In this work, silicon nitride nanostructures were prepared by a reactive sputtering technique employing, a novel design of closed-field unbalanced dual magnetron system. The optical properties of the prepared nanostructures were studied by their absorption and transmission spectra in the range of 200-800 nm. As well, the structural properties of these structures were studied to determine the optimum geometry of the employed closed-field unbalanced dual magnetron configuration. The produced Si 3 N 4 nanostructures showed high absorption in the ultraviolet wavelength region (<200 nm) in addition to an absorption band centered at 389 nm. The energy gap of the prepared samples was found to be 5.2 eV of allowed and direct type. Structural results showed that the prepared samples were amorphous with average particle size of 20-30 nm, average particle diameter of 99.22 nm and average roughness of 0.777 nm. In this technique, low cost, high purity and homogeneous surfaces can be prepared by the effective control of the operation parameters, especially the geometry of closed-field unbalanced dual magnetron configuration.

In this work, ultraviolet photodetectors have been fabricated by depositing silicon nitride nanoparticles on a p-type silicon substrate by closed-field unbalanced dual magnetron sputtering technique. The structural characteristics of silicon nitride have been identified through X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Ultraviolet-visible transmission and absorption spectra of the silicon nitride thin films have been recorded. The maximum spectral responsivities of these photodetectors have been measured. The results show that these photodetectors have quantum efficiencies between 0.421 and 0.479 and specific detectivity up to 2.33 3 10 11 cm W 21 Hz 21 at 10 kHz. Accordingly, silicon nitride can be considered as an applicable candidate for ultraviolet photodetectors.

Tin oxide thin films were deposited by direct current (DC) reactive sputtering at gas pressures of 0.015 mbar-0.15 mbar. The crystalline structure and surface morphology of the prepared SnO 2 films were introduced by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). These films showed preferred orientation in the (110) plane. Due to AFM micrographs, the grain size increased non-uniformly as the working gas pressure increased.

In this work, a home-made closed-field unbalanced magnetron system for plasma sputtering purposes was constructed and operated. The effect of magnetron was introduced by comparing the obtained Paschen's curve in existence of magnetron with and without magnetron. Characterization of Paschen's curve as well as discharge current with gas pressure at different distances between the discharge electrodes was introduced. Optimum conditions to operate such home-made system for sputtering purpose were determined.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is the most common form of violence against women and girls (VAWG). Research has shown that gender inequitable attitudes, economic stressors, and armed conflict are among the many risk factors for IPV. Armed conflict can leave women and girls even more vulnerable to gender-based violence and create a context in which hegemonic masculinity may escalate different forms of VAWG. In South Sudan, a country that has been affected by continued armed conflicts, more than half of ever-partnered women and girls have reported experiencing physical or sexual IPV. This study reports on two population-based surveys targeting women and men in South Sudan. Logistic regression analyses were conducted using a sub-sample of ever-partnered men in South Sudan to examine the effect of several predictors on lifetime perpetration of IPV. Findings show a number of factors that were associated with increased odds of ever perpetrating IPV including perpetrating non-partner sexual violence, exposure to non-partner physical violence, and the number of controlling behaviors perpetrated against women partners. These findings suggest that perpetration of IPV is linked to gender inequality and exposure to and normalization of violence. Overall, this research contributes to our in-depth understanding of how experiences of armed conflict may contribute to perpetration of VAWG.