Obrigado!

Nao faz sentido escrever duas páginas de agradeciemntos e nao as dar a conhecer. Foram dois anos intensos, que culminaram com apreciacao excelente de ambos juris da minha tese. Tudo isto só foi possível porque vós também acreditastes que era possível. Obrigado pela vossa amizade, carinho e apoio.

Aknowledgments

To Professor Paul Scheier and to Professor Paulo Limão-Vieira, for their constant support, encouragement, exceptional and strong supervision. For the confidence in all the work I have been involved in, as well as for the opportunities to contact others groups throughout the scientific community. I am also thankful to Professor Tilmann Märk, for his encouragement and the way that he supports students, giving everyday valuable scientific advice. The strong cooperation between the Institute of Ionic Physics at Innsbruck University by Professor Scheier and Professor Märk and at the CEFITEC - Centre of Physics and Technological Research at the New University of Lisbon by Professor Limão-Vieira, made possible to develop my doctoral studies in Innsbruck.

To Doctor Stephan Denifl, post-doc in the Nano-Bio Physics group at the University of Innsbruck, a colleague that always had an answer to my doubts, everyday some minutes to help, discuss and advice me. With him I had strong scientific discussions that increased my physical-chemical knowledge.

To Professor Andrew Ellis from Leicester University and to Professor Olof Echt from New Hampshire University, for the strong support in the preparation of publications concerning the results discussed in this thesis. Also to Doctor Sylwia Ptasinska from Open University, Milton Keynes, UK for the opportunities to discuss results during her stays in Innsbruck. With these three acclaimed scientists I had the chance to learn and discuss science, together with Professor Eugen Illenberg from the Freie Universität Berlin, Professor Diethard Bohme from York University, Toronto and Professor Leon Sanche from Sherbrooke University.

To Doctor Alexander Giuliani at Synchrotron Soleil, Paris, for the chance that he gave me to visit his lab, work with him and learn the technique Atmospheric Pressure Photoionisation.

Thank you to all my colleagues at the Institute of Ionic Physics at Innsbruck University and at the CEFITEC - Centre of Physics and Technological Research at the New University of Lisbon, for the friendly atmosphere and constant support.

Members of the staff at the New University of Lisbon, Mrs Maria Helena Rodrigues, Department of Physics; Mrs Paula Correia and Mrs Ana Cruz, Cefitec; and at University of Innsbruck, Mrs Arntraud Bacher, Mr Markus Peimpolt, Mrs Sandra Naschberger, Mrs Leonie Werner, Institut of Ionic Physics.

A special thank you to my best friend in Austria and former colleague, Doctor Philipp Sulzer, for the pleasuring conversations around a glass of red wine or a beer, and for his steady and friendly advice. Philipp was a strong and crucial support during my stay in Innsbruck. To Achim Edtbauer, for his friendship both in the university and sharing the same flat. These two friends have contributed for happy days in Innsbruck.

A warm thank you to all my great friends in Portugal, I will not list them because of the number and to avoid forgetting anyone! All of them were very important during these two years. Without their support this time would have been difficult and long. For all of them a tight hug!

To my friends that I met in Innsbruck, for the great and happy time, people from different countries that gave me the opportunities to learn different cultures and increase my friendships in the world.

To my special family 1100, my Scout group, my blues that lost one leader during this time but at the same time were always with me, always present in my heart.

To everybody that followed my blog: flipnotirol.blogspot.com, my board diary that testifies in a funny way this life trip throughout Austria. In particular, to my uncle Francisco and my aunt Salete, daily readers and often the bridge between those that don’t use internet!

Last but not least, to my loved family, brothers and sisters, for their encouragement and presence, specially to my dear Mamã and my dear Papá, for their support, their sweet words and warm love during my stay in Innsbruck. Without this dear family this step would have been much more difficult and grey.