Second harmonic generation (SHG),
a nonlinear optical tool, was used to
characterize DNA bound through a
chemical linker to the flat surface of a
hemispherical lens. Contact angle
measurements were used to guarantee
that the chemical linker did not hydrolyze
under experimental conditions. SHG
experiments followed the effects of salt...
Two-phase multiferroic nanostructures
have the potential to display magnetoelectricity
(ME) through interphase mechanical
coupling. Nanoscale ME-based technology
may lead to the next generation of computer
memory. In this research, soft electron
beam lithography (soft-eBL) was used to
fabricate submicron-sized structures of
cobalt ferrite (magnetostrictive) and barium
titanate (piezoelectric) as bottom...
Oligonucleotide-functionalized gold
nanoparticles (DNA-Au NPs) find
ubiquitous use in various biomolecular
detection schemes due to their unique
chemical and physical properties. This
study investigates the effects of nanoparticle
size and concentration of salt in
solution on the DNA loading of the Au NP
surface. The DNA loading studies are
performed...
The effects of volumetric size-control
techniques on the photoinduced conversion
of silver colloids to triangular nanoprisms
were examined. It was hoped that through
the application of size-control techniques
on photocatalyzed reactions, a new method
of controlling particle dimensions could
be established. Initial work focused on
optimizing the synthesis procedure in...
The use of a variable resistor-capacitor
(RC) bridge circuit was previously reported
to be a viable solution to the spurious
contribution of fringe capacitance during
nanoscale impedance microscopy (NIM).
In this paper, a refinement of this technique
combined with standard NIM is presented
as an impedance characterization tool for
organic...
The need to improve sensing technology for
widespread application in everyday life is
fueling the development of diffraction-based
sensing, an optical sensing technique.
Selectivity and sensitivity issues must first
be resolved. Both selectivity and sensitivity
can be increased by using resonance conditions
— that is, using a probe wavelength
where...
Many studies have focused on harnessing
the extraordinary optical properties of
noble metal nanoparticles for the development
of biological and chemical nanosensors.
Metallic nanoparticles emulate
surface roughness, facilitating the coupling
of light to surface plasmon polaritons. The
excitation of the plasmons enhances the
electromagnetic field near the surface so
that...
The aim of this research was to investigate
the use of atomic force microscopy (AFM)
for the high-resolution imaging of collagen
fibers in aqueous media. Collagen plays a
vital role in many processes in vivo, especially
in structural integrity, yet few studies
have used AFM to investigate the structure
of...
This project involved the study of Brownian
motion of polystyrene microspheres in the
presence of gravity and a one-dimensional
sinusoidal optical potential generated by
the interference of two laser beams. An
exponential relationship was observed
between applied laser power and particle
residence time of individual interference
fringes. Increasing laser power...
In this study, ligands modified to contain
a metal ion were synthesized and their
electrochemical properties were examined
alone and in the presence of a protein. We
chose to use avidin and biotin as a model
system. Probes have been developed in
which biotin is modified to coordinate to
a...