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Design Considerations and Implementation of Portable Mass Spectrometers for Environmental Applications

Description: Portable mass spectrometers provide a unique opportunity to obtain in situ measurements. This minimizes need for sample collection or in laboratory analysis. Membrane Inlet Mass Spectrometry (MIMS) utilizing a semi permeable membrane for selective rapid introduction for analysis. Polydimethylsiloxane membranes have been proven to be robust in selecting for aromatic chemistries. Advances in front end design have allowed for increased sensitivity, rapid sample analysis, and on line measurements. … more
Date: May 2017
Creator: Mach, Phillip M.
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Chemical and Electronic Structure of Aromatic/Carborane Composite Films by PECVD for Neutron Detection

Description: Boron carbide-aromatic composites, formed by plasma-enhanced co-deposition of carboranes and aromatic precursors, present enhanced electron-hole separation as neutron detector. This is achieved by aromatic coordination to the carborane icosahedra and results in improved neutron detection efficiency. Photoemission (XPS) and FTIR suggest that chemical bonding between B atoms in icosahedra and aromatic contents with preservation of π system during plasma process. XPS, UPS, density functional theo… more
Date: December 2016
Creator: Dong, Bin
Partner: UNT Libraries
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Characterization of Aprotic Solutes and Solvents Using Abraham Model Correlations

Description: Experimental data were obtained for the computation of mole fraction solubilities of three dichloronitrobenzenes in organic solvents at 25oC, and solubility ratios were obtained from this data. Abraham model equations were developed for solutes in tributyl phosphate that describe experimental values to within 0.15 log units, and correlations were made to describe solute partitioning in systems that contain either "wet" or "dry" tributyl phosphate. Abraham model correlations have also been devel… more
Date: December 2016
Creator: Brumfield, Michéla L.
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Direct Atomic Level Controlled Growth and Characterization of h-BN and Graphene Heterostructures on Magnetic Substrates for Spintronic Applications

Description: Epitaxial multilayer h-BN(0001) heterostructures and graphene/h-BN heterostructures have many potential applications in spintronics. The use of h-BN and graphene require atomically precise control and azimuthal alignment of the individual layers in the structure. These in turn require fabrication of devices by direct scalable methods rather than physical transfer of BN and graphene flakes, and such scalable methods are also critical for industrially compatible development of 2D devices. The … more
Date: August 2016
Creator: Beatty, John D.
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Analysis of Trace Amounts of Adulterants Found in Powders/Supplements Utilizing Direct Inject, Nanomanipulation, and Mass Spectrometry

Description: The regulations of many food products in the United States have been made and followed very well but unfortunately some products are not put under such rigorous standards as others. This leads to products being sold, that are thought to be healthy, but in reality contain unknown ingredients that may be hazardous to the consumers. With the use of several instrumentations and techniques the detection, characterization and identification of these unknown contaminates can be determined. Both the AZ… more
Date: August 2016
Creator: Nnaji, Chinyere
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Forensic Analysis of Ink on Documents Using Direct Analyte-Probed Nanoextraction Coupled Techniques

Description: Analzying questioned documents in a nondestructive nature has been an issue for the forensic science community. Using nondestructive techniques such as video spectral comparator does not give reliable information due to the variations in gray or color levels that are distinguished differently by analysts. Destructive techniques such as chromatography give dependable, qualitative and quantitative, information but involves altering the evidentiary value of these questioned documents. The paradox … more
Date: May 2016
Creator: Huynh, Vivian
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Interfacial Electrochemistry of Cu/Al Alloys for IC Packaging and Chemical Bonding Characterization of Boron Doped Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon Films for Infrared Cameras

Description: We focused on a non-cooling room temperature microbolometer infrared imaging array device which includes a sensing layer of p-type a-Si:H component layers doped with boron. Boron incorporation and bonding configuration were investigated for a-Si:H films grown by plasma enhanced chemical deposition (PECVD) at varying substrate temperatures, hydrogen dilution of the silane precursor, and dopant to silane ratio using multiple internal reflection infrared spectroscopy (MIR-IR). This study was then … more
Date: May 2016
Creator: Ross, Nick
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Direct Inject Mass Spectrometry for Illicit Chemistry Detection and Characterization

Description: The field of direct inject mass spectrometry includes a massive host of ambient ionization techniques that are especially useful for forensic analysts. Whether the sample is trace amounts of drugs or explosives or bulk amounts of synthetic drugs from a clandestine laboratory, the analysis of forensic evidence requires minimal sample preparation, evidence preservation, and high sensitivity. Direct inject mass spectrometry techniques can rarely provide all of these. Direct analyte-probed nanoe… more
Date: May 2016
Creator: Williams, Kristina Charlene
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Electrodeposited Metal Matrix Composites for Enhanced Corrosion Protection and Mechanical Properties

Description: In the oil and gas industry, high corrosion resistance and hardness are needed to extend the lifetime of the coatings due to exposure to high stress and salt environments. Electrodeposition has become a favorable technique in synthesizing coatings because of low cost, convenience, and the ability to work at low temperatures. Electrodeposition of metal matrix composites has become popular for enhanced corrosion resistance and hardness in the oil and gas industry because of the major problems tha… more
Date: May 2016
Creator: Thurber, Casey Ray
Partner: UNT Libraries
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Lipidomic Analysis of Single Cells and Organelles Using Nanomanipulation Coupled to Mass Spectrometry

Description: The capability to characterize disease states by way of determining novel biomarkers has led to a high demand of single cell and organelle analytical methodologies due to the unexpected heterogeneity present in cells of the same type. Lipids are of particular interest in the search for biomarkers due to their active roles in cellular metabolism and energy storage. Analyzing localized lipid chemistry from individual cells and organelles is challenging however, due to low analyte volume, limited … more
Date: May 2016
Creator: Bowman, Amanda
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Investigation of Post-Plasma Etch Fluorocarbon Residue Characterization, Removal and Plasma-Induced Low-K Damage for Advanced Interconnect Applications

Description: Modern three-dimensional integrated circuit design is rapidly evolving to more complex architecture. With continuous downscaling of devices, there is a pressing need for metrology tool development for rapid but efficient process and material characterization. In this dissertation work, application of a novel multiple internal reflection infrared spectroscopy metrology is discussed in various semiconductor fabrication process development. Firstly, chemical bonding structure of thin fluorocarbon … more
Date: May 2016
Creator: Mukherjee, Tamal
Partner: UNT Libraries
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Synthesis and Electron Transfer Studies of Supramolecular Triads

Description: This study expands the role of polythiophenes as an electron donating chromophore within energy harvesting milti-modular donor-acceptor systems. The polythiophene moiety would act as an electron donating spacer group between the donor and acceptor entities, viz., phenothiazine and fulleropyrrolidine, respectively, in the newly synthesized supramolecular triads. The triads 10-{[2,2';5',2"] terthiophene-5-fulleropyrrolidine} phenothiazine and 10-{[2,2'] bithiophene-5-fulleropyrrolidine} phenothia… more
Date: May 2016
Creator: Bodenstedt, Kurt
Partner: UNT Libraries
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Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry and Raman Spectroscopy Imaging of Biological Tissues

Description: Laser Ablation Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) and Raman spectroscopy are both powerful imaging techniques. Their applications are numerous and extremely potential in the field of biology. In order to improve upon LA-ICP-MS an in-house built cold cell was developed and its effectiveness studied by imaging Brassica napus seeds. To further apply LA-ICP-MS and Raman imaging to the field of entomology a prong gilled mayfly (Ephemeroptera: Leptophlebiidae) from the Róbalo Ri… more
Date: May 2016
Creator: Gorishek, Emma Lee
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Characterization of Post-Plasma Etch Residues and Plasma Induced Damage Evaluation on Patterned Porous Low-K Dielectrics Using MIR-IR Spectroscopy

Description: As the miniaturization of functional devices in integrated circuit (IC) continues to scale down to sub-nanometer size, the process complexity increases and makes materials characterization difficult. One of our research effort demonstrates the development and application of novel Multiple Internal Reflection Infrared Spectroscopy (MIR-IR) as a sensitive (sub-5 nm) metrology tool to provide precise chemical bonding information that can effectively guide through the development of more efficient … more
Date: May 2016
Creator: Rimal, Sirish
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Fundamental Studies of Copper Corrosion in Interconnect Fabrication Process and Spectroscopic Investigation of Low-k Structures

Description: In the first part of this dissertation, copper bimetallic corrosion and its inhibition in cleaning processes involved in interconnect fabrication is explored. In microelectronics fabrication, post chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) cleaning is required to remove organic contaminants and particles left on copper interconnects after the CMP process. Use of cleaning solutions, however, causes serious reliability issues due to corrosion and recession of the interconnects. In this study, different … more
Date: December 2015
Creator: Goswami, Arindom
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Thin Cr2O3 (0001) Films and Co (0001) Films Fabrication for Spintronics

Description: The growth of Co (0001) films and Cr2O3 (0001)/Co (0001) has been investigated using surface analysis methods. Such films are of potential importance for a variety of spintronics applications. Co films were directly deposited on commercial Al2O3 (0001) substrates by magnetron sputter deposition or by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), with thicknesses of ~1000Å or 30Å, respectively. Low Energy Electron Diffraction (LEED) shows hexagonal (1x1) pattern for expected epitaxial films grown at 800 K to e… more
Date: December 2015
Creator: Cao, Yuan
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Novel Carborane Derived Semiconducting Thin Films for Neutron Detection and Device Applications

Description: Novel carborane (B10C2H12) and aromatic compounds (benzene, pyridine, diaminobenzene) copolymers and composite materials have been fabricated by electron beam induced cross-linking and plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) respectively. Chemical and electronic structure of these materials were studied using X-ray and ultra-violet photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS and UPS). UPS suggest that the systematic tuning of electronic structure can be achieved by using different aromatic compou… more
Date: August 2015
Creator: James, Robinson
Partner: UNT Libraries
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Electrochemical Synthesis and Applications of Layered Double Hydroxides and Derivatives

Description: Layered double hydroxides (LDH) are a class of anionic clay with alternating layers of positive and negative charge. A metal hydroxide layer with divalent and trivalent metals with a positive charge is complemented by an interlayer region containing anions and water with a negative charge. The anions can be exchanged under favorable conditions. Hydrotalcite (Mg6Al2(OH)16[CO3]·4H2O) and other variations are naturally occurring minerals. Synthetic LDH can be prepared as a powder or film by numero… more
Date: August 2015
Creator: Kahl, Michael S.
Partner: UNT Libraries
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Determination of Solute Descriptors for Illicit Drugs Using Gas Chromatographic Retention Data and Abraham Solvation Model

Description: In this experiment, more than one hundred volatile organic compounds were analyzed with the gas chromatograph. Six capillary columns ZB wax plus, ZB 35, TR1MS, TR5, TG5MS and TG1301MS with different polarities have been used for separation of compounds and illicit drugs. The Abraham solvation model has five solute descriptors. The solute descriptors are E, S, A, B, L (or V). Based on the six stationary phases, six equations were constructed as a training set for each of the six columns. The si… more
Date: August 2015
Creator: Mitheo, Yannick K.
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

The Effect of Plasma on Silicon Nitride, Oxynitride and Other Metals for Enhanced Epoxy Adhesion for Packaging Applications

Description: The effects of direct plasma chemistries on carbon removal from silicon nitride (SiNx) and oxynitride (SiOxNy ) surfaces and Cu have been studied by x-photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and ex-situ contact angle measurements. The data indicate that O2,NH3 and He capacitively coupled plasmas are effective at removing adventitious carbon from silicon nitride (SiNx) and Silicon oxynitride (SiOxNy ) surfaces. O2plasma and He plasma treatment results in the formation of silica overlayer. In contrast,… more
Date: August 2014
Creator: Gaddam, Sneha Sen
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Characterization of Ionic Liquid Solvents Using a Temperature Independent, Ion-Specific Abraham Parameter Model

Description: Experimental data for the logarithm of the gas-to-ionic liquid partition coefficient (log K) have been compiled from the published literature for over 40 ionic liquids over a wide temperature range. Temperature independent correlations based on the Gibbs free energy equation utilizing known Abraham solvation model parameters have been derived for the prediction of log K for 12 ionic liquids to within a standard deviation of 0.114 log units over a temperature range of over 60 K. Temperature inde… more
Date: December 2014
Creator: Stephens, Timothy W.
Partner: UNT Libraries
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Electrodeposition of Nickel and Nickel Alloy Coatings with Layered Silicates for Enhanced Corrosion Resistance and Mechanical Properties

Description: The new nickel/layered silicate nanocomposites were electrodeposited from different pHs to study the influence on the metal ions/layered silicate plating solution and on the properties of the deposited films. Nickel/layered silicate nanocomposites were fabricated from citrate bath atacidic pHs (1.6−3.0), from Watts’ type solution (pH ~4-5), and from citrate bath at basic pH (~9). Additionally, the new nickel/molybdenum/layered silicate nanocomposites were electrodeposited from citrate bath at p… more
Date: August 2014
Creator: Tientong, Jeerapan
Partner: UNT Libraries
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Fundamental Studies of Copper Bimetallic Corrosion in Ultra Large Scale Interconnect Fabrication Process

Description: In this work, copper bimetallic corrosion and inhibition in ultra large scale interconnect fabrication process is explored. Corrosion behavior of physical vapor deposited (PVD) copper on ruthenium on acidic and alkaline solutions was investigated with and without organic inhibitors. Bimetallic corrosion screening experiments were carried out to determine the corrosion rate. Potentiodynamic polarization experiments yielded information on the galvanic couples and also corrosion rates. XPS and FTI… more
Date: May 2014
Creator: Koskey, Simon Kibet
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

A Study of Silver: an Alternative Maldi Matrix for Low Weight Compounds and Mass Spectrometry Imaging

Description: Soft-landing ion mobility has applicability in a variety of areas. The ability to produce material and collect a sufficient amount for further analysis and applications is the key goal of this technique. Soft-landing ion mobility has provided a way to deposit material in a controllable fashion, and can be tailored to specific applications. Changing the conditions at which soft-landing ion mobility occurs effects the characteristics of the resulting particles (size, distribution/coverage on t… more
Date: May 2014
Creator: Walton, Barbara Lynn
Partner: UNT Libraries
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