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(2021)ThesisGenetic differentiation is a vital aspect of population genetics and is a direct consequence of evolutionary forces acting on genetic diversity. By interpreting patterns of genetic differentiation, we can detect, infer and estimate the extent to which natural selection, genetic drift and gene flow affect genetic diversity. In this thesis, estimation of genetic differentiation is used as a tool to answer the following questions, three mainly theoretical, and the other an applied study on platypus conservation. 1. Can a form of linked selection termed associative overdominance (AOD) explain lower levels of genetic differentiation between populations (FST), and higher heterozygosity, than expected under neutrality in experimental populations (Drosophila melanogaster) and in a feral population (Bos taurus)? 2. Under which circumstances does AOD affect FST and heterozygosity? 3. Can AOD be detected in natural populations? 4. Do dams restrict gene flow among platypus groups? AOD is triggered by the occurrence of recessive deleterious mutations that are physically linked and form haplotypes when recombination events are scarce, as in small populations. When haplotypes within an individual contain recessive deleterious mutations at different positions, a heterozygote for two different haplotypes is fitter than either one of the homozygotes. As a result, heterozygosity is higher, and FST lower than expected under neutrality. Here, using feral, experimental and computer- simulated populations, it is demonstrated how AOD might be prevalent in small populations, and a framework for predicting and detecting AOD is provided. The extent to which dams disrupt gene flow among platypus populations is investigated by using four rivers regulated by dams and three unregulated rivers. It was found that: genetic differentiation is significantly correlated with the number of generations since the dams were built; populations and individuals separated by dams are genetically more different than otherwise; and areas of high genetic differentiation coincide with the location of dams. It is suggested that dams jeopardise the long-term viability of platypus populations.
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(2021)ThesisMultiferroic BiFe0.5Cr0.5O3 (BFCO) in which ferroelectric and magnetic orders coexist has gained research interest owing to its potential applications, e.g., spintronic and resistive random-access memory. Moreover, multiferroics possess a narrower bandgap compared to typical ferroelectrics, extending their application to photovoltaic devices. In contrast to the conventional semiconductors, the polarization-induced electric field facilitates the photoexcited charge separation, leading to an above-bandgap photovoltage in ferroelectrics. Nevertheless, a long-standing issue is the relatively low absorption of visible light. Thus, it is essential but challenging to tune their bandgap without compromising ferroelectricity. This thesis explores structural phase transition in the epitaxial BFCO films grown on SrRuO3 buffered (001) SrTiO3 substrate via Laser Molecular Beam Epitaxy (LMBE). Reciprocal space mapping result shows strain relaxation mechanism is not solely by the formation of misfit dislocation but also by changing the crystal symmetry, transitioning from tetragonal-like to a monoclinically distorted phase as the thickness increases. The crystallographic evolution is also coupled with bandgap modulation, confirming that BFCO structure and its physical properties are strongly intertwined. Using spectroscopic ellipsometry, the slight redshift of the bandgap distinguishes the absorption process of the T-like BFCO layer from that of monoclinically distorted structure, further confirmed by spectral photocurrent measurement via conductive-atomic force microscopy. The preparation of pure phase BFCO film with a robust polarization is of paramount importance for practical application. Yet, similar to the parental bismuth ferrite, BFCO suffers from poor electrical leakage performance. We report a three-order of magnitude suppression in the leakage current for the BFCO film through judicious adjustment of the growth rate. Scanning probe microscopy (PFM, AFM and c-AFM) results reveal that both microstructure and ferroelectric properties can be tuned by lowering the growth rate, ensuing realization of the room-temperature ferroelectric polarization comparable to the ab-initio predicted value. This thesis provides a facile strategy to tailor the structure-property of epitaxial BFCO film and its functional response for emerging optoelectronic devices.