In this dissertation molecular dynamics simulations of behavior of polymer liquid crystals (PLC's) under tensile deformation have been performed. PLC's composed of random or block copolymers of rigid and flexible segments have been studies. Systems of fully flexible chains have been simulated for comparison. Stress-strain relations and fracture mechanics have been investigated.

This dissertation reports a sensitive single beam experimental technique for measuring nonlinear refraction and nonlinear absorption in a wide variety of materials. The experimental setup is described and a comprehensive theoretical analysis including cases where nonlinear refraction and nonlinear absorption are also presented.

In this study, procedures were developed to produce ultra-clean, ultra-thin target foils and to remove x-ray interference from electron bremsstrahlung and low energy K-shell x-rays from contaminant elements.

This thesis investigation concerns the optical and nonlinear electrical properties of n-InSb. Two specific areas have been studied. First is the magneto-optical study of magneto-donors, and second is the nonlinear dynamic study of nonlinear and chaotic oscillations in InSb. The magneto-optical study of InSb provides a physical picture of the magneto-donor levels, which has an important impact on the physical model of nonlinear and chaotic oscillations. Thus, the subjects discussed in this thesis connect the discipline of semiconductor physics with the field of nonlinear dynamics.

A new method for measuring the nuclear hexadecapole interaction (HDI) in solids based on NMR quadrupole echoes is described. Theoretical values of the shifts of the quadrupole echo times caused by the HDI are given for two pulse and three pulse echoes in a nuclear spin 5/2 system. The method is applied to 1271 in an almost strain free crystal of KI and a hexadecapole coupling frequency (e2M16m16/h) of 630 Hz was found. Here e is the electronic charge, em16 is the fourth gradient of the external electric potential at the nuclear site, eM16 is the hexadecapole moment and h is the Planck constant. This HDI is smaller than previously measured values in solids (42.6 MHz for 1 81 Ta in TaF 5, 66.6 MHz for 175Lu in Lu(NO3 )3*4H 20), but not as small as an atomic beam result of 151 Hz for 165Ho in atomic Ho. The method described here may be used to search for the HDI in other cubic crystals. A double resonance (1151n, 31P) multiple pulse method was unsuccessfully used to search for the 1151n HDI in a single crystal of InP.

Intensive demands have arisen to characterize nonlinear optical properties of materials for applications involving optical limiters, waveguide switches and bistable light switches. The technique of Pulse Delay Modulation is described which can monitor nonlinear changes in transmission with shot noise limited signal-to-noise ratios even in the presence of large background signals. The theoretical foundations of the experiment are presented followed by actual measurements of beam depletion due to second harmonic generation in a LiIO3 crystal and two-photon absorption in the semiconductor ZnSe. Sensitivity to polarization rotation arising from the Kerr Effect in carbon disulfide, saturable absorber relaxation in modelocking dyes and photorefractive effects in ZnSe are demonstrated. The sensitivity of Pulse Delay Modulation is combined with Fabry-Perot enhancement to allow the measurement of two-photon absorption in a 0.46pm thick interference filter spacer layer. Also included is a study of nonlinear optical limiting arising from dielectric breakdown in gases.