I have a deep debt of gratitude to everyone who supported me throughout my Ph.D. study. Firstly, I would like to express my sincere appreciation and thanks to my Ph.D. thesis supervisor, Professor Chris Joslin for his guidance, support, motivation, and knowledge. Thanks must also go to my committee members for their helpful suggestions and discussions. Besides, I am mostly grateful to my wonderful parents for their unconditional love, support, and faith in me. Words cannot express how grateful I am to my mother, father, and sister for their support and encouragements. This accomplishment would not have been achievable without their constant support and love. I also owe much to my caring and supportive friends in Canada and elsewhere who helped me stay strong and keep moving forward during these years. v Table of Contents Abstract iii Acknowledgments v Table of Contents vi List of Tables ix List of Figures x Acronyms xiv Dup-Diagonal of-45 degree upward Ddown+ Diagonal of +45 degree downward Ddown-Diagonal of-45 degree downward xv