ii I dedicate my thesis to my parents, my wife Shudan Ma, for their consistent support and unconditional love. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Pursuing math PhD degree in Purdue university has been a truly adventurous and life-changing journey for me. It would not have been possible for me to achieve this goal without the support and guidance that I received from many people. First and foremost, I would like to express my gratitude and thanks to my advisor, Professor Fabrice Baudoin for being a tremendous mentor for me. Throughout my PhD life in Purdue university, he provided consistent encouragement, sound advice, excellent teaching; Having spent the past 6 years as his student, I was impressed by his deep insights on the subject and clear explanation...