<p dir="ltr">This Thesis is divided into four parts. Its main themes are the thermal transport characteristics of Surface Phonon-Polaritons (SPhPs) and Surface Plasmon Polaritons (SPPs).</p><p dir="ltr">Chapter 1 introduces the main problem at issue in this Thesis: the decline in thermal conductivity with decreasing thicknesses in electronic devices and the feasibility of optimizing polar semiconductors and metals to produce polaritons that augment heat dissipation at these length scales.</p><p dir="ltr">Chapter 2 discusses Surface Phonon-Polariton (SPhP)-mediated thermal conductivity, or radiation conduction, in polar semiconductors. It considers the propagation of SPhPs in the case of two semi-infinite planes consisting of air and a polar semiconductor with a dielectric function described by its transverse- and longitudinal-optical (TOLO) phonon energies. It characterizes twenty different polar semiconductors in terms of radiation conduction via SPhPs and proposes a Figure of Merit (FoM) that describes the effectiveness of polariton conductance using easily-measured TO and LO phonon energies and linewidths.</p><p dir="ltr">Chapter 3 considers the propagation of SPPs in the case of two semi-infinite planes consisting of air and a metal with a dielectric function described by the Lorentz-Drude (LD) model. This chapter characterizes the effectiveness of eleven different metals as radiation conductors via SPPs and relates polariton conductance to electrical resistivity. It proposes a FoM analogous to the Wiedemann-Franz law that relates the effectiveness of polariton conductance and thermal conductance to the material’s electron scattering or linewidth.</p><p dir="ltr">Chapter 4 chapter compares the relative effectiveness of SPhP- and SPP-mediated radiation conduction. It describes why SPPs demonstrate far higher polariton conductance values than SPhPs by highlighting the underlying mechanisms at work in both—that is, available modes of energy transmission and their respective mean free path lengths.</p>

A unified and systematic study of one-dimensional heat conduction based on thermal relaxation is presented. Thermal relaxation is introduced through the constitutive equation (modified Fourier's law) which relates this heat flux and temperature. The resulting temperature and flux field equations become hyperbolic rather than the usual classical parabolic equations encountered in heat conduction. In this formulation, heat propagates at a finite speed and removes one of the anomalies associated to parabolic heat conduction, i.e., heat propagating at an infinite speed. In situations involving very short times, high heat fluxes, and cryogenic temperatures, a more exact constitutive relation must be introduced to preserve a finite speed to a thermal disturbance. The general one-dimensional temperature and flux formulations for the three standard orthogonal coordinate systems are presented. The general solution, in the temperature domain, is developed by the finite integral transform technique. The basic physics and mathematics are demonstrated by reviewing Taitel's problem. Then attention is turned to the effects of radially dependent systems, such as the case of a cylinder and sphere. Various thermal disturbances are studied showing the unusual physics associated with dissipative wave equations. The flux formulation is shown to be a viable alternative domain to develop the flux distribution. Once the flux distribution has been established, the temperature distribution may be obtained through the conservation of energy. Linear one-dimensional composite regions are then investigated in detail. The general temperature and flux formulations are developed for the three standard orthogonal coordinate systems. The general solution for the flux and temperature distributions are obtained in the flux domain using a generalized integral transform technique. Additional features associated with hyperbolic heat conduction are displayed through examples with various thermal disturbances. A generalized expression for temperature dependent thermal conductivity is introduced and incorporated into the one-dimensional hyperbolic heat equation. An approximate analytical solution is obtained and compared with a standard numerical method. Finally, recommendations for future analytical and experimental investigations are suggested. / Ph. D.

An experimental investigation was carried out to determine the feasibility of using thermal conductivity measurements to detect moisture concentrations in a highly porous glass fiber insulation. A new technique employing thermistor probes was used to measure thermal conductivity over a range of low moisture contents. The results indicate that the material's thermal conductivity is a strong nonlinear function of the moisture concentration. The sensitivity of the moisture content to thermal conductivity is greatest for moisture contents less than 25 per cent for the material tested. A numerical procedure for predicting the temperature and moisture distributions in a highly porous material is detailed. / Ph. D.

Sudden cardiac death is largely attributable to sudden onset ventricular arrhythmias. Alterations in cardiac conduction, particularly the slowing of conduction velocity is one major factor in arrhythmogenesis. By understanding the mechanisms and factors that modulate cardiac conduction velocity, we can assess and perhaps mitigate the risk of arrhythmia in patients for whom slowed conduction is a arrhythmogenic substrate. Cardiac conduction has traditionally been described by cable theory, which predicts an inverse relationship between extracellular resistance and conduction velocity (CV). However, in studies that reduce extracellular resistance by inducing interstitial edema, there are conflicting results, with some labs showing increased CV when edema is induced with one agent, and others showing reduced CV when edema is induced with a different agent. In the first part of this dissertation, we present experimental data in support of ephaptic coupling (EpC), a theorized mechanism of conduction that resolves these apparent contradictions. In the later part of this dissertation, we address how changes in sodium concentration can alter conduction, despite conventional wisdom suggesting that it should not. We show that when sodium channels are impaired, such as by genetic mutation or pharmacologic blockade, that conduction is sensitized to changes in sodium concentrations that would not otherwise induce changes in CV. We go on to explore the mechanisms that modulate this sensitivity and present data that show it is a function of both EpC and outward potassium currents. Taken together, these data expand our understanding of the mechanics behind cardiac conduction and demonstrate that EpC has a clinically relevant impact on conduction and represents a new pathway to explore in regard to the treatment and management of arrhythmogenic and conduction disorders. / Doctor of Philosophy / In all large animals, life is sustained by the regular coordinated beating of the heart to pump blood throughout the body. Throughout this continuous activity, and even with minute-to-minute changes in heart rate, this electrically driven activity continues without major disruption. Until it doesn't. Major arrhythmias can occur suddenly, and without warning. Over the last century, we have begun to understand some of the reasons why heart, even an injured one, will work normally for hundreds of thousands of beats, and on the next fall into a life-threatening new pattern, and one of the most important of these reasons is the speed of conduction: the spread of electrical activation throughout the heart tissue. Understanding the mechanisms of conduction provides a way to assess and mitigate the risk of arrhythmias and may open up new avenues for treatment and prevention. This dissertation presents evidence for a previously theoretical mechanism of conduction called ephaptic coupling. We show that this electric field mediated form of conduction can be modulated with clinically used osmotic agents, and that it has a physiologically relevant impact on conduction. We also show that hyponatremia (i.e. low sodium), a condition that is traditionally thought to have minimal impact on cardiac conduction, because a significant modulator of conduction when sodium channel functions are impaired. As a great many drugs block sodium channels, this sensitization to hyponatremia and the factors that mediate it are underappreciated concerns that are relevant to a wide array of patients. The new findings presented in this dissertation advance our collective understanding of the mechanisms of cardiac conduction and provide evidence for new avenues of exploration in the prevention and management of arrhythmias and conduction disorders.

No / The need for greater energy efficiency has garnered increasing support for the use of fuel-cell technology, a prime example being the solid-oxide fuel cell1, 2. A crucial requirement for such devices is a good ionic (O2- or H+) conductor as the electrolyte3, 4. Traditionally, fluorite- and perovskite-type oxides have been targeted3, 4, 5, 6, although there is growing interest in alternative structure types for intermediate-temperature (400¿700 °C) solid-oxide fuel cells. In particular, structures containing tetrahedral moieties, such as La1-xCaxMO4-x/2(M=Ta,Nb,P) (refs 7,8), La1-xBa1+xGaO4-x/2 (refs 9,10) and La9.33+xSi6O26+3x/2 (ref. 11), have been attracting considerable attention recently. However, an atomic-scale understanding of the conduction mechanisms in these systems is still lacking; such mechanistic detail is important for developing strategies for optimizing the conductivity, as well as identifying next-generation materials. In this context, we report a combined experimental and computational modelling study of the La1-xBa1+xGaO4-x/2 system, which exhibits both proton and oxide-ion conduction9, 10. Here we show that oxide-ion conduction proceeds via a cooperative 'cog-wheel'-type process involving the breaking and re-forming of Ga2O7 units, whereas the rate-limiting step for proton conduction is intra-tetrahedron proton transfer. Both mechanisms are unusual for ceramic oxide materials, and similar cooperative processes may be important in related systems containing tetrahedral moieties.

The Thermal Radiation Group at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University has been working closely with scientists and engineers at NASA's Langley Research Center to develop accurate analytical and numerical models suitable for designing next-generation thin-film thermal radiation detectors for earth radiation budget measurement applications. The current study provides an analytical model of the notional thermal radiation detector that takes into account thermal transport phenomena, such as the contact resistance between the layers of the detector, and is suitable for use in parameter estimation. It was found that the responsivity of the detector can increase significantly due to the presence of contact resistance between the layers of the detector. Also presented is the effect of doping the thermal impedance layer of the detector with conducting particles in order to electrically link the two junctions of the detector. It was found that the responsivity and the time response of the doped detector decrease significantly in this case. The corresponding decrease of the electrical resistance of the doped thermal impedance layer is not sufficient to significantly improve the electrical performance of the detector. Finally, the "roughness effect" is shown to be unable to explain the decrease in the thermal conductivity often reported for thin-film layers / Master of Science

La flottation en colonne est un système multivariable complexe avec une dynamique incertaine et non linéaire qui subit l'effet de perturbations non mesurées. Son optimisation est donc un défi d'envergure. Avec les techniques d'optimisation en temps réel, l'hypothèse que le système est en régime permanent alors qu'il est constamment perturbé limite la fréquence d'optimisation. Les systèmes hiérarchisés de commande permettent de prendre en compte l'incertitude et la complexité du procédé. Une approche courante pour optimiser indirectement l'opération des procédés de flottation consiste à mesurer et à réguler des variables secondaires qui sont fortement corrélées aux variables de performance. Ce projet couvre deux sujets importants. Le premier aspect est le développement d'algorithmes d'estimation des variables secondaires. Des techniques permettant l'estimation de la profondeur d'écume et du différentiel d'eau basées sur des mesures de conductivité sont développées. Un observateur dynamique non linéaire de la concentration en moussant fut également conçu, conduisant à des erreurs de 1 ppm. Finalement, un modèle de mélange Gaussien (Gaussian mixture model) a permis la mesure en-ligne de la distribution de dimension des bulles à partir d'un système d'imagerie. Le deuxième sujet est la conception de stratégies de commande visant l'optimisation indirecte du procédé. Une commande prédictive qui optimise indirectement la colonne en maximisant le taux de rétention d'air tout en assurant un différentiel d'eau positif est premièrement décrite. Une commande à modèle interne basée sur un modèle de Wiener fut également conçue pour réguler la dimension des bulles. Un barbotteur ("frit and sleeve") permet la régulation de la dimension de bulles de façon indépendante du débit superficiel du gaz, une étape clé pour contrôler le taux surfacique de bulles. Ces expériences illustrent que le taux de rétention d'air et le taux surfacique de bulles sont fortement corrélés démontrant qu'ils peuvent tous deux être employés à des fins de commande. Finalement, la commande de la distribution de la dimension des bulles est explorée. L'emploi d'un modèle de mélange Gaussien pour représenter la distribution de la dimension des bulles permet de transformer un problème d'ordre infini en une situation qui permet l'utilisation de méthodes classiques de commande

Tableau d'honneur de la Faculté des études supérieures et postdoctorales, 2016-2017 / La sténose aortique est la cardiopathie valvulaire la plus fréquente retrouvée chez les patients agés. Suite à l’apparition des symptômes, la survie des patients diminue de façon drastique en l’absence d’un remplacement valvulaire aortique. Cependant, une proportion considérable de ces patients n’est pas opérée en raison d'un risque chirurgical élevé, l'âge étant l'une des principales raisons de refus d’un remplacement valvulaire aortique chirurgical. Ce défaut dans la prise en charge des ces patients a favorisé le développement du remplacement valvulaire aortique par cathéter où implantation valvulaire aortique par cathèter (TAVR ou TAVI), qui a représenté une révolution dans le traitement de la sténose aortique. Cette intervention est actuellement un traitement de routine chez les patients à haut risque chirurgical atteints d’une sténose aortique, même si la chirurgie cardiaque n’est pas contre-indiquée. Ces dernières années ont vu un changement de profil des candidats potentiels vers une population à plus faible risque. Cependant, plusieurs préoccupations demeurent. L’une des plus importantes est la survenue des arythmies et de troubles de conduction, notamment le bloc de branche gauche et le bloc auriculo-ventriculaire, qui sont des complications fréquemment associées au TAVR. Malgré l’évolution de la technologie et le développement de nouveaux dispositifs réduisant le taux global de complications, aucune amélioration n’a pas été intégrée pour prévenir l’apparition de telles complications. De plus, l'utilisation de certains dispositifs de nouvelle génération semble être associée à un risque accru de troubles de conduction, et par conséquent, l'incidence de ces complications pourrait augmenter dans le futur. Cependant, L'impact et l'évolution de ces complications sont inconnus. Ce travail de recherche évalue l'incidence et l'évolution des troubles de conduction suite au TAVR et l'impact des blocs de branche gauche de novo et de l'implantation d'un pacemaker sur les résultats cliniques et échocardiographiques. / The aortic stenosis is one of the most frequent valvular heart diseases, which is mostly diagnosed in older patients. With the symptoms onset, the lifespan of such patients dramatically decrease unless an aortic valve replacement is performed. However, a considerable proportion of such patients do not undergo cardiac surgery owing to a perceived high risk, being the advanced age one of main reasons to deny surgical aortic valve replacement. Such deficiency in the care of these patients has favoured the development of transcatheter aortic valve replacement or implantation (TAVR or TAVI), which has revolutionized the treatment of aortic stenosis. This treatment is now a routine therapy in high-risk patients with aortic stenosis, even if cardiac surgery is not contraindicated. Indeed, the last years have witnessed a shift in the use of this technology to lower risk populations. TAVR technology has experienced a dramatic evolution to integrate enhanced iterations which have allowed, along with the improvement of the technology, a reduction in the risk of complications associated with this therapy. However, several concerns remain. One of them is the occurrence of arrhythmias and conductions disturbances, in particular left bundle branch block and atrioventricular block, which are frequent complications of TAVR. Despite the evolution of the technology and development of new devices leading to a reduction in the overall rate of complications, no new iterations have been integrated to prevent the occurrence of such complications. Moreover, the use of new-generation devices seems to be associated with an increased risk of such complications, and therefore, its incidence is expected to increase in the next future. Nonetheless, little is known about the impact and evolution of these disorders. This thesis evaluates the incidence and evolution of new-onset arrhythmias and conduction abnormalities after TAVR and the impact of new-onset left bundle branch block and permanent pacemaker implantation on late clinical and echocardiographic outcomes.

Les colonnes de flottation jouent un rôle important dans le processus de séparation des minéraux. Dans ce contexte, le comportement des variables hydrodynamiques à l'intérieur de celles-ci est étroitement lié aux performances métallurgiques de l'unité. Par conséquent, la commande de ces variables est un objectif préalable à la mise en place d'une stratégie d'optimisation en temps réel. Le but du projet est la commande de variables hydrodynamiques d'une colonne pilote de flottation pour un fonctionnement à trois phases en laboratoire ainsi qu'en usine (Mine Agnico-Eagle, division Laronde). Les variables considérées sont : le taux de rétention de gaz dans la zone de collecte, la fraction d'eau de lavage sous l'interface et la profondeur d'écume. Ces variables sont estimées à l'aide de mesures de conductivité électrique. Elles sont commandées en manipulant les débits de gaz, d'eau de lavage et de rejet. Des tests d'identification à des conditions nominales de fonctionnement conduisent à un modèle représentatif du système. La profondeur d'écume est commandée par un régulateur proportionnel-intégral, alors que les autres variables sont régulées par une stratégie de commande multivariable prédictive avec contraintes. Les résultats obtenus en laboratoire et en usine ont permis de confirmer le potentiel d'inclure ces algorithmes dans une stratégie d'optimisation en temps réel d'une colonne industrielle.

Tableau d'honneur de la Faculté des études supérieures et postdoctorales, 2018-2019 / L’utilisation de systèmes de béton chauffant électriquement conducteur en conditions hivernales constitue une alternative intéressante pour prolonger la durée de vie des structures et pour assurer la mobilité et la sécurité des usagers de la route. En remplaçant certaines composantes conventionnelles du béton, il est possible d’augmenter suffisamment sa conductivité électrique pour que ce dernier dégage de la chaleur lors du passage d’un courant électrique. L’utilisation de ce type de système dans des zones à grande sensibilité hivernale est une option pour remplacer les techniques présentement utilisées pour le déneigement et le déglaçage souvent mauvaises pour l’environnement, inefficaces, endommagent les structures en plus d’être très coûteuses. Néanmoins, le succès d’un tel système demande une bonne élaboration du mélange de béton électriquement conducteur et une configuration d’électrodes permettant un dégagement de chaleur uniforme. L’automatisation par des capteurs augmente l’efficacité énergétique du système en activant ce dernier seulement quand le besoin se manifeste, c’est-à-dire en conditions de chute de neige, de pluie verglaçante ou de brouillard givrant. L’objectif principal de ce projet de recherche est de développer un système automatisé de fonte de neige et de glace en optimisant les recettes de béton et la position des électrodes précédemment mentionnés vers des solutions économiques et efficaces. Dans ce mémoire, le développement de mélanges de bétons et de mortiers électriquement conducteurs sera développé, en plus de l’élaboration d’une configuration d’électrodes rencontrant des critères de sécurité et de consommation énergétique. Ces réalisations par étapes en laboratoire seront suivies par des essais en conditions réelles hivernales sur un prototype de 1.1m² installé sur le campus de l’Université Laval. Les succès de ce travail de recherche présentent des résultats et confirment le côté innovateur et le potentiel commercial du système élaboré. / The use of electrically conductive heated concrete systems in winter conditions is an interesting alternative to extend the life of structures and to ensure the mobility and safety of road users. By replacing some conventional components of concrete, it is possible to increase its conductivity sufficiently to release heat when electric current passes through it. Using this type of system in strategic points can be an option to replace techniques currently used for snow and ice removal, which are bad for the environment, are not effective, cause damage to structures and are very expensive. Nevertheless, the success of such a system requires a good elaboration of the electrically conductive concrete mix design and a configuration of electrodes that releases heat uniformly. Sensor automation increases the energy efficiency of the system by activating the latter only when the need arises, i.e. under snowfall, freezing rain or freezing fog conditions. The main objective of this research project is to develop an automated snow and ice melting system using the previously mentioned concrete and electrodes. In this thesis, the development of electrically conductive concrete and mortars mix designs will be presented, in addition to the development of an electrode configuration that meets criteria of safety and energy consumption previously established by the searchers. These laboratory steps will be followed by tests in real winter conditions on a 1.1m² prototype installed on Laval University’s campus. The successful results confirm the innovative side and commercial potential of the developed system.