Plasmonic nanostructures are capable of trapping and confining light at the nanoscale, leading to interesting optical phenomena involving enhanced light-matter interactions. These responses arise in two forms: surface plasmon polaritons propagating on the surface of metal films and localized surface plasmons confined to the surface of metal nanoparticles. Plasmonic modes...
Spinal cord injury occurs with a worldwide incidence of 13-33 cases per million per year, and more than 2.5 million patients worldwide suffer from spinal cord injury (SCI)-related disability (1, 2). Different methods have been attempted to promote axonal regeneration, including neurotrophin injection, hydrogel injection, olfactory ensheathing cells implantation and...
X-ray Fluorescence Microscopy (XFM) is a useful technique for study of biological samples. XFM was used to map and quantify endogenous biological elements as well as exogenous materials in biological samples, such as the distribution of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles. TiO2 nanoparticles are produced for many different purposes, including development...
Nanoscale materials are demonstrating new properties and promising applications with each passing day. The fabrication of ever more complex and precise nanomaterials represents a continuing drive in the fields of physics, chemistry, and biology. Template-based approaches provide an attractive method of producing new inaccessible materials by modifying and confining older...
Novel materials and nanostructures with superior electro-mechanical properties are emerging in the development of novel devices. Engineering application of these materials requires accurate electro-mechanical characterization, which in turn requires development of novel experimental techniques. This dissertation outlines the investigation of the mechanical and electrical properties of one-dimensional nanomaterials.
One-dimensional nanomaterials...
Metal and bimetallic nanoparticles are of interest and are widely used in various applications because of their unique optical, electronic, and catalytic properties, which differ from those of their bulk counterparts. Better understanding of the thermodynamic and kinetic properties of nanoparticles and their underlying growth mechanisms can serve as a...
The ability to track labeled cancer cells in vivo would allow researchers to study their distribution, growth and metastatic potential within the intact organism. Magnetic Resonance (MR) imaging is invaluable for tracking cancer cells in vivo as it benefits from high spatial resolution and absence of ionizing radiation. However, many...