Copper Phthalocyanine (CuPc) Thin Films and Nanostructures - Growth and Device Applications

The development and utilisation of phthalocyanine (Pc) materials for practical applications has been subject of intense research due to their desirable optical, electrical, and recently discovered magnetic properties. Typically, in crystalline organic materials the charge transport, light absorption and magnetisation are anisotropic and strongly depend on structure, morphology and molecular orientation. Hence, an understanding of growth mechanism and controlled fabrication of thin films and nanostructures is essential for tailoring properties desirable for specific applications. e.g., for OFETs, crystalline thin films or one-dimensional nanostructures. Recently, vast advancement has been made in developing functional organic films including sublimation in (ultra) high vacuum using organic molecular beam deposition (OMBD). This environment can provide the essential material purity and structural reproducibility required in future high performance optoelectronic device applications, but is unfortunately costly. In this thesis, we introduce a lesser-known technique, organic vapour phase deposition (OVPD), operating at lower cost but still maintaining high purity. The morphology, crystallinity, spectroscopic characteristics and structure of copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) thin films and nanostructures have been investigated and their dependence on deposition conditions, i.e., substrate temperature and substrate type has been studied. We compare films obtained by OMBD and OVPD and find different morphological and structural changes; the surface morphology changes from granular to larger nano-fibrous and nano-whiskers with increasing substrate temperatures. In OMBD, the structure in a small proportion of the film changes from α-CuPc to β-CuPc at a substrate temperature of 200 oC. In the case of OVPD films, extensive study of the influence of parameters such as deposition pressure, deposition time and source to substrate distance is performed and variation in film morphology, texture, structural composition and molecular orientation is observed. We find that by successive growth of films produced by OMBD and OVPD, the molecular orientation can be controlled by the first “seed” layer. With further processing and optimisation, it is hoped that this could be used to create interpenetrating networks of different organic materials and optimal molecular orientation. We also demonstrate the fabrication using OVPD of high density CuPc nanowires with typical diameters between 10 - 100 nm, high directionality, and exceptional aspect ratios. We show that these nanowires are of a new crystal phase, named eta-CuPc. Lastly, OFETs fabricated with OMBD and OVPD grown CuPc thin films and nanowires are characterised. The current on/off ratio, mobilities and threshold voltage for thin films produced by the two methods are comparable and similar to what has been reported in literature. In contrast, OFETs with CuPc nanowires show remarkable improvement in turn-on voltage, while mobilities also seem to improve dramatically, although this is difficult to quantify. The challenges in growing CuPc nanowires directly on FETs with precise control of position and directionality are reviewed. The key issues that need to be resolved for future applications of these one-dimensional nanostructures are identified and are subject of on-going research. To conclude, this work has made important contribution in the efforts to develop, improve and enhance the deposition methods for fabricating functional thin films and nanostructures of CuPc material for use in organic electronic devices

Statistical Analysis of Risk Factors for Cardiovascular disease in Malakand Division

Several studies have been conducted to investigate the incidence of cardiovascular disease and to determine the possible risk factors for the disease. In this study, a Statistical method of odds ratio analysis was performed to look at the association of one of the type of cardiovascular disease known as myocardial infarction with various risk factors such as diabetes, cholesterol, hypertension, sex, smoking, obesity, family history and age in Malakand division. A total of 700 patients were examined and their personal and medical data were collected. For each patient, the phenomenon of myocardial infarction was studied in relation to different risk factors. The analyses suggest that hypertension, smoking, diabetes, cholesterol level and family history were important risk factors for the occurrence of myocardial infarction

Test S of Haplotype Concordance and Discordance

The test presented here is based upon the proband and his/her affected as well as unaffected siblings. Here, the siblings are analyzed in terms of similarities of haplotypes. The proposed ‘S’ test is used in testing hypothesis that a particular disease has random pattern of inheritance against the alternative hypothesis that it has non-random pattern of inheritance. Probability distribution, mean and variance of the test are derived under the null hypothesis of random inheritance of the disease. It is then applied to data set of varying size of sibships having at least one affected and one unaffected sibs to investigate the existence of linkage disequilibrium

Statistical Analysis of Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease in Malakand Division

Several studies have been conducted to investigate the incidence of Myocardial Infarction (MI) and to determine the possible risk factors for the disease. In this study, a statistical analysis has been performed to look at the association of MI with various risk factors such as diabetes, cholesterol, hypertension, sex, smoking, obesity, family history and age in Malakand division. A total of 700 patients were examined and their personal and medical data were collected. For each patient, the phenomenon MI was studied in relation to different risk factors. The analyses suggest that hypertension, smoking, diabetes, cholesterol level and family history were important risk factors for the occurrence of myocardial infarction

Morphological Modulation of Broiler Organs in Response to an Organic Acid–Phytogen Composite in Healthy Broilers

In this study, we investigated broiler growth traits, intestinal health and immune aggregates in response to supplementation of Origanum vulgare and Cinnamomum verum, citric acid and malic acid in drinking water at varying levels and durations on broiler. We randomly allocated 140 day-old broilers into four (4) groups, with each group having seven replicates (n = 5). A basal diet and water were provided to all the groups ad libitum in accordance with standard farming practices. Keeping group I as the control, group II was supplemented with 1 mL/3.3 L of water for 1–4 days, 1 mL/4 L from 15–18 days and 1 mL/4 L water from 26–29 days. Group III and IV were supplemented with 1 mL/4 L of water and 1 mL/6 L of water for 35 days, respectively. After the completion of the trial (day 35), two broilers per replicate (14 birds per group) were slaughtered to sample the visceral organs. The results demonstrated that the feed conversion ratio (FCR) and body weight gain improved (p ≤ 0.05) during the fourth and fifth week of the trial in group III in comparison to the control group. Although the small intestine villus height and villus-height-to-crypt-depth ratio improved (p ≤ 0.05) in group III, the muscularis externa thickness of the ileum was highest (p ≤ 0.05) in the control group. Similarly, the lymphatic follicular and nodular area of the immune organs improved (p ≤ 0.05) in group III. In all segments of the small intestine (duodenal, jejunal and ileal), the number of acidic and total goblet cells was highest (p ≤ 0.05) in group II. In conclusion, dietary Origanum vulgare, Cinnamomum verum, citric acid and malic acid at the dose of 1 mL/4 L of drinking water (group III) was the most effective in improving the growth performance, gut development and associated immune components in broilers

Feeding of Phytobiotics and Exogenous Protease in Broilers: Comparative Effect on Nutrient Digestibility, Bone Strength and Gut Morphology

In this feeding trial, a total of 500 Cobb-500 broiler (day-old) chickens were randomly assigned to a control dietary treatment (basal diet only) or supplemented with crushed seeds of coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.), black cumin (Bunium persicum (Boiss.) B. Fedtsch) and ajwain (Carum copticum L.) (at 10 mg/kg each) and exogenous protease (30,000 IU/kg), respectively, in order to assess the effect of the diets on nutrient digestibility, bone strength and gut morphology. The results indicated that the digestibility coefficients of crude protein, crude fat, nitrogen-free extract, calcium and phosphorous were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in protease-treated birds compared to the control. The tibia bone weight was improved (p = 0.03) in Carum copticum, Coriandrum sativum and protease-supplemented birds. Bone length increased (p < 0.05) in protease and Carum copticum fed broilers, while the robusticity index decreased (p < 0.05) in all treatments. Villus length and width decreased (p < 0.05) in Carum copticum and Bunium persicum fed broilers. From findings, it was demonstrated that exogenous protease shows comparatively better results in improving bone quality, ileal digestibility and villus morphology in broilers