Tableau d'honneur de la Faculté des études supérieures et postdoctorales, 2011-2012 / L'utilité des microcavités diélectriques a été démontrée dans le cadre de plusieurs applications technologiques, de la biodétection à l'informatique quantique en passant par le développement de nouvelles sources laser. Les ingrédients nécessaires à ces multiples applications sont principalement une concentration énergétique élevée et un haut facteur de qualité (temps de confinement très long) menant à un recyclage photonique efficace. Les cavités en forme de microdisque (rayon de 10-100 pm) sont d'un intérêt particulier comme structure de base en raison de leur géométrie quasi-bidimensionnelle et de la facilité associée à leur fabrication et leur intégration. Ce projet de maîtrise s'articule autour de deux types de méthodes numériques visant à modéliser des structures optiques bidimensionnelles, plus particulièrement des microcavités diélectriques. D'abord, un algorithme de modélisation par éléments de frontière est mis en oeuvre afin de déterminer les modes résonants de cavités et le facteur de qualité associé. La méthode est généralisée à un nombre arbitraire de domaines diélectriques simplement ou multiplement connexes. Le cas important de la cavité annulaire, une cavité en microdisque dans laquelle un défaut circulaire est inscrit, est traité en détail. Cette géométrie particulière permet d'accéder à une plus grande richesse de profils d'émission tout en conservant le haut facteur de confinement propre aux cavités symétriques. Les résultats obtenus s'inscrivent spécifiquement dans le cadre du développement de nouveaux microlasers directionnels. Deuxièmement, un modèle numérique par éléments finis est développé afin de rendre compte du couplage evanescent entre une microcavité et un guide d'ondes rectangulaire. Cette étude vise à optimiser les paramètres géométriques d'un dispositif d'optique intégrée pouvant être utilisé dans le cadre de la biodétection.

Dans la littérature, les réseaux de Bragg intégrés sur silicium sont relativement simples par rapport à leurs contreparties fibrées. Cependant, la fabrication de réseaux plus élaborés permettrait d’améliorer la capacité de traitement du signal des circuits sur silicium. Cette thèse s’attarde donc aux difficultés encourues lors de la conception, de la fabrication et de la caractérisation de réseaux de Bragg sur silicium ayant une réponse spectrale élaborée. Tout d'abord, afin de caractériser la réponse spectrale complexe des réseaux, l’utilisation de filtrage temporel est proposée afin de supprimer les réflexions parasites. Cela a permis d’utiliser des algorithmes de reconstruction fournissant une caractérisation complète de ces structures. De plus, l’ajout d’un filtrage des hautes fréquences spatiales a permis de réduire considérablement le bruit des mesures. Par la suite, les principales sources de distorsions de la réponse spectrale des réseaux ont été identifiées, soit la rugosité des guides et la variation de leur épaisseur. L’impact de ces phénomènes a été étudié numériquement et analytiquement et, pour la première fois, la longueur de corrélation de ces sources de bruit a été caractérisée expérimentalement sur une longueur suffisante. Finalement, deux techniques permettant de diminuer l’impact de ces phénomènes ont été proposées, ce qui a permis de fabriquer les réseaux de Bragg sur silicium ayant la plus petite largeur de bande publiée à ce jour. Également, nous avons fait les premières démonstrations d’apodisation de réseaux de Bragg utilisant uniquement la phase de ces derniers (c.-à-d. apodisation en phase et par superposition). Contrairement aux techniques déjà proposées, ces dernières ont l'avantage de ne pas introduire de distorsions de l'indice effectif, ils sont plus robuste aux erreurs de fabrication et sont compatibles avec l’apodisation de réseaux à corrugations de très petites amplitudes. Finalement, afin d'augmenter la longueur des réseaux tout en gardant leur dimension compatible avec la taille des puces de silicium, les réseaux ont été courbés en forme de spirale compacte. Pour ce faire, la période des réseaux a été modifiée afin de compenser l'effet de la courbure sur l'indice effectif. Ainsi, nous avons démontré que des réseaux de 2 mm de long pouvaient être intégrés sur une surface de 200 µm x 190 µm sans ajout de dégradation spectrale et, surtout, sans restriction sur la structure du design. Ces résultats sont significatifs, car un contrôle précis de la phase et de l’amplitude des réseaux combinés avec la capacité de fabriquer de réseaux longs sont nécessaire afin de réaliser des filtres optiques intégrés avec des réponses spectrales élaborées. Ainsi, le travail présenté dans cette thèse ouvre la porte à de nouveaux designs à base de réseaux de Bragg. / In the literature, integrated Bragg gratings in Silicon-on-Insulator are relatively simple compared to their fibre Bragg grating counterpart. However, elaborate gratings could improve the signal processing capability of the silicon platform. Thus, this thesis addresses the issues that prevent the design, the fabrication and the characterization of Bragg gratings having elaborate spectral response in the silicon platform. Firstly, in order to precisely characterize Bragg gratings complex spectral response, we proposed to suppress parasitic reflections using temporal filtering. The results obtained with measurement technique, when used with an integral layer peeling algorithm, allowed us to retrieve the amplitude and phase profiles of the grating thus providing a complete characterization of the structure. Moreover, the addition of a low-pass spatial filter allowed improving the characterization process by reducing the measurement noise. Secondly, the main sources of distortion of Bragg gratings spectral response have been identified to be the sidewall roughness and the wafer height fluctuation. An exhaustive study of the impact of these phenomena has been done both numerically and analytically. Furthermore, for the first time, the autocorrelation of these noise sources has been characterized experimentally on a sufficient length. Finally, improvements in the waveguide designs have reduced significantly these effects which allowed the fabrication of Bragg gratings in silicon with the smallest bandwidth published to date. Thirdly, the first demonstration of apodized Bragg gratings using only phase modulation of the structure has been done (i.e. phase apodisation and superposition apodisation). Unlike already published techniques, the later ones have the advantage to be robust to deep-UV lithography and fabrication errors. Furthermore, they do no introduce distortions into the grating phase profile and they are compatible with gratings having small recesses. Finally, in order to increase the grating length while keeping their dimension compatible with the silicon chip size, we proposed to bend them in a compact spiral shape. To do this properly, the curvature impact on the effective index has been modeled and compensated successfully by modifying the grating period. Thus, we have shown that 2 mm long gratings can be integrated on a surface of 200 µm x 190 µm without the addition of spectral degradation and without restrictions on the design structure. These results are of importance because longer grating structures with weaker coupling coefficients and a precise control both on its phase and amplitude are required in order to achieve integrated optical filters with elaborate spectral responses. Thus, we believe that the work presented in this thesis open the door to many new grating-based optical filter designs compatible with integrated optics technologies.

The main goal of this diploma paper was to analyze the tourist guide of the Czech Republic after joining The European Union, characterize their competence, claims and possibilities. The analysis relates especially to Czech, European and world organizations associating tourist guides and possibilities of tourist guides education in the Czech Republic. Another aim was to map utilization of tourist guides services in travel agency working.

This study investigates the role of resilience in women coping with the life transition of divorce. Five women were interviewed and an in-depth qualitative analysis undertaken, in order to explore the subjective experience of resilience during the period of separation and divorce, and its effect on post-divorce adjustment. In addition, the usefulness of formal divorce support groups to enhance resilience was examined. It was found that the most important aspects of resilience as reported by the women were social support; spirituality; personality traits such as optimism, courage and resourcefulness; an orientation toward the future; and competence/mastery of one's environment (including mastery of one's thoughts and emotions). It appeared that resilience facilitated adjustment in several ways; notably in providing a sense of purpose, control and competence resulting in an experience of personal growth. All of the women felt that they had developed a sense of their own identity and greater self-determination through the process of divorce. Support groups might be potentially effective in providing assistance in dealing with emotional issues such as anger and forgiveness; with skills development such as emotion regulation and cognitive techniques like reframing; as well as practical and informational support. Such groups might also provide a temporary community of social support where divorced women can interact with other people who are experiencing the same things. The study illuminated the subjective, often unique experience of separation and divorce; this emphasises the challenge for divorce groups to offer support which addresses this uniqueness. / Psychology / D.Litt. (Psychology)

Bound state systems consisting of three nonrelativistic particles are numerically studied. Calculations are performed employing two-body and three-body forces as input in the Hamiltonian in order to study the role or contribution of three-body forces to the binding in these systems. The resulting differential Faddeev equations are solved as three-dimensional equations in the two Jacobi coordinates and the angle between them, as opposed to the usual partial wave expansion approach. By expanding the wave function as a sum of the products of spline functions in each of the three coordinates, and using the orthogonal collocation procedure, the equations are transformed into an eigenvalue problem. The matrices in the aforementioned eigenvalue equations are generally of large order. In order to solve these matrix equations with modest and optimal computer memory and storage, we employ the iterative Restarted Arnoldi Algorithm in conjunction with the so-called tensor trick method. Furthermore, we incorporate a polynomial accelerator in the algorithm to obtain rapid convergence. We applied the method to obtain the binding energies of Triton, Carbon-12, and Ozone molecule. / Physics / M.Sc (Physics)

In the past decade, great research effort was inspired by the need to realise active optical functionalities in silicon, in order to develop the full potential of silicon as a photonic platform. In this thesis we explore the possibility of achieving tunable delay and optical gain in silicon, taking advantage of the unique dispersion capabilities of photonic crystals. To achieve tunable optical delay, we adopt a wavelength conversion and group velocity dispersion approach in a miniaturised engineered slow light photonic crystal waveguide. Our scheme is equivalent to a two-step indirect photonic transition, involving an alteration of both the frequency and momentum of an optical pulse, where the former is modified by the adiabatic tuning possibilities enabled by slow light. We apply this concept in a demonstration of continuous tunability of the delay of pulses, and exploit the ultrafast nature of the tuning process to demonstrate manipulation of a single pulse in a train of two pulses. In order to address the propagation loss intrinsic to slow light structures, with a prospect for improving the performance of the tunable delay device, we also investigate the nonlinear effect of stimulated Raman scattering as a means of introducing optical gain in silicon. We study the influence of slowdown factors and pump-induced losses on the evolution of a signal beam along the waveguide, as well as the role of linear propagation loss and mode profile changes typical of realistic photonic crystal structures. We then describe the work conducted for the experimental demonstration of such effect and its enhancement due to slow light. Finally, as the Raman nonlinearity may become useful also in photonic crystal nanocavities, which confine light in very small volumes, we discuss the design and realisation of structures which satisfy the basic requirements on the resonant modes needed for improving Raman scattering.

Cette thèse porte sur l'étude de sources lasers à base d'ions Yb3+ pour une émission autour de 1um. Le premier objectif de ce travail était d'étudier des cristaux massifs dopés Yb3+ fabriqués au CIRIL pour réaliser des sources lasers en régime continu et en régime à impulsions brèves. Pour cela, nous avons concentré notre attention sur la matrice de CaF2 dopée Yb3+ qui combine les propriétés des cristaux (bonne conductivité thermique) et des verres (larges bandes d'émission). Bien que largement étudié par le passé, le CaF2 dopé par de l'ytterbium trivalent n'avait pas encore fait l'objet d'une étude spectroscopique détaillée. L'examen du fonctionnement laser a donc été précédé d'une étude spectroscopique pour de faibles et de forts taux de dopage en ions Yb3+. Les sites dits isolés ainsi que les agrégats d'ions terres rares ont pu être caractérisés clairement. Une étude laser expérimentale et théorique a ensuite été menée qui a conduit à d'excellentes performances, en régime continu ou femtoseconde, plaçant le CaF2:Yb3+ comme un des plus sérieux candidats pour ce type de source. Le second objectif de cette thèse était l'étude d'une source laser en optique intégrée émettant à 980 nm, utile dans le domaine des télécommunications (pompage des amplificateurs dopés erbium). Deux voies d'exploration ont été examinées, l'une sur des guides de SiO2:Yb,Ti,Ge fabriqués par pulvérisation magnétron réactive et l'autre sur des guides de CaF2:Yb3+ élaborés par implantation ionique. De premiers résultats expérimentaux ont été obtenus, et un modèle laser théorique nous a permis de prédire l'émission laser à 980 nm dans ce type de structure.

The purpose of this study was to collect and annotate the musical dramas for children of elementary school age published since 1972. Musical dramas selected were limited to those having a story line rather than just a narrator and chorus, having dialogue interaction between the characters, containing mostly original music, and written for grades kindergarten through six. This document is intended as a resource for elementary school teachers and church workers who are searching for appropriate material for performance or study. Annotations of 210 musicals for children, sacred and secular, are the main emphasis of the study. Pertinent information in each annotation includes: basic story line, voice span (extreme range of the music), tessitura (range where most of the tones lie), recommended grade level, duration, type of accompaniment available, 1985 prices and required purchase for performance rights, staging requirements, number and characteristics of the songs, and personnel needed. Musicals were obtained through publishers, music retailers, and leasing firms. A part of the study is a history of musical drama in America and in America's schools. Musical drama has been a part of elementary education in America almost from its inception. The first musical drama in America was presented in Charleston, S.C., in 1735, and the first school music drama was presented in New York in 1853. Because children's musicals involve the child voice, information is contained in the study concerning practices which might cause vocal damage. Current research and theory about children's voice range is reported. Opinion is divided about proper natural voice range for children. Each viewpoint has supporting research. The study shows that an abundance of musical drama material is available for children of elementary age, especially the upper grades. A sourcebook for directors and producers of children's musicals has been included to assist those who have a limited knowledge of stage lighting, choreography, make-up, sound systems, sets, and costumes. Suggestions are provided for choosing a musical, holding auditions, scheduling rehearsals, and involving parents and community. 1973 was selected as the beginning date for inclusion of musicals in the study because of the resurgence of writing and publishing elementary school musicals and because of the growing number of musicals written for church children's groups. Recommended areas for further research concerning children's musicals include the present usage figures for published musicals, an annotated list of musicals using only narrators and choir, and usage figures of musicals by geographic areas.

The growing speed and bandwidth requirements of telecommunication systems demand all-optical on-chip solutions. Microphotonic devices can deliver low power nonlinear signal processing solutions. This thesis looks at the slow light photonic crystals in chalcogenide glasses to enhance low power nonlinear operation. I demonstrate the development of new fabrication techniques for this delicate class of materials. Both, reactive ion etching and chemically assisted ion beam etching are investigated for high quality photonic crystal fabrication. A new resist-removal technique was developed for the chemical, mechanical and light sensitive thin films. I have developed a membraning method based on vapor phase etching in combination with the development of a save and economical etching tool that can be used for a variety of vapour phase processes. Dispersion engineered slow light photonic crystals in Ge₃₃As₁₂Se₅₅ are designed and fabricated. The demonstration of low losses down to 21±8dB/cm is a prerequisite for the successful demonstration of dispersion engineered slow light waveguides up to a group index of around n[subscript(g)] ≈ 40. The slow light waveguides are used to demonstrate highly efficient third harmonic generation and the first advantages of a pure chalcogenide system over the commonly used silicon. Ge₁₁.₅As₂₄24Se₆₄.₅ is used for the fabrication of photonic crystal cavities. Quality factors of up to 13000 are demonstrated. The low nonlinear losses have enabled the demonstration of second and third harmonic generation in those cavities with powers up to twice as high as possible in silicon. A computationally efficient model for designing coupled resonator bandpass filters is used to design bandpass filters. Single ring resonators are fabricated using a novel method to define the circular shape of the rings to improve the fabrication quality. The spectral responses of the ring resonators are used to determine the coupling coefficient needed for the design and fabrication of the bandpass filters. A flat top bandpass filter is fabricated and characterized as demonstration of this method. A passive all-optical regenerator is proposed, by integrating a slow-light photonic crystal waveguide with a band-pass filter based on coupled ring resonators. A route of designing the regenerator is proposed by first using the dispersion engineering results for nonlinear pulse propagation and then using the filter responses to calculate the nonlinear transfer function.

The field of nanophotonics is a major research topic, as it offers potential solutions to important challenges, such as the creation of low power, high bandwidth interconnects or optical sensors. Within this field, resonant structures and slow light waveguides are used to improve device performance further. Photonic crystals are of particular interest, as they allow the fabrication of a wide variety of structures, including high Q-factor cavities and slow light waveguides. The high scattering loss of photonic crystal waveguides, caused by fabrication disorder, however, has so far proven to be the limiting factor for device applications. In this thesis, I present a detailed study of propagation loss in slow light photonic crystal waveguides. I examine the dependence of propagation loss on the group index, and on disorder, in more depth than previous work by other authors. I present a detailed study of the relative importance of different components of the propagation loss, as well as a calculation method for the average device properties. A new calculation method is introduced to study different device designs and to show that photonic crystal waveguide propagation loss can be reduced by device design alone. These “loss engineered” waveguides have been used to demonstrate the lowest loss photonic crystal based delay line (35 dB/ns) with further improvements being predicted (< 20 dB/ns). Novel fabrication techniques were investigated, with the aim of reducing fabrication disorder. Initial results showed the feasibility of a silicon anneal in a nitrogen atmosphere, however poor process control led to repeatability issues. The use of a slow-fast-slow light interface allowed for the fabrication of waveguides spanning multiple writefields of the electron-beam lithography tool, overcoming the problem of stitching errors. The slow-fast-slow light interfaces were combined with loss engineering waveguide designs, to achieve an order of magnitude reduction in the propagation loss compared to a W1 waveguide, with values as low as 130 dB/cm being achieved for a group index around 60.