Due to the high cost of precursor materials, complex oxides of 4d and 5d transition metals are under-studied compared to their 3d counterparts. Recent studies have shown that oxides containing heavier transition metals can exhibit exotic electronic states due to presence of strong spin-orbit coupling. The goal of this dissertation...
Aqueous hydroxo Hf nanoclusters enable studies to identify and codify steps in the deposition of Hf-based oxide thin films from solution precursors. HfOCl2 reacts with combinations of H2O2(aq), acids, and TMAH to produce polymetal species at high pH and low pH. X-ray scattering and spectroscopic methods reveal the nature of...
This dissertation outlines two approaches for improving the efficiency and reducing the cost of photovoltaic energy generation. First, the structures of known binary copper and iron compounds are used to choose the promising compositions Fe₂XS₄ (X = Si, Ge), Cu₃TaQ₄ (Q = Se, Te), and BaCuQ'F (Q' = S, Se,...
Spectrum overcrowding, ever increasing demand for high data rate and increased mobility requirements are three major challenges 5G-technology is trying to address. In this thesis I start with a RF front-end technique that deals with blocker interference arising from spectrum overcrowding both across frequency bands and within the same frequency...
In what is called participatory democracy scholars and practitioners have been calling for the involvement of citizens in decisions that affect their lives. Citizens who emerge to participate in technically complex, decision-making processes find that their involvement is often minimized, disregarded, or neglected due to barriers such as specialized scientific...
While properties are extremely important from an application point of view, it is crucial to have a detailed understanding of the underlying structural influence. Once a concrete correlation between the structure and the observed property is established, rational design of novel materials with optimized properties can be realized. These optimized...
Forests are highly valuable resources providing both timber as well as many non-use values like habitat for various endangered and threatened species, carbon sequestration, and recreation, to name a few. Given that there are 765 million acres of forestland in the United States, almost 60% of which are privately owned,...
Change initiatives have a 70 percent failure rate, but effective change is necessary if a company is to remain competitive. Current organizational change research around lean process improvement links unsatisfactory implementation results to organizational behaviors, but does not assess how individual cognitive characteristics affect successful lean implementation. Although a range...
Background: Calls by presidents and legislators to raise the U.S. college graduation rate to 60% by 2025 have required educational institutions to find ways to increase accessibility and quality while simultaneously reducing costs (Bautsch, 2018; Smith, 2017). Private foundations such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation are getting involved...