Browsing by Author "Boshoff, Ilana"

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    Ultrafast electron diffraction on the charge density wave compound 4Hb-TaSe2
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2012-03) Boshoff, Ilana; Schwoerer, Heinrich; Rohwer, Erich G.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Science. Dept. of Physics.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Ultrafast electron diffraction is a powerful method to study atomic movement in crystals on sub-picosecond timescales. This thesis consists of three parts. In part one the ultrafast electron diffraction machine is described, followed by improvements that were made and techniques that were developed in order to bring the system to state of the art level and enable the acquisition of suffcient data to obtain information on the structural dynamics in crystals. The second part contains a description of the sample which was studied in our fi rst time-resolved measurements, the transition-metal dichalcogenide 4Hb-TaSe2. This particular crystal is an example of a strongly coupled electronic system which develops a charge density wave (CDW) accompanied by a periodic lattice distortion (PLD). An overview of the formation of electron diffraction patterns and what can be learned from them are also given, followed by the results of the ultrafast electron diffraction experiments done with 4Hb-TaSe2. Part three describes an alternative source to study dynamics in crystalline samples, namely laser plasma-based ultrafast X-ray diffraction. The ultrafast electron diffraction group functions as a unit, but my tasks ranged from sample preparation and characterisation of the electron beam to the setting up and execution of experiments. I was involved in analysing the data and contributed small parts to the data analysis software.