventional cancer therapies are limited efficacy and severe side effects. Magnetic fluid hyperthermia (MFH) is a new...
This dissertation addresses the problem of video labeling at both the frame and pixel levels using deep learning. For pixel-level video labeling, we have studied two problems: i) Spatiotemporal video segmentation and ii) Boundary detection and boundary flow estimation. For the problem of spatiotemporal video segmentation, we have developed recurrent...
Amorphous metal thin films lack the grain boundaries and dislocations present in
crystalline metal films. As a result, amorphous metal films can be more mechanically robust, atomically smooth, and more resistant to chemical attack than crystalline metals. However, amorphous metals are meta-stable and subject to crystallization upon heating, thus limiting...
Bismuth oxide thin films were deposited by atomic layer deposition using Bi(OCMe₂ [superscript i]Pr)₃ and H₂O
at deposition temperatures between 90 and 270°C on Si₃N₄, TaN, and TiN substrates. Films were
analyzed using spectroscopic ellipsometry, x-ray diffraction, x-ray reflectivity, high-resolution
transmission electron microscopy, and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry. Bi₂O₃ films
deposited...
In many geotechnical design situations involving tight right-of-way constraints, Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) walls are often the most cost-effective and reliable earth retention technology among available alternatives. However, few well-documented case histories with detailed material testing, instrumentation programs and construction observation of performance are available in the literature. Despite the...
Aerogels are interesting material systems with outstanding properties such as low density, high surface area, and low thermal conductivity. They can be used for a variety of applications, such as solar cells, sensors, or catalysts. Additionally they provide a unique model system to study the properties of small particles. Cellulose...
High-pressure torsion (HPT) is used to investigate the formation of a new metal system by the direct bonding of separate disks of Al and Cu by processing at room temperature under a compressive pressure of 6.0 GPa and with increasing numbers of HPT turns up to 60. A detailed examination...