Examination of the Relationship between User Participation and Technology Acceptance in Post-Implementation

Implementing information technology (IT) systems to support organizational effectiveness and enhance efficiencies is increasingly costly, challenging, and has a low success rate. Many researchers have explored user technology acceptance as a key to successful implementation of IT systems. Research on characteristics inherent to the implementation process can aid interventions designed to enhance user technology acceptance. User participation is a process characteristic that has been linked to IT system success and user satisfaction before and during implementation. Using data from 131 survey respondents, the current study investigated the relationship between user participation and technology acceptance in the post-implementation phase of an IT system. Analysis showed that user participation via hands-on learning activities and relationship with information systems (IS) staff had a positive impact on user affective and cognitive technology acceptance. Results suggest that the more users maintain a relationship with IS staff and take part in hands-on learning activities related to an IT system, the more they will like the IT system and perceive benefits of using the particular system. Findings and directions for future research and intervention development are discussed

Strong Coupling of Molecular Vibrational Resonances

Strong coupling of molecules placed in an optical microcavity may lead to the formation of hybrid states called polaritons; states that inherit characteristics of both the optical cavity modes and the molecular resonance. This is possible for both excitonic and vibrational molecular resonances. Previous work has shown that strong coupling may be used to hybridize different excitonic resonances, this can be achieved when more than one molecular species is included in the cavity. In this thesis I show that under suitable conditions different molecular vibrational resonances of the same molecular unit may also be coupled together, the resulting polariton having characteristics of all vibrational resonances. I will also demonstrate strong coupling between surface plasmon resonances and molecular vibrational resonances of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) molecules in the mid-infrared range through the use of grating coupling, complimenting earlier work using microcavities and localised plasmon resonances. Many experiments involving strong coupling make use of metal-clad microcavities, ones with metallic mirrors. Metal-clad microcavities are well known to support coupled plasmon modes in addition to the standard microcavity mode. However, the coupled plasmon modes associated with an optical microcavity lie beyond the light-line and are thus not probed in typical experiments on strong coupling. I will investigate, through experiment and numerical modelling, the interaction between molecules within a cavity and the coupled plasmon mode and I will show that such modes do undergo strong coupling, making use of grating coupling to provide an experimental demonstration. Overall, light−matter hybridization offers many new opportunities for the molecular and materials sciences. It works in the absence of light, it is simple to implement, and its full potential is waiting to be explored.Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC

Vibrational Strong Coupling with Surface Plasmons and the Presence of Surface Plasmon Stop Bands (article)

This is the final version. Available on open access from American Chemical Society via the DOI in this recordThe datasets associated with this article are available in ORE at https://doi.org/10.24378/exe.1604We demonstrate strong coupling between surface plasmon resonances and molecular vibrational resonances of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) molecules in the mid-infrared range through the use of grating coupling, complimenting earlier work using microcavities and localized plasmon resonances. We choose the period of the grating so that we may observe strong coupling between the surface plasmon mode associated with a patterned gold film and the C=O vibrational resonance in an overlying polymer film. We present results from experiments and numerical simulations to show that surface plasmon modes provide convenient open cavities for vibrational strong coupling experiments. In addition to providing momentum matching between surface plasmon modes and incident light, gratings may also produce a modification of the surface plasmon properties, notably their dispersion. We further show that for the parameters used in our experiment surface plasmon stop bands are formed, and we find that both stop-band edges undergo strong coupling.Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)European Research Council (ERC

Hybridization of multiple vibrational modes via strong coupling using confined light fields (article)

This is the final version. Available on open access from Wiley via the DOI in this record.Data associated with this paper can be found at https://doi.org/10.24378/exe.1403Strong coupling of molecules placed in an optical microcavity may lead to the formation of hybrid states called polaritons; states that inherit characteristics of both the optical cavity modes and the molecular resonance. This is possible for both excitonic and vibrational molecular resonances. Previous work has shown that strong coupling may be used to hybridize two different excitonic resonances, this can be achieved when more than one molecular species is included in the cavity. Here we show that under suitable conditions three different molecular vibrational resonances of the same molecular unit may also be coupled together, the resulting polariton having characteristics of all three vibrational resonances. Our results lead us to suggest that strong coupling might be used to manipulate vibrational resonances in a richer and subtler way than previously considered, opening a path to greater control of molecular systems and molecular processes via vibrational strong coupling.Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)European Research Counci

Swiss adolescents' and adults' perceptions of cannabis use: a qualitative study

Few studies have attempted to investigate the nature of adolescents' and adults' conceptions and perceptions of cannabis use. Our objectives were to explore adolescent and adult perception of use and misuse of cannabis, and their opinions and beliefs about the current legal context and preventive strategies. We used focus group discussions with four categories of stakeholders: younger (12-15 year old) adolescents, older (16-19 year old) adolescents, parents of teenagers and professionals working with young people. In some areas (legal framework, role of the media, importance of early preventive interventions), we found consensual attitudes and beliefs across the four groups of participants. In all four groups, participants did not have any consensual vision of the risks of cannabis use or the definition of misuse. In the area of the prevention of cannabis use/misuse, while parents focused on the potential role of professionals and the media, thus minimizing their own educational and preventive role, professionals stressed the importance of parental control and education. Within the Swiss context, we conclude there exists an urgent need for information and clarification of the issues linked with cannabis use and misuse directed at parents and professional

Polariton assisted photoemission from a layered molecular material: Role of vibrational states and molecular absorption (article)

This is the final version. Available on open access from the Royal Society of Chemistry via the DOI in this recordThe dataset associated with this article is available in ORE at: https://doi.org/10.24378/exe.3483The way molecules absorb, transfer, and emit light can be modified by coupling them to optical cavities. The extent of the modification is often defined by the cavity–molecule coupling strength, which depends on the number of coupled molecules. We experimentally and numerically study the evolution of photoemission from a thin layered J-aggregated molecular material strongly coupled to a Fabry–Perot microcavity as a function of the number of coupled layers. We unveil an important difference between the strong coupling signatures obtained from reflection spectroscopy and from polariton assisted photoluminescence. We also study the effect of the vibrational modes supported by the molecular material on the polariton assisted emission both for a focused laser beam and for normally incident excitation, for two different excitation wavelengths: a laser in resonance with the lower polariton branch, and a laser not in resonance. We found that Raman scattered photons appear to play an important role in populating the lower polariton branch, especially when the system was excited with a laser in resonance with the lower polariton branch. We also found that the polariton assisted photoemission depends on the extent of modification of the molecular absorption induced by the molecule–cavity coupling.Leverhulme TrustEuropean Research Council (ERC

Raman-probing the local ultrastrong coupling of vibrational plasmon-polaritons on metallic gratings

Strong coupling of molecular vibrations with light creates polariton states, enabling control over many optical and chemical properties. However, the near-field signatures of strong coupling are difficult to map as most cavities are closed systems. Surface-enhanced Raman microscopy of open metallic gratings under vibrational strong coupling enables the observation of spatial polariton localization in the grating near-field, without the need for scanning probe microscopies. The lower polariton is localized at the grating slots, displays a strongly asymmetric lineshape, and gives greater plasmon-vibration coupling strength than measured in the far-field. Within these slots, the local field strength pushes the system into the ultrastrong coupling regime. Models of strong coupling which explicitly include the spatial distribution of emitters can account for these effects. Such gratings form a new system for exploring the rich physics of polaritons and the interplay between their near- and far-field properties through polariton-enhanced Raman scattering (PERS)

Raman Probing the Local Ultrastrong Coupling of Vibrational Plasmon Polaritons on Metallic Gratings

Strong coupling of molecular vibrations with light creates polariton states, enabling control over many optical and chemical properties. However, the near-field signatures of strong coupling are difficult to map as most cavities are closed systems. Surface-enhanced Raman microscopy of open metallic gratings under vibrational strong coupling enables the observation of spatial polariton localization in the grating near field, without the need for scanning probe microscopies. The lower polariton is localized at the grating slots, displays a strongly asymmetric line shape, and gives greater plasmon-vibration coupling strength than measured in the far field. Within these slots, the local field strength pushes the system into the ultrastrong coupling regime. Models of strong coupling which explicitly include the spatial distribution of emitters can account for these effects. Such gratings enable exploration of the rich physics of polaritons, its impact on polariton chemistry under flow conditions, and the interplay between near- and far-field properties through vibrational polariton-enhanced Raman scattering

Swiss adolescents' and adults' perceptions of cannabis use: a qualitative study.

Few studies have attempted to investigate the nature of adolescents' and adults' conceptions and perceptions of cannabis use. Our objectives were to explore adolescent and adult perception of use and misuse of cannabis, and their opinions and beliefs about the current legal context and preventive strategies. We used focus group discussions with four categories of stakeholders: younger (12-15 year old) adolescents, older (16-19 year old) adolescents, parents of teenagers and professionals working with young people. In some areas (legal framework, role of the media, importance of early preventive interventions), we found consensual attitudes and beliefs across the four groups of participants. In all four groups, participants did not have any consensual vision of the risks of cannabis use or the definition of misuse. In the area of the prevention of cannabis use/misuse, while parents focused on the potential role of professionals and the media, thus minimizing their own educational and preventive role, professionals stressed the importance of parental control and education. Within the Swiss context, we conclude there exists an urgent need for information and clarification of the issues linked with cannabis use and misuse directed at parents and professionals