Records |
Author |
Admasu, W.F. |
Title |
Socioeconomic and environmental impact of expropriation of agricultural land for urbanisation in Ethiopia |
Type |
Doctoral thesis |
Year ![sorted by Year field, ascending order (up)](img/sort_asc.gif) |
2021 |
Publication |
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Abbreviated Journal |
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Volume |
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Issue |
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Pages |
162 p. |
Keywords |
Doctoral thesis; Engineering Management (ENM) |
Abstract |
Globally, incorporation of agricultural lands into the urban boundary has been a common phenomenon. Governments use various alternatives to access the required land, including land expropriation procedures, which refers to the compulsorily taking of land from the landholders without their consent by paying compensation. In Ethiopia, the urban population is growing rapidly which resulted into an increase in the demand for urban land for housing construction, public services provision, and infrastructure developments. As the Ethiopian constitution prohibits sale of landholders, governments, at various levels, have been expropriating land from the surrounding farmers to meet the demand for urban land. The general objective of this thesis is to improve the understanding of the impacts of local land deals for urbanization on socioeconomics of farmers and the environment. The findings of this thesis revealed that there are gaps in the current practices of land expropriation for urban expansion that should be improved. The results showed that the compensation paid to the affected farmers is found to be economically inappropriate, i.e., not enough to restore the affected farmers’ livelihoods, in contrast with the land laws that allows a compensation amount that would put previous land users in a better or the same wellbeing as before the land expropriation. In addition, it is indicated that the land expropriation process does not take into account the value of ecosystem services, which are benefits obtain from the land, and important for the wellbeing of the society. We conclude that while land expropriation is an important tool to obtain land from the landholders when it is needed for public purposes, the practices in the study area show it is adversely affecting the socioeconomics of farmers and the environment. |
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Most recent IF: NA |
Call Number |
UA @ admin @ c:irua:177909 |
Serial |
6944 |
Permanent link to this record |
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Author |
Bjørnåvold, A. |
Title |
Unlocking lock-in : accelerating socio-technical transitions to sustainability |
Type |
Doctoral thesis |
Year ![sorted by Year field, ascending order (up)](img/sort_asc.gif) |
2021 |
Publication |
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Abbreviated Journal |
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Volume |
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Issue |
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Pages |
189 p. |
Keywords |
Doctoral thesis; Linguistics; Engineering Management (ENM) |
Abstract |
Achieving global sustainability goals will require cleaner and cheaper technologies. Public policy is central to achieving these goals and, in turn, ensuring a quicker pace of change. A major obstacle lies in the fact that technologies cannot be considered isolated entities: they are embedded in a powerful social context of cultural, organisational and institutional systems. This intertwining of different elements is referred to as a socio-technical system. This thesis discusses how socio-technical systems have, over time, allowed locked-in configurations to emerge, referring to a combination of systematic forces that perpetuate unsustainable infrastructures embedded in society. Such lock-ins can inhibit innovation and competitiveness of low-carbon and sustainable technologies, and this thesis looks to concrete solutions for unlocking them. Vital to this objective lies better understanding preferences, intentions, and behaviour of actors involved at each stage of technological development to improve public policy design. A discrete choice experiment – a quantitative non-market valuation method – was, therefore, a core method used to model preferences of key target groups. Target groups considered in the four components of the thesis include i) industry players, ii) policymakers, iii) farmers, and iv) the general public in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy and Spain. The thesis seeks to establish how both economic and regulatory instruments can be leveraged to overcome lock-in. One conclusion sees that implementing an efficient environmental tax regime – an economic instrument – requires balancing political feasibility and public acceptance considerations in line with tax and environmental policy. Results indicate that public acceptance for environmental taxation increases with earmarking. Another conclusion highlights the importance of taking behavioural and habitual considerations into account – both when considering policymakers’ investment decisions, and farmers’ decisions to adopting agro-ecological practices when responding to regulatory instruments. Overall, policy design should emphasise a more continuous and systemic approach to innovation and technology policy on the road to accelerating socio-technical transitions to sustainability. |
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ISBN |
978-90-5728-692-6 |
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UA library record |
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Approved |
Most recent IF: NA |
Call Number |
UA @ admin @ c:irua:179247 |
Serial |
6949 |
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Author |
Grangeiro de Barros, A.; Devroede, R.; Vanlanduit, S.; Vuye, C.; Kampen, J.K. |
Title |
Acoustic simulation of noise barriers and prediction of annoyance for local residents |
Type |
P1 Proceeding |
Year ![sorted by Year field, ascending order (up)](img/sort_asc.gif) |
2021 |
Publication |
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Abbreviated Journal |
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Volume |
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Issue |
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Pages |
1-8 |
Keywords |
P1 Proceeding; Engineering sciences. Technology; Engineering Management (ENM); Condensed Matter Theory (CMT); Energy and Materials in Infrastructure and Buildings (EMIB); Social Epidemiology & Health Policy (SEHPO) |
Abstract |
Road traffic is the most widespread environmental noise source in Europe, proven to affect human health and well-being adversely. Noise barriers can be a very effective way to objectively reduce the noise levels to which the population is exposed, leading to positive effects on noise perception and quality of life. In this paper, surveys were used to assess subjective noise level indicators (annoyance and quality of life) from residents of the vicinity of a highway where obsolete noise barriers were to be replaced. %HA before the barrier replacement was measured from the surveys (26.8%) and estimated based on the acoustic simulation and two existing exposure/response relationships (14.6 and 18.8% before and 13.6 and 8.3% after). The difference in the measured %HA to those calculated from the ERRs shows that those models might not estimate %HA fairly for small samples or particular situations where high Lden is reported. Noise annoyance correlated differently with the quality of life indicators: a weak link was observed with health problems, while a strong correlation was found with the comfort level to perform activities outdoors. Objective noise measurements gave LA,eq,(15 min.) reductions of 4.1dB(A) due to the new barrier, while in acoustics models, calculated as Lday, expected this reduction to be 5.2 dB(A). After replacing the noise barriers, a second survey could still not be distributed due to the unknown effect of the COVID-19 measures that are still active |
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ISSN |
978-83-7880-799-5 |
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UA library record |
Impact Factor |
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Open Access |
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Approved |
Most recent IF: NA |
Call Number |
UA @ admin @ c:irua:181057 |
Serial |
6969 |
Permanent link to this record |
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Author |
Sabzalipour, A. |
Title |
Charge transport in magnetic topological insulators |
Type |
Doctoral thesis |
Year ![sorted by Year field, ascending order (up)](img/sort_asc.gif) |
2021 |
Publication |
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Abbreviated Journal |
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Volume |
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Issue |
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Pages |
xiv, 185 p. |
Keywords |
Doctoral thesis; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT) |
Abstract |
Novel quantum phases of matter and developing practical control over their characteristics is one of the primary aims of current condensed matter physics. It offers the potential for a new generation of energy, electronic and photonic technologies. Among all the newly found phases of matter, topological insulators are novel phases of quantum matter with fascinating bulk band topology and surface states protected by specific symmetries. For example, at the boundary of a strong topological insulator and a trivial insulator, metallic surface states appear that are protected by time-reversal symmetry. As a result, the bulk continues to be insulating, while the surface can support exotic high-mobility spin-polarized electronic states. Since there is no such thing as a clean system, impurities and other disorders are always present in materials. Even while impurities appear to be unfavorable to a system at first look, doping the host system with impurities allows us to engineer different electronic properties of systems, such as the Fermi level or electron density. Because of the symmetry protected metallic states in topological insulators, charge transport responds distinctively to magnetic and non-magnetic impurities. This doctoral dissertation explores how the longitudinal charge transport in magnetic topological thin films and the anomalous Hall effect on the surface of 3D magnetic topological insulators is influenced by point-like and randomly distributed dilute magnetic impurities. We are interested in how charge transport in these systems responds to the orientation of the magnetization orientation and how this response evolves based on the system's main characteristics, such as the magnitude of the Fermi level or gate voltage. Because topological insulators have a strong spin-orbit coupling, the interaction between conducting electrons and local magnetic impurities is very anisotropic. We will show that this anisotropy even enhances when magnetic topological thin films are exposed to a substrate or gate voltage. Therefore, to properly capture this anisotropy in charge transport calculations, we rely on a generalized Boltzmann formalism together with a modified relaxation time scheme. We show that magnetic impurities affect the charge transport in topological insulators by inducing a transition selection rule that governs scatterings of electrons between various electronic states. We see that this selection rule is highly sensitive to the spin direction of the magnetic impurities as well as the position of the Fermi level. According to this selection rule and depending on the position of the Fermi level, two different transport regimes are realized in magnetic topological thin films. In one of these regimes, our findings show that a dissipation less charge current can be generated. In other words, even if there are many magnetic impurities in the system, electrons do not notice them and, remarkably, conduct charge without dissipation. Outside this regime, the charge transport is always dissipative and its sensitivity to the spatial orientation of the magnetic impurities can be effectively modulated by a substrate or gate voltage. In this doctoral thesis, we also explore the anomalous Hall effect (AHE) on the surface of 3D magnetic topological insulators. The AHE is generated by three mechanisms: the intrinsic effect (owing to a nonzero Berry curvature), the side jump effect, and the skew scattering effect. They compete to dominate the AHE in distinct regimes. Analytically, we calculate the contributions of all three mechanisms to the scattering of massive Dirac fermions by magnetic impurities. Our results reveal three transport regimes based on the relative importance of the engaged mechanisms. The identification of these three distinctive transport regimes can assist experimentalists in achieving a regime in which each contribution is dominant over the others, allowing them to measure them separately. Typically, this is not feasible empirically since the total value of the experimentally observed AHE conceals the specific information of each of the three contributions. Based on our analytical calculations, we prove that the AHE can change sign by varying the orientation of the surface magnetization, the concentration of impurities, and the location of the Fermi level, which is consistent with previous experimental findings. In addition, we show that by suitably adjusting the given parameters, any contribution to the AHE, or even the entire AHE, can be turned off. For example, in a system with in-plane magnetization, one can turn off the AHE by pushing the system into the completely metallic regime. Furthermore, we demonstrate that any contribution to the AHE, or even the whole AHE, can be turned off by appropriately changing the provided parameters. For example, in a system with in-plane magnetization, the AHE can be turned off by pushing the system into the fully metallic regime. |
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Impact Factor |
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Open Access |
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Notes |
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Approved |
Most recent IF: NA |
Call Number |
UA @ admin @ c:irua:182192 |
Serial |
6973 |
Permanent link to this record |
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Author |
Tiwari, S.; Vanherck, J.; Van de Put, M.L.; Vandenberghe, W.G.; Sorée, B. |
Title |
Computing Curie temperature of two-dimensional ferromagnets in the presence of exchange anisotropy |
Type |
A1 Journal article |
Year ![sorted by Year field, ascending order (up)](img/sort_asc.gif) |
2021 |
Publication |
Physical review research |
Abbreviated Journal |
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Volume |
3 |
Issue |
4 |
Pages |
043024 |
Keywords |
A1 Journal article; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT) |
Abstract |
We compare three first-principles methods of calculating the Curie temperature in two-dimensional (2D) ferromagnetic materials (FM), modeled using the Heisenberg model, and propose a simple formula for estimating the Curie temperature with high accuracy that works for all common 2D lattice types. First, we study the effect of exchange anisotropy on the Curie temperature calculated using the Monte Carlo (MC), the Green's function, and the renormalized spin-wave (RNSW) methods. We find that the Green's function method overestimates the Curie temperature in high-anisotropy regimes compared to the MC method, whereas the RNSW method underestimates the Curie temperature compared to the MC and the Green's function methods. Next, we propose a closed-form formula for calculating the Curie temperature of 2D FMs, which provides an estimate of the Curie temperature that is greatly improved over the mean-field expression for magnetic material screening. We apply the closed-form formula to predict the Curie temperature 2D magnets screened from the C2DB database and discover several high Curie temperature FMs, with Fe2F2 and MoI2 emerging as the most promising 2D ferromagnets. Finally, by comparing to experimental results for CrI3, CrCl3, and CrBr3, we conclude that for small effective anisotropies, the Green's-function-based equations are preferable, while for larger anisotropies, MC-based results are more predictive. |
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Wos |
000707506500001 |
Publication Date |
2021-10-11 |
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UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles |
Impact Factor |
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Times cited |
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Open Access |
OpenAccess |
Notes |
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Approved |
Most recent IF: NA |
Call Number |
UA @ admin @ c:irua:182522 |
Serial |
6975 |
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Author |
Hoat, D.M.; Duy Khanh Nguyen; Bafekry, A.; Vo Van On; Ul Haq, B.; Hoang, D.-Q.; Cocoletzi, G.H.; Rivas-Silva, J.F. |
Title |
Developing feature-rich electronic and magnetic properties in the beta-As monolayer for spintronic and optoelectronic applications by C and Si doping : a first-principles study |
Type |
A1 Journal article |
Year ![sorted by Year field, ascending order (up)](img/sort_asc.gif) |
2021 |
Publication |
Surfaces and interfaces |
Abbreviated Journal |
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Volume |
27 |
Issue |
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Pages |
101534 |
Keywords |
A1 Journal article; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT) |
Abstract |
In this work, the carbon (C) and silicon (Si) doping and codoping effects on beta-arsenene (As) monolayer structural, electronic, and magnetic properties have been comprehensively investigated using first-principles calculations. The studied two-dimensional (2D) materials exhibit good stability. Pristine beta-As single layer is an indirect gap semiconductor with a band gap of 1.867(2.441) eV as determined by PBE(HSE06) functional. Due to the difference in atomic size and electronic interactions, C and Si substitution induces a significant local structural distortion. Depending upon dopant concentration and doping sites, feature-rich electronic properties including non-magnetic semiconductor, magnetic semiconductor and half-metallicity may be obtained, which result from p-p interactions. High spin-polarization at the Fermi level vicinity and significant magnetism suggest As:1C, As:2C, As:1Si, As:2Si, and As:CSi systems as prospective spintronic 2D materials. While, the C-C, Si-Si, and C-Si dimer doping decreases electronic band gap, making the layer more suitable for applications in optoelectronic devices. Results presented herein may suggest an efficient approach to create novel multi-functional 2D materials from beta-As monolayer. |
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Wos |
000711791100002 |
Publication Date |
2021-10-19 |
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Edition |
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ISSN |
2468-0230 |
ISBN |
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Additional Links |
UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles |
Impact Factor |
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Times cited |
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Open Access |
Not_Open_Access |
Notes |
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Approved |
Most recent IF: NA |
Call Number |
UA @ admin @ c:irua:184138 |
Serial |
6979 |
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Author |
Conti, S.; Perali, A.; Peeters, F.M.; Neilson, D. |
Title |
Effect of mismatched electron-hole effective masses on superfluidity in double layer solid-state systems |
Type |
A1 Journal article |
Year ![sorted by Year field, ascending order (up)](img/sort_asc.gif) |
2021 |
Publication |
Condensed Matter |
Abbreviated Journal |
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Volume |
6 |
Issue |
2 |
Pages |
14 |
Keywords |
A1 Journal article; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT) |
Abstract |
Superfluidity has been predicted and now observed in a number of different electron-hole double-layer semiconductor heterostructures. In some of the heterostructures, such as GaAs and Ge-Si electron-hole double quantum wells, there is a strong mismatch between the electron and hole effective masses. We systematically investigate the sensitivity to unequal masses of the superfluid properties and the self-consistent screening of the electron-hole pairing interaction. We find that the superfluid properties are insensitive to mass imbalance in the low density BEC regime of strongly-coupled boson-like electron-hole pairs. At higher densities, in the BEC-BCS crossover regime of fermionic pairs, we find that mass imbalance between electrons and holes weakens the superfluidity and expands the density range for the BEC-BCS crossover regime. This permits screening to kill the superfluid at a lower density than for equal masses. |
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Wos |
000665155800001 |
Publication Date |
2021-04-07 |
Series Editor |
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Series Title |
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Abbreviated Series Title |
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Series Volume |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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ISSN |
2410-3896 |
ISBN |
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Additional Links |
UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles |
Impact Factor |
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Times cited |
1 |
Open Access |
OpenAccess |
Notes |
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Approved |
Most recent IF: NA |
Call Number |
UA @ admin @ c:irua:179635 |
Serial |
6982 |
Permanent link to this record |
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Author |
Conti, S.; Saberi-Pouya, S.; Perali, A.; Virgilio, M.; Peeters, F.M.; Hamilton, A.R.; Scappucci, G.; Neilson, D. |
Title |
Electron-hole superfluidity in strained Si/Ge type II heterojunctions |
Type |
A1 Journal article |
Year ![sorted by Year field, ascending order (up)](img/sort_asc.gif) |
2021 |
Publication |
npj Quantum Materials |
Abbreviated Journal |
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Volume |
6 |
Issue |
1 |
Pages |
41 |
Keywords |
A1 Journal article; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT) |
Abstract |
Excitons are promising candidates for generating superfluidity and Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) in solid-state devices, but an enabling material platform with in-built band structure advantages and scaling compatibility with industrial semiconductor technology is lacking. Here we predict that spatially indirect excitons in a lattice-matched strained Si/Ge bilayer embedded into a germanium-rich SiGe crystal would lead to observable mass-imbalanced electron-hole superfluidity and BEC. Holes would be confined in a compressively strained Ge quantum well and electrons in a lattice-matched tensile strained Si quantum well. We envision a device architecture that does not require an insulating barrier at the Si/Ge interface, since this interface offers a type II band alignment. Thus the electrons and holes can be kept very close but strictly separate, strengthening the electron-hole pairing attraction while preventing fast electron-hole recombination. The band alignment also allows a one-step procedure for making independent contacts to the electron and hole layers, overcoming a significant obstacle to device fabrication. We predict superfluidity at experimentally accessible temperatures of a few Kelvin and carrier densities up to similar to 6 x 10(10) cm(-2), while the large imbalance of the electron and hole effective masses can lead to exotic superfluid phases. |
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Wos |
000642904200001 |
Publication Date |
2021-04-23 |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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ISSN |
2397-4648 |
ISBN |
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Additional Links |
UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles |
Impact Factor |
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Times cited |
9 |
Open Access |
OpenAccess |
Notes |
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Approved |
Most recent IF: NA |
Call Number |
UA @ admin @ c:irua:178226 |
Serial |
6984 |
Permanent link to this record |
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Author |
Tiwari, S.; Van de Put, M.L.; Sorée, B.; Vandenberghe, W.G. |
Title |
Magnetic order and critical temperature of substitutionally doped transition metal dichalcogenide monolayers |
Type |
A1 Journal article |
Year ![sorted by Year field, ascending order (up)](img/sort_asc.gif) |
2021 |
Publication |
npj 2D Materials and Applications |
Abbreviated Journal |
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Volume |
5 |
Issue |
1 |
Pages |
54 |
Keywords |
A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT) |
Abstract |
Using first-principles calculations, we investigate the magnetic order in two-dimensional (2D) transition-metal-dichalcogenide (TMD) monolayers: MoS2, MoSe2, MoTe2, WSe2, and WS2 substitutionally doped with period four transition-metals (Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni). We uncover five distinct magnetically ordered states among the 35 distinct TMD-dopant pairs: the non-magnetic (NM), the ferromagnetic with out-of-plane spin polarization (Z FM), the out-of-plane polarized clustered FMs (clustered Z FM), the in-plane polarized FMs (X-Y FM), and the anti-ferromagnetic (AFM) state. Ni and Ti dopants result in an NM state for all considered TMDs, while Cr dopants result in an anti-ferromagnetically ordered state for all the TMDs. Most remarkably, we find that Fe, Mn, Co, and V result in an FM ordered state for all the TMDs, except for MoTe2. Finally, we show that V-doped MoSe2 and WSe2, and Mn-doped MoS2, are the most suitable candidates for realizing a room-temperature FM at a 16-18% atomic substitution. |
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Wos |
000650635200004 |
Publication Date |
2021-05-14 |
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Series Volume |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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ISSN |
2397-7132 |
ISBN |
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Additional Links |
UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles |
Impact Factor |
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Times cited |
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Open Access |
OpenAccess |
Notes |
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Approved |
Most recent IF: NA |
Call Number |
UA @ admin @ c:irua:179063 |
Serial |
7001 |
Permanent link to this record |
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Author |
Raymenants, E.; Bultynck, O.; Wan, D.; Devolder, T.; Garello, K.; Souriau, L.; Thiam, A.; Tsvetanova, D.; Canvel, Y.; Nikonov, D.E.; Young, I.A.; Heyns, M.; Sorée, B.; Asselberghs, I.; Radu, I.; Couet, S.; Nguyen, V.D. |
Title |
Nanoscale domain wall devices with magnetic tunnel junction read and write |
Type |
A1 Journal article |
Year ![sorted by Year field, ascending order (up)](img/sort_asc.gif) |
2021 |
Publication |
Nature Electronics |
Abbreviated Journal |
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Volume |
4 |
Issue |
6 |
Pages |
392-398 |
Keywords |
A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT) |
Abstract |
The manipulation of fast domain wall motion in magnetic nanostructures could form the basis of novel magnetic memory and logic devices. However, current approaches for reading and writing domain walls require external magnetic fields, or are based on conventional magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) that are not compatible with high-speed domain wall motion. Here we report domain wall devices based on perpendicular MTJs that offer electrical read and write, and fast domain wall motion via spin-orbit torque. The devices have a hybrid free layer design that consists of platinum/cobalt (Pt/Co) or a synthetic antiferromagnet (Pt/Co/Ru/Co) into the free layer of conventional MTJs. We show that our devices can achieve good tunnelling magnetoresistance readout and efficient spin-transfer torque writing that is comparable to current magnetic random-access memory technology, as well as domain wall depinning efficiency that is similar to stand-alone materials. We also show that a domain wall conduit based on a synthetic antiferromagnet offers the potential for reliable domain wall motion and faster write speed compared with a device based on Pt/Co. Domain wall devices based on perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions with a hybrid free layer design can offer electrical read and write, and fast domain wall motion driven via spin-orbit torque. |
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Wos |
000665011500005 |
Publication Date |
2021-06-23 |
Series Editor |
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Abbreviated Series Title |
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Series Volume |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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ISSN |
2520-1131 |
ISBN |
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Additional Links |
UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles |
Impact Factor |
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Times cited |
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Open Access |
OpenAccess |
Notes |
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Approved |
Most recent IF: NA |
Call Number |
UA @ admin @ c:irua:179673 |
Serial |
7003 |
Permanent link to this record |
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Author |
de Barros, A.G.; Hasheminejad, N.; Kampen, J.K.; Vanlanduit, S.; Vuye, C. |
Title |
Noise barriers as a road traffic noise intervention in an urban environment |
Type |
P1 Proceeding |
Year ![sorted by Year field, ascending order (up)](img/sort_asc.gif) |
2021 |
Publication |
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Abbreviated Journal |
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Volume |
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Issue |
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Pages |
1-10 |
Keywords |
P1 Proceeding; Engineering sciences. Technology; Engineering Management (ENM); Condensed Matter Theory (CMT); Energy and Materials in Infrastructure and Buildings (EMIB); Social Epidemiology & Health Policy (SEHPO) |
Abstract |
Intending to tackle road traffic noise in urban environments, noise barriers have been proven to effectively reduce environmental noise levels, leading to positive effects on noise perception by the exposed population. This work assesses the impacts of replacing an obsolete noise barrier in a site near a highway. The effects of this change were monitored via a combination of field surveys, acoustic measurements and noise maps. The results have shown that even though the barrier replacement led to a 4.1 dB reduction in the LA,eq,(15 min.), the annoyance levels of the respondents increased. Possibly, the expectations regarding the improvement of the noise barrier were not met, after a history of complaints. Additionally, existing exposure-response relationships were not successful in predicting the annoyance levels in this particular case. In this dataset, noise annoyance presented a weak link with reported health problems, while a strong correlation was found with the comfort level to perform activities outdoors. Questions regarding the COVID-19 pandemic showed that even though the respondents were spending more time at home, they were less annoyed due to road traffic noise in the period when circulation restrictions were in place. |
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978-989-53387-0-2 |
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Most recent IF: NA |
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UA @ admin @ c:irua:180105 |
Serial |
7004 |
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Author |
Rodrigues Lavor, I. |
Title |
Plasmons and electronic transport in two-dimensional materials |
Type |
Doctoral thesis |
Year ![sorted by Year field, ascending order (up)](img/sort_asc.gif) |
2021 |
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219 p. |
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Doctoral thesis; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT) |
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This thesis presents, in its first part, an investigation on the trembling motion of wave packets known as zitterbewegung (ZBW), in multilayer graphene, as well as in moiré excitons in twisted MoS2/WSe2 hetero-bilayers. In the last few decades, the dynamics of wave packets has been subject of many theoretical and experimental studies in various types of systems such as semiconductors, superconductors, crystalline solids and cold atoms. The discovery of graphene and moiré excitons in twisted hetero-bilayers, brought two new platforms for the investigation on time evolution of wave packets and possible observation of ZBW. This trembling motion was first theoretically predicted by Schrödinger for wave packets describing particles that obey the Dirac equation. This is exactly the case of low energy electrons in graphene, as well as of moiré exciton in twisted MoS2/WSe2 under an external applied electromagnetic field. ZBW in multilayer graphene was studied both analytically and computationally, respectively, through the Green's function and split-operator methods. In this system, it is found that ZBW depends not only on the wave packet width and initial pseudospin polarization, but also on the number of layers. Furthermore, the analytical and numerical methods proposed here allow to investigate wave packet dynamics in graphene systems with an arbitrary number of layers and arbitrary potential landscapes. For moiré excitons in twisted MoS2/WSe2 hetero-bilayers, it is shown that, analogously to other Dirac-like particles, this system also exhibits ZBW when under a perpendicular applied field. In this case, the ZBW presents long timescales that are compatible with current experimental techniques for exciton dynamics. This promotes the study of the dynamics of moiré excitons in van der Waals heterostructures as an advantageous solidstate platform to probe zitterbewegung, broadly tunable by gating and inter-layer twist angle. In the second part of this thesis, a study into graphene plasmonic in van der Waals heterostructure (vdWhs) are treated in a linear response framework within the Random Phase Approximation and with support of the quantum electrostatic heterostructure (QEH), a DFT-based method. Since Dirac plasmons in graphene are very sensitive to the dielectric properties of the environment, it is possible to explore this property to probe the structure and composition of van der Waals heterostructures (vdWh) placed underneath a single graphene layer. In this way, one can achieve a layer sensitivity of a single layer and differentiate between different TMDs for heterostructures thicker than 2 layers. As a consequence of this, study, the hybridization of Dirac plasmons in graphene with phonons of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), when the materials are combined in so-called van der Waals heterostructures (vdWh) forming surface plasmon-phonon polaritons (SPPPs) are also investigated. It was found that it is possible to realize both strong and ultrastrong coupling regimes by tuning graphene’s Fermi energy and changing TMD layer number. |
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UA @ admin @ c:irua:181012 |
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7011 |
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Juneja, R.; Thebaud, S.; Pandey, T.; Polanco, C.A.; Moseley, D.H.; Manley, M.E.; Cheng, Y.Q.; Winn, B.; Abernathy, D.L.; Hermann, R.P.; Lindsay, L. |
Title |
Quasiparticle twist dynamics in non-symmorphic materials |
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A1 Journal article |
Year ![sorted by Year field, ascending order (up)](img/sort_asc.gif) |
2021 |
Publication |
Materials Today Physics |
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Volume |
21 |
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Pages |
100548 |
Keywords |
A1 Journal article; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT) |
Abstract |
Quasiparticle physics underlies our understanding of the microscopic dynamical behaviors of materials that govern a vast array of properties, including structural stability, excited states and interactions, dynamical structure factors, and electron and phonon conductivities. Thus, understanding band structures and quasiparticle interactions is foundational to the study of condensed matter. Here we advance a 'twist' dynamical description of quasiparticles (including phonons and Bloch electrons) in nonsymmorphic chiral and achiral materials. Such materials often have structural complexity, strong thermal resistance, and efficient thermoelectric performance for waste heat capture and clean refrigeration technologies. The twist dynamics presented here provides a novel perspective of quasiparticle behaviors in such complex materials, in particular highlighting how non-symmorphic symmetries determine band crossings and anti-crossings, topological behaviors, quasiparticle interactions that govern transport, and observables in scattering experiments. We provide specific context via neutron scattering measurements and first-principles calculations of phonons and electrons in chiral tellurium dioxide. Building twist symmetries into the quasiparticle dynamics of non-symmorphic materials offers intuition into quasi particle behaviors, materials properties, and guides improved experimental designs to probe them. More specifically, insights into the phonon and electron quasiparticle physics presented here will enable materials design strategies to control interactions and transport for enhanced thermoelectric and thermal management applications. (C) 2021 Published by Elsevier Ltd. |
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000708226400009 |
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2021-09-30 |
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2542-5293 |
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OpenAccess |
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UA @ admin @ c:irua:184040 |
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7016 |
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Bafekry, A.; Shahrokhi, M.; Shafique, A.; Jappor, H.R.; Fadlallah, M.M.; Stampfl, C.; Ghergherehchi, M.; Mushtaq, M.; Feghhi, S.A.H.; Gogova, D. |
Title |
Semiconducting chalcogenide alloys based on the (Ge, Sn, Pb) (S, Se, Te) formula with outstanding properties : a first-principles calculation study |
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A1 Journal article |
Year ![sorted by Year field, ascending order (up)](img/sort_asc.gif) |
2021 |
Publication |
ACS Omega |
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Volume |
6 |
Issue |
14 |
Pages |
9433-9441 |
Keywords |
A1 Journal article; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT) |
Abstract |
Very recently, a new class of the multicationic and -anionic entropy-stabilized chalcogenide alloys based on the (Ge, Sn, Pb) (S, Se, Te) formula has been successfully fabricated and characterized experimentally [Zihao Deng et al., Chem. Mater. 32, 6070 (2020)]. Motivated by the recent experiment, herein, we perform density functional theory-based first-principles calculations in order to investigate the structural, mechanical, electronic, optical, and thermoelectric properties. The calculations of the cohesive energy and elasticity parameters indicate that the alloy is stable. Also, the mechanical study shows that the alloy has a brittle nature. The GeSnPbSSeTe alloy is a semiconductor with a direct band gap of 0.4 eV (0.3 eV using spin-orbit coupling effect). The optical analysis illustrates that the first peak of Im(epsilon) for the GeSnPbSSeTe alloy along all polarization directions is located in the visible range of the spectrum which renders it a promising material for applications in optical and electronic devices. Interestingly, we find an optically anisotropic character of this system which is highly desirable for the design of polarization-sensitive photodetectors. We have accurately predicted the thermoelectric coefficients and have calculated a large power factor value of 3.7 x 10(11) W m(-1) K-2 s(-1) for p-type. The high p-type power factor is originated from the multiple valleys near the valence band maxima. The anisotropic results of the optical and transport properties are related to the specific tetragonal alloy unit cell. |
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000640649500012 |
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2021-03-30 |
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2470-1343 |
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UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles |
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OpenAccess |
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UA @ admin @ c:irua:178395 |
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7017 |
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Maciel de Menezes, R. |
Title |
Skyrmionics and magnonics in chiral ferromagnets : from micromagnetic to atomistic control |
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Doctoral thesis |
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2021 |
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222 p. |
Keywords |
Doctoral thesis; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT) |
Abstract |
The precise control of skyrmionics and magnonics in magnetic materials is key to the development of novel spin-based technology and information transport applications. Essentially, the inherent stability of magnetic skyrmions (provided by their topological charge) together with their extremely small size (down to a few nanometers) and the ultralow threshold current necessary to move them in nanostructures are the main advantages of skyrmionics. Not least, magnonics offers lower power consumption compared to electronics and the excitation of high frequency (sub-100~nm wavelength) magnons makes it possible for the creation of nanometric devices for ultrafast information transport. Even though extensive research has been carried out in recent years, the precise manipulation of skyrmions and spin waves (magnons) in nanostructures is not fully mastered and needs to be addressed before making functional skyrmionic and magnonic devices. In this thesis, we reveal multiple alternatives for the manipulation of skyrmions and spin-waves in different materials, such as bulk chiral magnets, heterochiral structures, magnet-supperconductor hybrids and two-dimentional magnetic materials. We make use of a multiscale model to numerically simulate the magnetic states at each considered material, from micromagnetic to atomistic control. We first explore the different nucleation mechanisms, activation energy, and the time evolution of the skyrmion formation in chiral magnetic films, crucial for the realization of skyrmion-based devices. We show that the skyrmion lattice is formed from the conical phase progressively, most probably by the formation of chiral bobbres, followed by the cylindrical growth of individual skyrmions from the film surface. That reflects a rod-like (one-dimensional) nucleation of the skyrmion phase, with an activation barrier of several electronvolts per skyrmion for the case of MnSi (Manganese monosilicide). In addition, we reveal the interesting blinking (creation-annihilation) behavior of skyrmions close to the phase boundary between the conical and skyrmion phases, where we recall that such switching between topologically distinct states has been proposed as a bit operation for information storage. Next, we discuss the motion of ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic skyrmions in heterochiral magnets. We report the characteristic deflection of ferromagnetic skyrmions when moving across a heterochiral interface, where the extent of such deflection is tuned by the applied spin-polarized current and the magnitude of Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction. Following, we show that the antiferromagnetic skyrmion achieves much higher velocities than its ferromagnetic counterpart, yet experiences far stronger confinement in nanoengineered heterochiral tracks, which reinforces antiferromagnetic skyrmions as a favorable choice for skyrmion-based devices. After that, we study the interesting coupling of magnetic skyrmions and superconducting vortices in magnet-superconductor heterostructures. We perform numerical simulations, based on experimental observations, to demonstrate that the stray field of magnetic skyrmions can nucleate antivortices in an adjacent superconducting film, giving rise to a hybrid topological object, the skyrmion-vortex pair, which harbor promising features for skyrmionics and quantum computing applications. We then explore the manipulation of a single skyrmion-vortex pair when currents are applied into both superconducting and magnetic parts of the heterostructure, which is of importance for the facilitated skyrmion guidance in racetrack applications. Afterwards, we make use of the high tunability of magnetic parameters in two-dimensional magnetic materials to reveal the rich phase diagram of exotic magnetic configurations in magnetic monolayers with suppressed nearest-neighbour exchange, where we show that several unique cycloidal, checkerboard, row-wise and spin-ice states are stabilized by the competition between the second-nearest-neighbor exchange, Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya, and dipolar interactions. Additionally, we show the coexistence of ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic spin-cycloids, as well as novel types of skyrmions and chiral domain walls. Finally, in the last part of the thesis, we present the spin wave properties in the two-dimensional magnetic materials CrBr$3$ and CrI$3$. Using spin-dynamics simulations parametrized from first principles, we reveal that the spin wave dispersion in such materials can be tuned in a broad range of frequencies by strain-engineering, and that a designed pattern of strain, as well as structural defects (halide vacancies) can be turned useful in the design of spin-wave guides. Lastly, we discuss the realization of magnonic crystals by moiré-periodic modulation of magnetic parameters in van der Waals heterostructures, where we show that the several nanometer small periodicities in such samples are ideal for the interference of terahertz spin waves. Recalling the wide range of possibilities for manipulating spin waves in such two-dimensional materials, we therefore suggest these systems as a front-runner for prospective terahertz magnonic applications. |
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UA @ admin @ c:irua:184244 |
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7019 |
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Author |
Bizindavyi, J.; Verhulst, A.S.; Sorée, B.; Vandenberghe, W.G. |
Title |
Thermodynamic equilibrium theory revealing increased hysteresis in ferroelectric field-effect transistors with free charge accumulation |
Type |
A1 Journal article |
Year ![sorted by Year field, ascending order (up)](img/sort_asc.gif) |
2021 |
Publication |
Communications Physics |
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Volume |
4 |
Issue |
1 |
Pages |
86 |
Keywords |
A1 Journal article; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT) |
Abstract |
At the core of the theoretical framework of the ferroelectric field-effect transistor (FeFET) is the thermodynamic principle that one can determine the equilibrium behavior of ferroelectric (FERRO) systems using the appropriate thermodynamic potential. In literature, it is often implicitly assumed, without formal justification, that the Gibbs free energy is the appropriate potential and that the impact of free charge accumulation can be neglected. In this Article, we first formally demonstrate that the Grand Potential is the appropriate thermodynamic potential to analyze the equilibrium behavior of perfectly coherent and uniform FERRO-systems. We demonstrate that the Grand Potential only reduces to the Gibbs free energy for perfectly non-conductive FERRO-systems. Consequently, the Grand Potential is always required for free charge-conducting FERRO-systems. We demonstrate that free charge accumulation at the FERRO interface increases the hysteretic device characteristics. Lastly, a theoretical best-case upper limit for the interface defect density D-FI is identified. The ferroelectric field-effect transistor, which has attracted much attention for application as both a highly energy-efficient logic device and a non-volatile memory device, has often been studied within the framework of equilibrium thermodynamics. Here, the authors theoretically demonstrate the importance of utilizing the correct thermodynamic potential and investigate the impact of free charge accumulation on the equilibrium performance of ferroelectric-based systems. |
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000645913400001 |
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2021-04-30 |
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2399-3650 |
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OpenAccess |
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Most recent IF: NA |
Call Number |
UA @ admin @ c:irua:179005 |
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7031 |
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McLachlan, G.; Majdak, P.; Reijniers, J.; Peremans, H. |
Title |
Towards modelling active sound localisation based on Bayesian inference in a static environment |
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A1 Journal article |
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2021 |
Publication |
Acta Acustica |
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5 |
Issue |
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Pages |
45 |
Keywords |
A1 Journal article; Engineering Management (ENM); Condensed Matter Theory (CMT) |
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Over the decades, Bayesian statistical inference has become a staple technique for modelling human multisensory perception. Many studies have successfully shown how sensory and prior information can be combined to optimally interpret our environment. Because of the multiple sound localisation cues available in the binaural signal, sound localisation models based on Bayesian inference are a promising way of explaining behavioural human data. An interesting aspect is the consideration of dynamic localisation cues obtained through self-motion. Here we provide a review of the recent developments in modelling dynamic sound localisation with a particular focus on Bayesian inference. Further, we describe a theoretical Bayesian framework capable to model dynamic and active listening situations in humans in a static auditory environment. In order to demonstrate its potential in future implementations, we provide results from two examples of simplified versions of that framework. |
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000709050000001 |
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2021-10-21 |
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Call Number |
UA @ admin @ c:irua:182453 |
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7035 |
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Author |
Gonzalez Garcia, A. |
Title |
Tuning the properties of group III-As in the thinnest limit : a theoretical study of single layer and 2D-heterostructures |
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Doctoral thesis |
Year ![sorted by Year field, ascending order (up)](img/sort_asc.gif) |
2021 |
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xvii, 175 p. |
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Doctoral thesis; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT) |
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In this thesis, a first-principles research to tune the physical properties of group III-V materials in the thinnest limit is carried out. Among the different methods to tune the mechanical, electronic and magnetic properties of these graphene related materials, we use: two-dimensional (2D) multilayers, straintronics, hydrogen functionalization, and transition metal adsorption. The first part of this research is devoted to a complete characterization of the structural, electronic, mechanical and vibrational properties of 2D group III-As monolayers, obtained from density functional theory. Our findings are used to understand the contribution of the |
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UA @ admin @ c:irua:182959 |
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7040 |
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Shi, W.; Pandey, T.; Lindsay, L.; Woods, L.M. |
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Vibrational properties and thermal transport in quaternary chalcogenides : the case of Te-based compositions |
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A1 Journal article |
Year ![sorted by Year field, ascending order (up)](img/sort_asc.gif) |
2021 |
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Physical review materials |
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5 |
Issue |
4 |
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045401 |
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A1 Journal article; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT) |
Abstract |
Vibrational thermal properties of CuZn2InTe4, AgZn2InTe4, and Cu2CdSnTe4, derived from binary II-VI zinc-blendes, are reported based on first-principles calculations. While the chalcogenide atoms in these materials have the same lattice positions, the cation atom arrangements vary, resulting in different crystal symmetries and subsequent properties. The compositional differences have important effects on the vibrational thermal characteristics of the studied materials, which demonstrate that low-frequency optical phonons hybridize with acoustic phonons and lead to enhanced phonon-phonon scattering and low lattice thermal conductivities. The phonon density of states, mode Gruneisen parameters, and phonon scattering rates are also calculated, enabling deeper insight into the microscopic thermal conduction processes in these materials. Compositional variations drive differences among the three materials considered here; nonetheless, their structural similarities and generally low thermal conductivities (0.5-4 W/mK at room temperature) suggest that other similar II-VI zinc-blende derived materials will also exhibit similarly low values, as also corroborated by experimental data. This, combined with the versatility in designing a variety of motifs on the overall structure, makes quaternary chalcogenides interesting for thermal management and energy conversion applications that require low thermal conductivity. |
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000655931400005 |
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2021-04-01 |
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2475-9953 |
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UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles |
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UA @ admin @ c:irua:179140 |
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7045 |
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Friedrich, T.; Yu, C.-P.; Verbeek, J.; Pennycook, T.; Van Aert, S. |
Title |
Phase retrieval from 4-dimensional electron diffraction datasets |
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P1 Proceeding |
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2021 |
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Proceedings
T2 – IEEE International Conference on Image Processing (ICIP), SEP 19-22, 2021, Electr. network |
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3453-3457 |
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P1 Proceeding; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT) |
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We present a computational imaging mode for large scale electron microscopy data, which retrieves a complex wave from noisy/sparse intensity recordings using a deep learning approach and subsequently reconstructs an image of the specimen from the Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) predicted exit waves. We demonstrate that an appropriate forward model in combination with open data frameworks can be used to generate large synthetic datasets for training. In combination with augmenting the data with Poisson noise corresponding to varying dose-values, we effectively eliminate overfitting issues. The U-NET[1] based architecture of the CNN is adapted to the task at hand and performs well while maintaining a relatively small size and fast performance. The validity of the approach is confirmed by comparing the reconstruction to well-established methods using simulated, as well as real electron microscopy data. The proposed method is shown to be effective particularly in the low dose range, evident by strong suppression of noise, good spatial resolution, and sensitivity to different atom types, enabling the simultaneous visualisation of light and heavy elements and making different atomic species distinguishable. Since the method acts on a very local scale and is comparatively fast it bears the potential to be used for near-real-time reconstruction during data acquisition. |
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000819455103114 |
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2021-08-23 |
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978-1-6654-4115-5 |
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UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles |
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OpenAccess |
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UA @ admin @ c:irua:189462 |
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7089 |
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Balashova, I.O.; Tolbin, A.Y.; Tarakanov, P.A.; Krot, A.R.; Fedorova, K., V; Sergeeva, I.A.; Trashin, S.A.; De Wael, K.; Pushkarev, V.E.; Koifman, M.O.; Ponomarev, G., V. |
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A covalently linked dyad based on zinc phthalocyanine and methylpheophorbide α : synthetic and physicochemical study |
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A1 Journal article |
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2021 |
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Macroheterocycles |
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14 |
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1 |
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40-50 |
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A1 Journal article; AXES (Antwerp X-ray Analysis, Electrochemistry and Speciation) |
Abstract |
The first covalently linked conjugate of metal phthalocyaninate and chlorin e(6) derivative has been obtained by transesterification of alpha-ketomethyl ester in methylpheophorbide a with zinc(II) 2-(2-hydroxymethylbenzyloxy)-9(10),16(17),23(24)-tri-tert-butylphthalocyaninate under mild conditions. The dyad exhibits a panchromatic nature revealing both the phthalocyanine and pheophorbide derived bands in the UV-Vis absorption spectrum. The H-1 NMR spectroscopy data combined with theoretical calculations indicate the presence of spatial intramolecular interactions between the phthalocyanine, pheophorbide and spacer fragments of the dyad allowing to forecast its enhanced nonlinear optical properties, as well as the characteristic energy transfer from the excited pheophorbide subunit to the phthalocyanine core. Indeed, when excited in the UV-Vis range, the conjugate shows red fluorescence with the spectral maximum at 686 nm, which is close to the one of the initial zinc phthalocyaninate. Furthermore, the dyad effectively generates singlet oxygen and, in the presence of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as biocompatible solubilizer, forms stable micellar saline solutions with the particles ranged in size between 40 and 100 nm. These nanoparticles represent promising third-generation photosensitizing systems for application in theranostics. |
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000659682000003 |
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2021-06-25 |
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UA @ admin @ c:irua:179196 |
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7386 |
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Tiwari, S.; Van de Put, M.L.; Sorée, B.; Vandenberghe, W.G. |
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Ab initio modeling of few-layer dilute magnetic semiconductors |
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P1 Proceeding |
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2021 |
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International Conference on Simulation of Semiconductor Processes and Devices : [proceedings]
T2 – International Conference on Simulation of Semiconductor Processes and, Devices (SISPAD), SEP 27-29, 2021, Dallas, TX |
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141-145 |
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P1 Proceeding; Engineering sciences. Technology; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT) |
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We present a computational model to model the magnetic structure of two-dimensional (2D) dilute-magnetic-semiconductors (DMS) both the monolayers and multilayers using first-principles density functional theory (DFT), as well as their magnetic phase transition as a function of temperature using Monte-Carlo simulations. Using our method, we model the magnetic structure of bulk, bilayer, and monolayer MoS2 substitutionally doped with Fe atoms. We find that the out-of-plane interaction in bilayer MoS2 is weakly ferromagnetic, whereas in bulk MoS2 it is strongly anti-ferromagnetic. Finally, we show that the magnetic order is more robust in bilayer Fe-doped MoS2 compared to the monolayer and results in a room-temperature FM at an atomic substitution of 14-16%. |
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000766985400034 |
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2021-11-08 |
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978-1-6654-0685-7 |
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UA @ admin @ c:irua:187291 |
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7401 |
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Legrand, S. |
Title |
Advanced chemical imaging of artworks |
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Doctoral thesis |
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2021 |
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315 p. |
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Doctoral thesis; AXES (Antwerp X-ray Analysis, Electrochemistry and Speciation) |
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Last century the field of heritage sciences expanded beyond imagination. The inventions of X-ray radiography and infrared reflectography allowed experts to investigate paintings below the surface as well. More recent developments led to the advent of the field of hyperspectral imaging, to which the advanced chemical imaging methods, used in this thesis work, belong. These techniques not only allow to identify the components present in artworks, but also to visualize their distribution over these objects. The resulting distribution maps permit a broader public to interpret the scientific data and to relate these results with the artwork itself. During this thesis work a range of flat artworks were investigated in a non-destructive manner using mainly two macroscopic imaging techniques: macroscopic X-ray fluorescence scanning and macroscopic Fourier transformed mid-infrared scanning in reflectance mode. The resulting images were sometimes supplemented with microscopic techniques on a minute selection of samples to fully understand the layer build-up, composition and distribution of these materials over the stratigraphy. Illuminated manuscripts pushed the interpretation of the macroscopic imaging techniques: due to the impossibility of sampling, all answers had to be obtained non-destructively. Documenting masterpieces such as the Ghent Altarpiece by means of chemical imaging techniques, helped the restoration team, assisted by the international commission to make the daring decision of manually removing the non-original paint layers. Scanning stained-glass windows allowed experts to document the panels, create situation reports, identify later infills and guide the restoration process in a more efficient manner. By initially applying non-destructive imaging techniques, many of the research/conservation questions could already be answered. Based on the resulting distribution maps, only a very limited amount of sampling was required to obtain a representative set to answer the remaining questions. In most cases the combination of multiple methods was necessary to fully understand the situation. A similar trend could be seen in the research field: the collaboration between divergent disciples was often required in order to explain all observations. In order to completely break through, the scanning speed of these techniques has to increase even more in order to cover an acceptable surface in one workday. Parallel with the operational speed, the (basic) data treatment should also be streamlined more in order to allow a broader user group to access the results. Once these two improvements are carried out, these techniques become accessible to a larger public. |
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UA @ admin @ c:irua:176342 |
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7420 |
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Xie, Y. |
Title |
Bioreactor strategies for sustainable nitrogen cycling based on mineralization/nitrification, partial nitritation/anammox or sulfur-based denitratation |
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Doctoral thesis |
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2021 |
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iv, 205 p. |
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Doctoral thesis; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL) |
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In the biogeochemical flows on Earth, the reactive nitrogen (Nr) level has three times surpassed the safe boundary. The severe transgression of this boundary goes against sustainable planetary development. The modern food production process excessively relies on synthetic Nr fertilizers from the Haber– Bosch process. However, the massive loss of valuable nitrogen resources (i.e., 78-89%) from agriculture has been causing severe nitrogen cascade. Besides, the domestic wastewater in some local areas is discharged without proper treatment, making it a nonnegligible source of Nr pollution for local water bodies. Anthropogenic activities keep pumping out Nr pollution via point-source and non-point-source (NPS) emissions. Compared to the NPS emissions, point sources give visible and identified waste streams. It is vital to intervene the nitrogen cascade from point sources and facilitate humanity back to the safe Nr boundary. The collected and collectible Nr streams from food production, waste management, and recycling secondary raw materials can be used as waste-based fertilizers for agricultural cultivation. Besides the well-investigated recovery of inorganic Nr, organic Nr accounts for a massive Nr proportion on the Earth. Proper handling and treatment make these useful organic fertilizers for soil-based cultivation. However, these organic Nr fertilizers cannot directly apply to fertigation or hydroponic cultivation systems, and further biological conversion via nitrogen mineralization and nitrification to nitrate is essential. Besides the direct Nr cycling, the indirect Nr cycling ‘over the atmosphere’ should also be considered. In this way, the nitrogen cycle can be completed via converting the waste Nr back to nitrogen gas (i.e., Nr removal) and then synthesizing into Nr again. The municipal wastewater treatment plants receive a vast amount of low-strength Nr wastewater (mainly as ammonium) daily. Compared to the conventional nitrification/denitrification process, partial nitritation/anammox (PN/A) is considered a resource- and cost-effective technology for wastewater with a low COD/N ratio. Moreover, the novel autotrophic denitratation/anammox process could be a good Nr removal process for wastewater containing both ammonium and nitrate. This Ph.D. thesis aimed to develop Nr recovery, conversion, and removal bioreactor strategies for different types of waste streams and biomass. Nr recovery was investigated on high-strength Nr waste streams for fertigation or hydroponic applications in Chapters 2 and 3. On the other hand, Nr removal was studied on the medium- to low-strength Nr waste streams in Chapters 4 and 5. In Chapter 2, a novel mineralization and nitrification system was proposed, producing nutrient solutions from solid organic fertilizers for hydroponic systems. Batch tests showed that aerobic incubation at 35°C could realize the NO₃⁻-N production efficiency above 90% from a novel microbial fertilizer. Subsequently, in the stirred tank bioreactor test, NO₃⁻-N production efficiency stabilized in a range of 44-51% under the influent loading rate of 400 mg TN L⁻¹ d⁻¹ at a 5-day HRT. Using Ca(OH)₂ and Mg(OH)₂ as pH control reagents generated the nutrient solutions with different P, Ca, and Mg nutrient levels. After modeling the nutrient balancing process, the proportion of organic-sourced NO₃⁻-N in the Hoagland nutrient solution (HNS) of Ca(OH)₂ scenario was 92.7%, while only 37.4% in the Mg(OH)₂ scenario. Compared to commercial scenarios, the total costs of the organic-sourced HNS can be cost-competitive for hydroponic cultivation. In Chapter 3, the Nr recovery as nitrate (NO₃⁻-N) from diluted human urine (around 670 mg N L⁻¹) was explored in a trickling filter (TF) for the first time. A novel concept of in-situ integrating the TF system into hydroponic systems was proposed as meaningful progress towards sustainable agriculture. The difference between synthetic and real urine in nitrification efficiency was found to be negligible. The full nitrification of alkalinized real urine was realized in the pH-controlled TF by calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)₂) at around pH 6. The TF could handle different urine collection batches and maintain relatively stable nitrification performance, with NO₃⁻-N production efficiency and rate of 88±3% and 136±4 mg N L⁻¹ d⁻¹, respectively. The optimal HLR to realize this nitrification performance was 2 m³ m⁻² h⁻¹, with energy consumption of 1.8 kWh electricity kg⁻¹ NO₃⁻-N production. Ca(OH)₂, as a cheap base, its triple advantages on urine alkalinization, full nitrification, and macronutrient supplementation were successfully demonstrated in our proposed concept. In Chapter 4, towards more sustainable wastewater treatment, the feasibility of one-stage partial nitritation/anammox (PN/A) was investigated in three parallel packed-bed trickling filters (TFs), with three types of carrier materials of different specific surface areas. Synthetic wastewater containing 100-250 mg NH₄⁺-N L⁻¹ was tested to mimic medium-strength household waste streams after carbon removal. Interestingly, the cheap carrier based on expanded clay achieved similar rates as commercially used plastic carrier materials. The top passive ventilation combined with an optimum hydraulic loading rate of 1.8 m³ m⁻² h⁻¹ could reach approximately 60% total nitrogen (TN) removal at a rate of 300 mg N L⁻¹ d⁻¹. A relatively low NO₃⁻-N production (13%) via PN/A was achieved in TFs. Most of the TN removal took place in the top compartment, where anammox activity was the highest. Energy consumption estimation (0.78 kWh electricity g⁻¹ N removed) suggested that the proposed process could be a suitable low-cost alternative for nitrogen removal. In Chapter 5, coupling sulfur-driven denitratation (SDN) with anammox was proposed to treat the wastewater containing both NO₃⁻-N and NH₄⁺-N, like the secondary effluents of mainstream PN/A processes. To explore the feasibility of sufficient and stable NO₂⁻-N accumulation via SDN in the long term, the effects of pH setpoints, residual NO₃⁻-N level, and biomass-specific NO₃⁻-N loading rate (BSNLR) were investigated. Alternating the pH setpoints between 7.0 and 8.5 could temporarily stimulate the NO₂⁻-N accumulation. Both the residual NO₃⁻-N and BSNLR showed highly positive correlations with the NO₂⁻-N accumulation efficiency. Under the control of pH 8.5, 1.0±0.8 mg NO₃⁻-N L⁻¹ and 150±42 mg NO₃⁻-N g⁻¹ VSS d⁻¹, SDN could produce 6.4±1.0 mg NO₂⁻-N L⁻¹ in the short term. Thiobacillus members may play a crucial role in managing the NO₂⁻-N accumulation, but the reduction of abundance and possible adaptation significantly impaired the efficacy of control strategies in the long run. Overall, novel technologies have been proposed to sustainably convert Nr in waste streams and biomass. The decision for Nr recovery versus removal and synthesis should be based on specific cases with the best environmental, economic, and human-health sustainability. In the future, the Nr management concepts should be further improved to make the nitrogen cycle more sustainable with higher resource use efficiency and less Nr emissions to the environment. Although the thesis is mainly focused on limited types of Nr waste streams, it pointed out the direction of sustainable Nr management and could facilitate the Nr back to the safe boundary in the long run. |
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UA @ admin @ c:irua:182099 |
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7563 |
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Sleegers, N. |
Title |
Cephalosporin antibiotics : electrochemical fingerprints and redox pathways investigated by mass spectral analysis |
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Doctoral thesis |
Year ![sorted by Year field, ascending order (up)](img/sort_asc.gif) |
2021 |
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208 p. |
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Doctoral thesis; AXES (Antwerp X-ray Analysis, Electrochemistry and Speciation); Antwerp Electrochemical and Analytical Sciences Lab (A-Sense Lab) |
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UA @ admin @ c:irua:181014 |
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7588 |
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Zhang, L. |
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Characteristic diagnosis of atmospheric discharge plasma and kinetics study of reactive species |
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Doctoral thesis |
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2021 |
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XVIII, 148 p. |
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Doctoral thesis; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT) |
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Low-temperature plasma has received extensive attention due to its promising application prospects in the field of air pollutants degradation and energy conversion. To fulfill the need for particular applications, constructing stable plasma sources and investigating the interaction mechanisms between plasma and substances have been hot research topics. This thesis reports the diagnosis and improvement of plasma sources, diagnosis of the active species in plasma and a modeling study of chemical kinetics processes. The main research contents are as follows: In Chapter 3, a diffuse sine AC dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) is successfully obtained by optimizing the electrode structure. It is found that using double-layer dielectric plates can limit the discharge current intensity and significantly improve the discharge uniformity. The electrical characteristics and gas temperature with different operating time show that the discharge stability is also improved by using double-layer dielectric plates. In Chapter 4, nanosecond pulses are employed to generate diffuse DBD plasmas. Three main discharge stages are distinguished by ICCD images, i.e., the streamer breakdown from the needle tip to the plate electrode, the regime transition from streamer to diffuse plasma, and the propagation of surface discharge on the plate electrode surface. The chapter reveales that in nanosecond pulsed discharges the vibrational temperature of N2 increases with the discharge duration, while the rotational temperature mainly stays constant, which means electron energy is transferred into the vibrational levels, but gas heating is not obvious during the discharge pulse. In Chapter 5, both sine AC DBD and nanosecond pulsed DBD, studied in Chapter 2 and 3, are used for formaldehyde degradation. It is found that nanosecond pulsed DBD has more homogenous characteristics, better stability, and lower plasma gas temperature. Moreover, the energy consumption of nanosecond pulsed DBD is much lower than that of AC DBD. In Chapter 6, a 0D chemical kinetics model is developed to investigate the underlying plasma chemistry of methane dry reforming in a nanosecond pulsed discharge. An overview of the dominant reaction pathways of CO2 and CH4 conversion into the major products is given. Furthermore, most of the CO2 molecules are populated into vibrational states during the pulse. Hence, the vibrational states of CO2 play an important role in its dissociation process. In general, this PhD thesis contributes to a better insight in the mechanisms of sinusoidal AC DBD and nanosecond pulsed DBD plasmas and their applications, i.e., decomposition of formaldehyde and dry reforming of methane. |
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UA @ admin @ c:irua:183166 |
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7605 |
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Alemam, E. |
Title |
Cleaning of wall paintings by Polyvinyl alcohol–Borax/Agarose (PVA–B/AG) double network hydrogels : characterization, assessment, and applications |
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Doctoral thesis |
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2021 |
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184 p. |
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Doctoral thesis; Engineering sciences. Technology; Art; AXES (Antwerp X-ray Analysis, Electrochemistry and Speciation); Antwerp Cultural Heritage Sciences (ARCHES); Antwerp X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy (AXIS) |
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Wall paintings make up an important section of cultural heritage. They resemble time portals that can be used to travel back into the past and witness the life of our ancestors. In these paintings, the ancient artists depicted the different aspects of their life, such as cooking, baking, farming, manufacturing, as well as thoughts and beliefs. Unfortunately, wall paintings are susceptible to degradation over time in the form of the accumulations of dirt and deposits on the painted surfaces and loss of adhesion of the paint layers at the surface. Therefore, the removal of these deposits is one of the primary duties of conservator-restorers. Such operations are intended to restore the painted surface to a condition close enough to its original state. Since cleaning artworks may cause undesirable physicochemical alterations and is nonreversible, the proper cleaning procedure should be adopted. In this regard, numerous gels have been developed and exploited for the cleaning of various artwork surfaces. Lately, polyvinyl alcohol-borax (PVA-B) and agarose (AG) hydrogels have been widely employed as cleaning materials by conservator-restorers. However, both hydrogels have shown limitations in specific cleaning practices. In this work, we investigated a new double network hydrogel based on blending PVA-B and agarose to avoid the limitations posed by the constituting hydrogels. For this reason, a detailed characterization of the PVA–B/AG double network hydrogel was performed, including chemical structure, liquid phase retention, mechanical strength, rheological behavior, and self-healing behavior of various PVA-B/AG hydrogels. These new hydrogels revealed better properties than PVA-B and agarose hydrogels and obviated their limitations. A laboratory experiment on the removal of deteriorated Paraloid® B72 proved that the PVA-B/AG hydrogel loaded 10%/10% MEK/1-PeOH was able to remove these layers efficiently. Therefore, the hydrogel was tested on a wall painting from the Temple of Seti I in Abydos – Egypt. It removed the glossy/darkened consolidant from the wall painting and restored the original matt appearance of the painted surface. In another application on the painted ceiling of the same temple, the hydrogel was tested for removing thick soot layers. The hydrogel formulation (loaded with 5% ammonia, 0.3% ammonium carbonate, and 0.3% EDTA) removed these layers with no noticeable damage to the paint layers. In a wide-scale application of the hydrogel (loaded with 10% propylene carbonate), it removed a highly deteriorated varnish layer from a 19-c wall painting. All the traditional cleaning methods employed caused damage to the paint layers, proving that gel cleaning can be a safer cleaning alternative in some cases. |
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UA @ admin @ c:irua:183381 |
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7671 |
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Blidar, A.-M. |
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The development of sensitive and selective electrochemical methods for the detection of antibiotics |
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Doctoral thesis |
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2021 |
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139 p. |
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Doctoral thesis; Pharmacology. Therapy; AXES (Antwerp X-ray Analysis, Electrochemistry and Speciation); Antwerp Electrochemical and Analytical Sciences Lab (A-Sense Lab) |
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The discovery of antibiotics represented one of the greatest breakthroughs in medicine. Their success combined with an increasing intensive use is apparently bound to be also their undoing. This is due to the development of acquired antibiotic resistance, leading to inefficient antibiotherapy and even to the impossibility of treatment and death. The development and spread of antibiotic resistance are fueled by the widespread presence of trace levels of antibiotics residue, in various media, from environment to aliments. One of the solutions is the rigorous monitoring of the levels of antibiotics, which in term requires an almost constant development of new, more accessible analytical methods, especially screening methods, capable of decentralized analysis. In this direction, the electrochemical detection of antibiotics represents a very viable alternative. In this context, the aim of this thesis was to develop new electrochemical methods for the detection of antibiotics by employing and expanding on several strategies, like biomimetic sensors and electrochemical fingerprinting. Five studies were described in this thesis, that can be roughly divided in three categories, based on the analytical strategy employed. The first group is represented by direct electrochemical methods. The second group focuses on the use of biomimetic elements, molecularly imprinted polymers and aptamers. The hyphenation of electrochemical methods with other analytical methods was explored in the last group. In the last study, included in this group, the singlet oxygen-based photoelectrochemical approach was used for the detection of a phenolic antibiotic, rifampicin. The originality of the thesis consists in the testing and development of new approaches to various strategies used in electrochemical detection, revealing new insights in the field of electrochemical detection of antibiotics. The complex electrochemical fingerprint and the mechanism of the electrochemical oxidation were created and investigated, respectively, for the antibiotic vancomycin. New sensitive nanoplatforms were prepared by employing and combining new protocols. Additionally, important contributions were brought through the study involving the singlet oxygen-based detection of rifampicin. We demonstrated how a photocatalyst can exhibit analyte selectivity by strongly interacting with a complex phenolic compound, rifampicin. Summing up, the studies presented in this thesis will have an important impact in the field of electrochemical detection of antibiotics. |
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UA @ admin @ c:irua:182955 |
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7804 |
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Muhammad, S.; Wuyts, K.; De Wael, K.; Samson, R. |
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Does leaf micro-morphology influence the recognition of particles on SEM images? |
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A3 Journal article |
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2021 |
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International Journal of Environmental Pollution and Remediation |
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9 |
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22-37 |
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A3 Journal article; AXES (Antwerp X-ray Analysis, Electrochemistry and Speciation); Antwerp Electrochemical and Analytical Sciences Lab (A-Sense Lab) |
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Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) remains a popular approach to determine the shape, size, density and elemental composition of particles collected on leaf surfaces, but the effect of leaf micro-morphology on particle counts is not very well known. In this study, leaves of sixteen urban plant species were examined for particle density in June and September 2016 using SEM. The investigated plant species differed in leaf micro-morphology involving trichomes, raised stomata, epicuticular wax crystals and convex epidermal cells forming deep grooves between cells. The particle density on leaves of the investigated plant species was estimated by particle size fraction and leaf side. Particle density was significantly higher on the adaxial (AD) leaf side compared to the abaxial (AB) leaf side and higher for fine-particles than coarse-particles. The effect of trichome density on particle density of the AB and the AD leaf side was indicated to be significant and positive for both coarse and fine-particles in June but not in September. The successive repeated measurements elucidated that features constructing the topography of a leaf surface such as trichomes, stomata, and epidermal cells frequently contributed towards the edge enhancement effect, resulting in exaggerated particle counts. Besides, the mechanical drift contributed to the disparity in particle density measurements. Lastly, the reduction in particle density between successive measurements were imputed on the charging effect. These results enable us to suggest that in addition to characterization of micro-morphological features on a leaf surface, SEM will continue to be a useful approach for determining the particle: shape, size, elemental composition and density of the deposited particles. Nonetheless, the disparity in particle density measurements can occur due to abnormal particle recognition. Based on the results of September, we recommend that within-session successive repeated measurements (~ n ≥ 5) need to be performed to remove measurement uncertainties and obtain reliable quantitative data of particle counts using SEM. |
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2021-09-15 |
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UA @ admin @ c:irua:181797 |
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7822 |
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Author |
Shaw, P. |
Title |
Dual action of reactive species as signal and stress agents in plasma medicine : combined computational and experimental research |
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Doctoral thesis |
Year ![sorted by Year field, ascending order (up)](img/sort_asc.gif) |
2021 |
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191 p. |
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Doctoral thesis; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT); Center for Oncological Research (CORE) |
Abstract |
Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) generated by cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) can activate discrete signaling transduction pathways or disrupt redox cellular homeostasis, depending on their concentration. This makes that CAP possesses therapeutic potential towards wound healing, cancer, and other diseases. In order to effectively use CAP in the clinic, a clear understanding of the interaction of RONS with biomolecules (lipids, proteins and nucleic acids) from the atomic to the macro scale, and their biological significance, is needed. In this work, I have therefore studied the dual role of CAP-derived RONS, i.e., (i) in the signaling pathways involved in wound healing, and (ii) in their reaction with biomolecules to cause oxidation-mediated damage. I performed computer simulations to provide fundamental insight about the occurring processes that are difficult or even impossible to obtain experimentally. Furthermore, next to computational studies, I used both 2D and 3D tissue cultures. 3D model allows proliferation in a more physiologically relevant geometry that stimulates the production of extracellular matrix proteins. I investigated the treatment of human gingival fibroblasts with low doses of CAP-generated RONS. This treatment demonstrated that it can inhibit colony formation but does not induce cell death, induce the expression of metalloprotease proteins, induce extracellular matrix degradation, and promote cell migration, which could result in enhanced wound healing. In contrast, at high concentrations, RONS can disrupt the cell membrane integrity and induce cancer cell death through oxidative stress-mediated pathways. I discovered how oxidation of the cell membrane (lipid-peroxidation) can facilitate the access of a drug (Melittin) into cancer cells, and in this way, reduce the required therapeutic dose of Melittin in melanoma and breast cancer cells (demonstrated using in vitro, in ovo and in silico approaches). Furthermore, I studied how excessive lipid-oxidation in chemoresistant pancreatic cancer cells promotes ferroptotic cell death. This was due to the stimulation of the iron-dependent Fenton reaction by targeting a redox specific signaling network. However, upon oxidative stress, cells protect themselves via a sophisticated intracellular antioxidant system that involves the regulation of glutathione/glutathione peroxidase 4 (lipid repair enzyme). Cancer cells exhibited increased levels of intracellular RONS due to their hyper metabolism, leading to high expression of anti-oxidant systems. I therefore focus on the effect of reactive species on the intracellular anti-oxidant system and corresponding DNA damages in both temozolomide-sensitive as well as temozolomide-resistant glioblastoma spheroids, in a 3-dimensional tumor model with a more complex tumor microenvironment than cell monolayers. |
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UA @ admin @ c:irua:183751 |
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7828 |
Permanent link to this record |