The presented work describes new concepts of fast switching elements based on principles of photonics. The waveguides working in visible and infra-red ranges are put in a basis of these elements. And as materials for manufacturing of waveguides the transparent polymers, dopped by molecules of the dyes possessing second order nonlinear-optical properties are proposed. The work shows how nonlinear-optical processes in such structures can be implemented by electro-optical and opto-optical control circuit signals. In this paper we consider the complete cycle of fabrication of several types of integral photonic elements. The theoretical analysis of high-intensity beam propagation in media with second-order optical nonlinearity is performed. Quantitative estimations of necessary conditions of occurrence of the nonlinear-optical phenomena of the second order taking into account properties of used materials are made. The paper describes the various stages of manufacture of the basic structure of the integrated photonics: a planar waveguide. Using the finite element method the structure of the electromagnetic field inside the waveguide in different modes was analysed. A separate part of the work deals with the creation of composite organic materials with high optical nonlinearity. Using the methods of quantum chemistry, the dependence of nonlinear properties of dye molecules from its structure were investigated in details. In addition, the paper discusses various methods of inducing of an optical nonlinearity in dye-doping of polymer films. In the work, for the first time is proposed the use of spatial modulation of nonlinear properties of waveguide according Fibonacci law. This allows involving several different nonlinear optical processes simultaneously. The final part of the work describes various designs of integrated optical modulators and switches constructed of organic nonlinear optical waveguides. A practical design of the optical modulator based on Mach-Zehnder interferometer made by a photolithography on polymer film is presented. / Die vorliegende Arbeit beschreibt neue Konzepte für schnelle photonische Schaltelemente. Diese Elemente basieren auf optischer Wellenleitung im sichtbaren und nahen infraroten Spektralbereich. Die Arbeit ist auf organische Wellenleiter aus transparenten, farbstoffdotierten Polymeren fokussiert, welche Chromophore mit besonders großen optischen Nichtlinearitäten zweiter Ordnung enthalten. Insbesondere wird dargestellt, wie nichtlineare optische Prozesse in derartigen Bauelementen genutzt werden können, wenn man elektrische oder optische Steuersignale einsetzt. Es wird der gesamte Her-stellungszyklus verschiedener integrierter photonischer Bauelemente betrachtet. Die Arbeit umfasst weiterhin eine detaillierte theoretische Analyse der Wellenausbreitung in Medien mit großer nichtlinearer optischer Suszeptibilität zweiter Ordnung bei hoher Lichtintensität. Unter Annahme optischer Materialkonstanten, welche den experimentell ermittelten Werten entsprechen, erfolgte eine quantitative Abschätzung für das Auftreten von Szenarien, bei denen messbare Abwei-chungen der Strahlausbreitung vom linearen Regime auftreten, z:B. das Auftreten von zeitlichen, räumlichen und spektralen Satteliten zu den im Material propagierenden Laserpulsen. Es gelang, we-sentliche Aspekte der Strahlpropagationsprozesse durch Anwendung von Jacobi-Integralfunktionen in geschlossener mathematischer Form darzustellen. Darüber hinausgehende theoretische Untersuchungen nutzten die Finite-Elemente-Methode, um die Verteilung des elektromagnetischen Feldes im Inneren optischer Wellenleiter für verschiedene Pro-pagationsmoden zu analysieren. Ein weiterer Teil der Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit organischen Kompositmaterialen, welche große opti-sche Nichtlinearitäten aufweisen. Mittels quantenchemischer Verfahren erfolgte eine detaillierte Un-tersuchung der Zusammenhänge zwischen der molekularen Struktur und den linearen sowie den nichtlinearen optischen Eigenschaften der untersuchten Farbstoffmoleküle und Polymere. In Bezug auf die Probenpräparation sind unterschiedliche Verfahren zur Schichtbildung und zur molekularen Orientierung miteinander verglichen und bewertet worden, da letztere eine Voraussetzung für das Auftreten nichtlinearer optischer Prozesse zweiter Ordnung bildet. Die Untersuchungen erstreckten sich auf Vakuumaufdampfschichten aus niedermolekularen Chromophoren und auf Polymerschich-ten, welche durch Vakuumabscheidung sowie durch Spincoating oder andere Flüssigphasenabschei-dungsverfahren hergestellt worden sind. Auf orientierenden Substraten (z.B. geriebene Schichten aus Polytetrafluoräthylen) konnte eine spontane Orientierung der deponierten Chromophore nachgewie-sen werden. Die Chromophore in Polymerschichten wurden durch Coronapolung orientiert. In der Arbeit ist zum ersten Mal vorgeschlagen worden, eine räumliche Modulation der nichtlinearen optischen Eigenschaften durch gezielte lokale Coronapolung oder andere Orientierungstechniken derart zu generieren, dass die Abfolge gepolter Domänen dem Bildungsgesetz einer modifizierten Fibonacci-Reihe mit gebrochen rationalen Zahlen gehorcht. Der Vorteil von optischen Wellenleitern mit dieser Struktur darin, dass diese mehrere unterschiedli-che nichtlineare optische Prozesse gleichzeitig unterstützen und somit eine Vielzahl neuartiger Phä-nomene auftreten kann, welche man in neuartigen photonischen Bauelementen, z.B. für die optische Informations- und Kommunikationstechnik nutzen kann. Der letzte Teil der Arbeit beschreibt den Aufbau verschiedener integrierter optischer Modulatoren und Schalter, die sich mit Hilfe das neu entwickelten Verfahrens herstellen lassen. Zukünftige Entwicklungen in der Photonik, insbesondere der optischen Informations- und Kommuni-kationstechnik werden im abschließenden Teil der Arbeit diskutiert.

Vehicular ad hoc networks (VANET) is a class of ad hoc networks build to ensure the safety of traffic. This is important because accidents claim many lives. Trust and security remain a major concern in VANET since a simple mistake can have catastrophic consequence. A crucial point in VANET is how to trust the information transmitted when the neighboring vehicles are rapidly changing and moving in and out of range. Current reputation systems for VANET try to establish trust between entities, which might not be required for practical scenarios. Due to the ephemeral nature of VANET, reputation schemes for mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) cannot be applied to VANET. In this thesis, we point out several limitations of reputation trust management schemes for VANET. In particular, we identify the problem of information cascading and oversampling, which commonly arise in social networks. Oversampling is a situation in which a node observing two or more nodes, takes into consideration both their opinions equally without knowing that they might have influenced each other in decision making. We show that simple voting for decision making, leads to oversampling. We propose a solution to overcome this problem in VANET. We also suggest new ways to merge reputation schemes with misbehavior detection schemes to establish a trustworthy VANET.

Vehicular ad hoc networks (VANET) is a class of ad hoc networks build to ensure the safety of traffic. This is important because accidents claim many lives. Trust and security remain a major concern in VANET since a simple mistake can have catastrophic consequence. A crucial point in VANET is how to trust the information transmitted when the neighboring vehicles are rapidly changing and moving in and out of range. Current reputation systems for VANET try to establish trust between entities, which might not be required for practical scenarios. Due to the ephemeral nature of VANET, reputation schemes for mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) cannot be applied to VANET. In this thesis, we point out several limitations of reputation trust management schemes for VANET. In particular, we identify the problem of information cascading and oversampling, which commonly arise in social networks. Oversampling is a situation in which a node observing two or more nodes, takes into consideration both their opinions equally without knowing that they might have influenced each other in decision making. We show that simple voting for decision making, leads to oversampling. We propose a solution to overcome this problem in VANET. We also suggest new ways to merge reputation schemes with misbehavior detection schemes to establish a trustworthy VANET.

Vehicular ad hoc networks (VANET) is a class of ad hoc networks build to ensure the safety of traffic. This is important because accidents claim many lives. Trust and security remain a major concern in VANET since a simple mistake can have catastrophic consequence. A crucial point in VANET is how to trust the information transmitted when the neighboring vehicles are rapidly changing and moving in and out of range. Current reputation systems for VANET try to establish trust between entities, which might not be required for practical scenarios. Due to the ephemeral nature of VANET, reputation schemes for mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) cannot be applied to VANET. In this thesis, we point out several limitations of reputation trust management schemes for VANET. In particular, we identify the problem of information cascading and oversampling, which commonly arise in social networks. Oversampling is a situation in which a node observing two or more nodes, takes into consideration both their opinions equally without knowing that they might have influenced each other in decision making. We show that simple voting for decision making, leads to oversampling. We propose a solution to overcome this problem in VANET. We also suggest new ways to merge reputation schemes with misbehavior detection schemes to establish a trustworthy VANET.

Vehicular ad hoc networks (VANET) is a class of ad hoc networks build to ensure the safety of traffic. This is important because accidents claim many lives. Trust and security remain a major concern in VANET since a simple mistake can have catastrophic consequence. A crucial point in VANET is how to trust the information transmitted when the neighboring vehicles are rapidly changing and moving in and out of range. Current reputation systems for VANET try to establish trust between entities, which might not be required for practical scenarios. Due to the ephemeral nature of VANET, reputation schemes for mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) cannot be applied to VANET. In this thesis, we point out several limitations of reputation trust management schemes for VANET. In particular, we identify the problem of information cascading and oversampling, which commonly arise in social networks. Oversampling is a situation in which a node observing two or more nodes, takes into consideration both their opinions equally without knowing that they might have influenced each other in decision making. We show that simple voting for decision making, leads to oversampling. We propose a solution to overcome this problem in VANET. We also suggest new ways to merge reputation schemes with misbehavior detection schemes to establish a trustworthy VANET.

This dissertation studies the causes and mechanism of power system cascading outages and develops new methods and new tools to help detect, prevent and mitigate the outages. Three effective solutions: a steady state control scheme, a transient stability control scheme, and an interactive system-wide and local scheme have been proposed using those new methods and tools. A steady state control scheme can help detect and prevent the possible cascading outage at its initial slow steady state progress stage. It uses new methods and new tools to solve the line overload, congestion or bus high/low voltage problems. New methods, such as vulnerability index (VI), margin index (MI), network contribution factor (NCF), topology processing and selected minimum load shedding (SMLS), and new tools, such as transmission network control based on a network contribution factor (NCF) method, generator control based on a generator distribution factor (GDF) method, and load control based on a load distribution factor (LDF) method have been proposed and developed. A transient stability control scheme can help prevent and mitigate the possible cascading outage at its transient progress stage if there is enough time to take action. It uses one Lyapunov direct method, potential energy boundary surface (PEBS) method, and sensitivity analysis of transient energy margin for fast stabilizing control. The results are verified by the accurate time-domain transient stability analysis method. The interactive scheme takes advantage of accurate system-wide and local information and analysis results, uses some techniques from both steady state control and transient stability control, works at both the system-wide level and local substation level, monitors the system all the time, and takes actions when needed to help detect, prevent and mitigate the possible cascading outage. Comprehensive simulation studies have been implemented using the IEEE 14- bus, 24-bus, 39-bus and 118-bus systems and promising results show the ability of the proposed solutions to help detect, prevent and mitigate cascading outages.

Performance management has become vital in any organisation in order to ensure a competitive advantage for organisations in the ever changing environment. The Balanced Scorecard (BSC) system, used as a performance management and a performance measurement tool, will ensure that organisational goals and strategic targets are achieved if it is implemented and applied effectively. The BSC system is a management tool that can be used to transform strategy into action. The use of the BSC system was seen as a problem as used within ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA). This paper includes a literature study on the BSC system as well as an empirical study regarding the application of the BSC system in a steel organisation. Literature on the BSC advises that the objectives, measurements and targets should be aligned with the organisation's strategy and vision to ensure improved long-term performance. In order to ensure alignment to all levels in the organisation the top level scorecard needs to be cascaded to lower levels to ensure that the right strategic goals are followed. The BSC system has a high number of benefits when implemented and applied effectively. An empirical study done at ArcelorMittal's Rolling department on people in different divisions, people on different job levels, people in different age groups and people with different years of service, indicated more or less the same average responses on specific BSC related issues. In general, it was concluded that the BSC is not effectively applied with in Rolling, mainly because of communication issues, a forced distribution approach by senior management, and compensation linked to performance discrepancies. Although the average ratings on BSC related questions came out on fairly average ratings, the majority of people indicated, that the BSC system is not transparent enough, nor is it applied effectively. Various specific conclusions and recommendations were made in order to identify and improve the progression of the BSC system at Rolling going forward. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2010.

Performance management has become vital in any organisation in order to ensure a competitive advantage for organisations in the ever changing environment. The Balanced Scorecard (BSC) system, used as a performance management and a performance measurement tool, will ensure that organisational goals and strategic targets are achieved if it is implemented and applied effectively. The BSC system is a management tool that can be used to transform strategy into action. The use of the BSC system was seen as a problem as used within ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA). This paper includes a literature study on the BSC system as well as an empirical study regarding the application of the BSC system in a steel organisation. Literature on the BSC advises that the objectives, measurements and targets should be aligned with the organisation's strategy and vision to ensure improved long-term performance. In order to ensure alignment to all levels in the organisation the top level scorecard needs to be cascaded to lower levels to ensure that the right strategic goals are followed. The BSC system has a high number of benefits when implemented and applied effectively. An empirical study done at ArcelorMittal's Rolling department on people in different divisions, people on different job levels, people in different age groups and people with different years of service, indicated more or less the same average responses on specific BSC related issues. In general, it was concluded that the BSC is not effectively applied with in Rolling, mainly because of communication issues, a forced distribution approach by senior management, and compensation linked to performance discrepancies. Although the average ratings on BSC related questions came out on fairly average ratings, the majority of people indicated, that the BSC system is not transparent enough, nor is it applied effectively. Various specific conclusions and recommendations were made in order to identify and improve the progression of the BSC system at Rolling going forward. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2010.

No description available.

This work studies the consequences of a human-initiated targeted attack on the electric power system by simulating the detonation of a bomb at one or more substations in and around Washington DC. An AC power flow based transient analysis on a realistic power grid model of Eastern Interconnection is considered to study the cascading events. A detailed model of control and protection system in the power grid is considered to ensure the accurate representation of cascading outages. Particularly, the problem of identifying a set of k critical nodes, whose failure/attack leads to the maximum adverse impact on the power system has been analyzed in detail. It is observed that a greedy approach yields node sets with higher criticality than a degree-based approach, which has been suggested in many prior works. Furthermore, it is seen that the impact of a targeted attack exhibits a nonmonotonic behavior as a function of the target set size k. The consideration of hidden failures in the protective relays has revealed that the outage of certain lines/buses in the course of cascading events can save the power grid from a system collapse. Finally, a comparison with the DC steady state analysis of cascading events shows that a transient stability assessment is necessary to obtain the complete picture of cascading events in the aftermath of a targeted attack on the power grid. / M.S. / The modern day power system has been identified as a critical infrastructure providing crucial support to the economy of a country. Prior experience has shown that a small failure of a component in the power grid can lead to widespread cascading events and eventually result in a blackout. Such failures can be triggered by devastating damage due to a natural calamity or because of a targeted adversarial attack on certain points in the power system. Given limited budget to avoid widespread cascading failures in the network, an important problem would be to identify critical components in the power system. In this research an attempt has been made to replicate the actual power system conditions as accurately as possible to study the impact of a targeted adversarial attack on different points in the network. Three heuristics have been proposed to identify critical nodes in the network and their performance has been discussed. The case studies of cascading events have been performed on a synthetic power system network of Washington DC to achieve the actual system conditions of an operating power grid.