@article{GottschollWagenhoeferKlimmeretal.2022, author = {Gottscholl, Andreas and Wagenh{\"o}fer, Maximilian and Klimmer, Manuel and Scherbel, Selina and Kasper, Christian and Baianov, Valentin and Astakhov, Georgy V. and Dyakonov, Vladimir and Sperlich, Andreas}, title = {Superradiance of spin defects in silicon carbide for maser applications}, series = {Frontiers in Photonics}, volume = {3}, journal = {Frontiers in Photonics}, issn = {2673-6853}, doi = {10.3389/fphot.2022.886354}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-284698}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Masers as telecommunication amplifiers have been known for decades, yet their application is strongly limited due to extreme operating conditions requiring vacuum techniques and cryogenic temperatures. Recently, a new generation of masers has been invented based on optically pumped spin states in pentacene and diamond. In this study, we pave the way for masers based on spin S = 3/2 silicon vacancy (V\(_{Si}\)) defects in silicon carbide (SiC) to overcome the microwave generation threshold and discuss the advantages of this highly developed spin hosting material. To achieve population inversion, we optically pump the V\(_{Si}\) into their m\(_S\) = ±1/2 spin sub-states and additionally tune the Zeeman energy splitting by applying an external magnetic field. In this way, the prerequisites for stimulated emission by means of resonant microwaves in the 10 GHz range are fulfilled. On the way to realising a maser, we were able to systematically solve a series of subtasks that improved the underlying relevant physical parameters of the SiC samples. Among others, we investigated the pump efficiency as a function of the optical excitation wavelength and the angle between the magnetic field and the defect symmetry axis in order to boost the population inversion factor, a key figure of merit for the targeted microwave oscillator. Furthermore, we developed a high-Q sapphire microwave resonator (Q ≈ 10\(^4\)-10\(^5\)) with which we find superradiant stimulated microwave emission. In summary, SiC with optimized spin defect density and thus spin relaxation rates is well on its way of becoming a suitable maser gain material with wide-ranging applications.}, language = {en} } @article{SperlichAuthDyakonov2022, author = {Sperlich, Andreas and Auth, Michael and Dyakonov, Vladimir}, title = {Charge transfer in ternary solar cells employing two fullerene derivatives: where do electrons go?}, series = {Israel Journal of Chemistry}, volume = {62}, journal = {Israel Journal of Chemistry}, number = {7-8}, doi = {10.1002/ijch.202100064}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-257506}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Earlier reports demonstrated that ternary organic solar cells (OSC) made of donor polymers (D) blended with different mixtures of fullerene acceptors (A : A) performed very similarly. This finding is surprising, as the corresponding fullerene LUMO levels are slightly different, which might result in decisive differences in the charge transfer step. We investigate ternary OSC (D : A : A) made of the donor polymer P3HT with stoichiometric mixtures of different fullerene derivatives, PC\(_{60}\)BM : PC\(_{70}\)BM and PC\(_{70}\)BM : IC\(_{60}\)BA, respectively. Using quantitative electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) we can distinguish between positive and negative polarons, localized on the specific molecules. We found that after the initial charge transfer step, the electrons are re-distributed over two nearby acceptors in agreement with their stoichiometry and their relative LUMO energy difference. Remarkably, the measured ΔLUMO differences in fullerene mixtures are reduced by an order of magnitude compared to that of the pristine materials, i. e., below 1 meV for PC\(_{60}\)BM : PC\(_{70}\)BM and (20±5) meV for PC\(_{70}\)BM : IC\(_{60}\)BA. Furthermore, we found that this reduced ΔLUMO explains the shift in open circuit voltage for D : A : A organic solar cells. We attribute these findings to hybridization, leading to an effective fullerene LUMO. Consequently, multi-acceptor blends are indeed a viable option for photodetectors and solar cells, as they combine the best electron acceptor and light absorbing properties.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Youssef2022, author = {Youssef, Almoatazbellah}, title = {Fabrication of Micro-Engineered Scaffolds for Biomedical Application}, doi = {10.25972/OPUS-23545}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-235457}, school = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Thermoplastic polymers have a history of decades of safe and effective use in the clinic as implantable medical devices. In recent years additive manufacturing (AM) saw increased clinical interest for the fabrication of customizable and implantable medical devices and training models using the patients' own radiological data. However, approval from the various regulatory bodies remains a significant hurdle. A possible solution is to fabricate the AM scaffolds using materials and techniques with a clinical safety record, e.g. melt processing of polymers. Melt Electrowriting (MEW) is a novel, high resolution AM technique which uses thermoplastic polymers. MEW produces scaffolds with microscale fibers and precise fiber placement, allowing the control of the scaffold microarchitecture. Additionally, MEW can process medical-grade thermoplastic polymers, without the use of solvents paving the way for the production of medical devices for clinical applications. This pathway is investigated in this thesis, where the layout is designed to resemble the journey of a medical device produced via MEW from conception to early in vivo experiments. To do so, first, a brief history of the development of medical implants and the regenerative capability of the human body is given in Chapter 1. In Chapter 2, a review of the use of thermoplastic polymers in medicine, with a focus on poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL), is illustrated, as this is the polymer used in the rest of the thesis. This review is followed by a comparison of the state of the art, regarding in vivo and clinical experiments, of three polymer melt AM technologies: melt-extrusion, selective laser sintering and MEW. The first two techniques already saw successful translation to the bedside, producing patient-specific, regulatory-approved AM implants. To follow in the footsteps of these two technologies, the MEW device parameters need to be optimized. The MEW process parameters and their interplay are further discussed in Chapter 3 focusing on the importance of a steady mass flow rate of the polymer during printing. MEW reaches a balance between polymer flow, the stabilizing electric field and moving collector to produce reproducible, high-resolution scaffolds. An imbalance creates phenomena like fiber pulsing or arcing which result in defective scaffolds and potential printer damage. Chapter 4 shows the use of X-ray microtomography (µCT) as a non-destructive method to characterize the pore-related features: total porosity and the pore size distribution. MEW scaffolds are three-dimensional (3D) constructs but have long been treated in the literature as two-dimensional (2D) ones and characterized mainly by microscopy, including stereo- and scanning electron microscopy, where pore size was simply reported as the distance between the fibers in a single layer. These methods, together with the trend of producing scaffolds with symmetrical pores in the 0/90° and 0/60/120° laydown patterns, disregarded the lateral connections between pores and the potential of MEW to be used for more complex 3D structures, mimicking the extracellular matrix. Here we characterized scaffolds in the aforementioned symmetrical laydown patterns, along with the more complex 0/45/90/135° and 0/30/60/90/120/150° ones. A 2D pore size estimation was done first using stereomicroscopy, followed by and compared to µCT scanning. The scaffolds with symmetrical laydown patterns resulted in the predominance of one pore size, while those with more complex patterns had a broader distribution, which could be better shown by µCT scans. Moreover, in the symmetrical scaffolds, the size of 3D pores was not able to reach the value of the fiber spacing due to a flattening effect of the scaffold, where the thickness of the scaffold was less than the fiber spacing, further restricting the pore size distribution in such scaffolds. This method could be used for quality assurance of fabricated scaffolds prior to use in in vitro or in vivo experiments and would be important for a clinical translation. Chapter 5 illustrates a proof of principle subcutaneous implantation in vivo experiment. MEW scaffolds were already featured in small animal in vivo experiments, but to date, no analysis of the foreign body reaction (FBR) to such implants was performed. FBR is an immune reaction to implanted foreign materials, including medical devices, aimed at protecting the host from potential adverse effects and can interfere with the function of some medical implants. Medical-grade PCL was used to melt electrowrite scaffolds with 50 and 60 µm fiber spacing for the 0/90° and 0/60/120° laydown patterns, respectively. These implants were implanted subcutaneously in immunocompetent, outbred mice, with appropriate controls, and explanted after 2, 4, 7 and 14 days. A thorough characterization of the scaffolds before implantation was done, followed by a full histopathological analysis of the FBR to the implants after excision. The scaffolds, irrespective of their pore geometry, induced an extensive FBR in the form of accumulation of foreign body giant cells around the fiber walls, in a manner that almost occluded available pore spaces with little to no neovascularization. This reaction was not induced by the material itself, as the same reaction failed to develop in the PCL solid film controls. A discussion of the results was given with special regard to the literature available on flat surgical meshes, as well as other hydrogel-based porous scaffolds with similar pore sizes. Finally, a general summary of the thesis in Chapter 6 recapitulates the most important points with a focus on future directions for MEW.}, language = {en} } @misc{Gross2022, type = {Master Thesis}, author = {Groß, Lennart}, title = {Point-spread function engineering for single-molecule localization microscopy in brain slices}, doi = {10.25972/OPUS-28259}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-282596}, school = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) is the method of choice to study biological specimens on a nanoscale level. Advantages of SMLM imply its superior specificity due to targeted molecular fluorescence labeling and its enhanced tissue preservation compared to electron microscopy, while reaching similar resolution. To reveal the molecular organization of protein structures in brain tissue, SMLM moves to the forefront: Instead of investigating brain slices with a thickness of a few µm, measurements of intact neuronal assemblies (up to 100 µm in each dimension) are required. As proteins are distributed in the whole brain volume and can move along synapses in all directions, this method is promising in revealing arrangements of neuronal protein markers. However, diffraction-limited imaging still required for the localization of the fluorophores is prevented by sample-induced distortion of emission pattern due to optical aberrations in tissue slices from non-superficial planes. In particular, the sample causes wavefront dephasing, which can be described as a summation of Zernike polynomials. To recover an optimal point spread function (PSF), active shaping can be performed by the use of adaptive optics. The aim of this thesis is to establish a setup using a deformable mirror and a wavefront sensor to actively shape the PSF to correct the wavefront phases in a super-resolution microscope setup. Therefore, fluorescence-labeled proteins expressed in different anatomical regions in brain tissue will be used as experiment specimen. Resolution independent imaging depth in slices reaching tens of micrometers is aimed.}, subject = {Einzelmolek{\"u}lmikroskopie}, language = {en} } @article{NoyaletIlgenBuerkleinetal.2022, author = {Noyalet, Laurent and Ilgen, Lukas and B{\"u}rklein, Miriam and Shehata-Dieler, Wafaa and Taeger, Johannes and Hagen, Rudolf and Neun, Tilmann and Zabler, Simon and Althoff, Daniel and Rak, Kristen}, title = {Vestibular aqueduct morphology and Meniere's disease - development of the vestibular aqueduct score by 3D analysis}, series = {Frontiers in Surgery}, volume = {9}, journal = {Frontiers in Surgery}, issn = {2296-875X}, doi = {10.3389/fsurg.2022.747517}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-312893}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Improved radiological examinations with newly developed 3D models may increase understanding of Meniere's disease (MD). The morphology and course of the vestibular aqueduct (VA) in the temporal bone might be related to the severity of MD. The presented study explored, if the VA of MD and non-MD patients can be grouped relative to its angle to the semicircular canals (SCC) and length using a 3D model. Scans of temporal bone specimens (TBS) were performed using micro-CT and micro flat panel volume computed tomography (mfpVCT). Furthermore, scans were carried out in patients and TBS by computed tomography (CT). The angle between the VA and the three SCC, as well as the length of the VA were measured. From these data, a 3D model was constructed to develop the vestibular aqueduct score (VAS). Using different imaging modalities it was demonstrated that angle measurements of the VA are reliable and can be effectively used for detailed diagnostic investigation. To test the clinical relevance, the VAS was applied on MD and on non-MD patients. Length and angle values from MD patients differed from non-MD patients. In MD patients, significantly higher numbers of VAs could be assigned to a distinct group of the VAS. In addition, it was tested, whether the outcome of a treatment option for MD can be correlated to the VAS.}, language = {en} } @article{ChristHaertlKlosteretal.2022, author = {Christ, Andreas and H{\"a}rtl, Patrick and Kloster, Patrick and Bode, Matthias and Leisegang, Markus}, title = {Influence of band structure on ballistic transport revealed by molecular nanoprobe}, series = {Physical Review Research}, volume = {4}, journal = {Physical Review Research}, number = {4}, doi = {10.1103/PhysRevResearch.4.043016}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-300855}, year = {2022}, abstract = {In this study we characterize the tautomerization of HPc on Cu(111) as a charge-carrier-induced reversible one-electron process. An analysis of the bias-dependent tautomerization rate finds an energy threshold that corresponds to the energy of the N-H stretching mode. By using the tautomerization of the molecule as a detector for charge carrier transport in the so-called molecular nanoprobe (MONA) technique, we provide evidence for an inhomogeneous coupling between the fourfold-symmetric molecule and sixfold-symmetric surface. We conclude the study by comparing the energy dependence of charge carrier transport on the Cu(111) to the Ag(111) surface. While the MONA technique is limited to the detection of hot-electron transport for Ag(111), our data reveal that the lower onset energy of the Cu surface state also allows for the detection of hot-hole transport. The influence of surface and bulk transport on the MONA technique is discussed.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Weissenseel2022, author = {Weißenseel, Sebastian G{\"u}nter}, title = {Spin-Spin Interactions and their Impact on Organic Light-Emitting Devices}, doi = {10.25972/OPUS-25745}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-257458}, school = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg}, year = {2022}, abstract = {This work investigates the correlations between spin states and the light emission properties of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), which are based on the principle of thermally activated delayed fluorescence. The spin-spin interactions responsible for this mechanism are investigated in this work using methods based on spin-sensitive electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). In particular, this method has been applied to electrically driven OLEDs. The magnetic resonance has been detected by electroluminescence, giving this method its name: electroluminescence detected magnetic resonance (ELDMR). Initial investigations on a novel deep blue TADF emitter were performed. Furthermore, the ELDMR method was used in this work to directly detect the spin states in the OLED. These measurements were further underlined by time-resolved experiments such as transient electro- and photoluminescence.}, subject = {Elektronenspinresonanz}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Heinrich2022, author = {Heinrich, Robert}, title = {Multi-species gas detection based on an external-cavity quantum cascade laser spectrometer in the mid-infrared fingerprint region}, doi = {10.25972/OPUS-26864}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-268640}, school = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Laser spectroscopic gas sensing has been applied for decades for several applications as atmospheric monitoring, industrial combustion gas analysis or fundamental research. The availability of new laser sources in the mid-infrared opens the spectral fingerprint range to the technology where multiple molecules possess their fundamental ro-vibrational absorption features that allow very sensitive detection and accurate discrimination of the species. The increasing maturity of quantum cascade lasers that cover this highly interesting spectral range motivated this research to gain fundamental knowledge about the spectra of hydrocarbon gases in pure composition and in complex mixtures as they occur in the petro-chemical industry. The long-term target of developing accurate and fast hydrocarbon gas analyzers, capable of real-time operation while enabling feedback-loops, would lead to a paradigm change in this industry. This thesis aims to contribute to a higher accuracy and more comprehensive understanding of the sensing of hydrocarbon gas mixtures. This includes the acquisition of yet unavailable high resolution and high accuracy reference spectra of the respective gases, the investigation of their spectral behavior in mixtures due to collisional broadening of their transitions and the verification of the feasibility to quantitatively discriminate the spectra when several overlapping species are simultaneously measured in gas mixtures. To achieve this knowledge a new laboratory environment was planned and built up to allow for the supply of the individual gases and their arbitrary mixing. The main element was the development of a broadly tunable external-cavity quantum cascade laser based spectrometer to record the required spectra. This also included the development of a new measurement method to obtain highly resolved and nearly gap-less spectral coverage as well as a sophisticated signal post-processing that was crucial to achieve the high accuracy of the measurements. The spectroscopic setup was used for a thorough investigation of the spectra of the first seven alkanes as of their mixtures. Measurements were realized that achieved a spectral resolution of 0.001 cm-1 in the range of 6-11 µm while ensuring an accuracy of 0.001 cm-1 of the spectra and attaining a transmission sensitivity of 2.5 x 10-4 for long-time averaging of the acquired spectra. These spectral measurements accomplish a quality that compares to state-of-the art spectral databases and revealed so far undocumented details of several of the investigated gases that have not been measured with this high resolution before at the chosen measurement conditions. The results demonstrate the first laser spectroscopic discrimination of a seven component gas mixture with absolute accuracies below 0.5 vol.\% in the mid-infrared provided that a sufficiently broad spectral range is covered in the measurements. Remaining challenges for obtaining improved spectral models of the gases and limitations of the measurement accuracy and technology are discussed.}, subject = {Quantenkaskadenlaser}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Hajer2022, author = {Hajer, Jan}, title = {Mercury Telluride Nanowires for Topological Quantum Transport}, doi = {10.25972/OPUS-29322}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-293222}, school = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Novel appraches to the molecular beam epitaxy of core-shell nanowires in the group II telluride material system were explored in this work. Significant advances in growth spurred the development of a flexible and reliable platform for a charge transport characterization of the topological insulator HgTe in a tubular nanowire geometry. The transport results presented provide an important basis for the design of future studies that strive for the experimental realization of topological charge transport in the quantum wire limit.}, subject = {Quecksilbertellurid}, language = {en} }