The main focus of this thesis is placed on high frequency PCB signal Integrity Is-sues and RF/Microwave filters using EBG structures. From the signal Integrity aspect, two topics were mainly discussed. On one hand, the effect of increasing frequency on classical design rules for crosstalk reduction in PCBs was investigated experimentally and by full-wave simulations. An emphasis was placed on the 3×W spacing rule and the use of guard traces. Single-ended and differential transmission lines were considered. S-parameter measurements and simu-lations were carried out at high-frequency (up to 20 GHz). The results emphasize the necessity to reevaluate traditional design rules for their suitability in high frequency applications. Also, the impacts of using guard traces for high frequency crosstalk re-duction were clearly pointed out. On the other hand, the effect of high loss PCB ma-terials on the signal transmission characteristics of microstrip lines at high frequency (up to 20 GHz) was treated. Comparative studies were carried out on different micro-strip configurations using standard FR4 substrate and a high frequency dielectric ma-terial from Rogers, Corporation. The experimental results highlight the dramatic im-pact of high dielectric loss materials (FR4 and solder mask) and magnetic plating metal (nickel) on the high frequency signal attenuation and loss of microstrip trans-mission lines. Besides, the epoxy-based SU8 photoresist was characterized at high frequency (up to 50 GHz) using on-wafer conductor-backed coplanar waveguide transmission lines. A relative dielectric constant of 3.2 was obtained at 30 GHz. Some issues related to the processing of this material, such as cracks, hard-skin, etc, were also discussed. Regarding RF/Microwave filters, the concept of Electromagnetic Band Gap (EBG) was used to design and fabricate novel microstrip bandstop filters using periodically modified substrate. The proposed EBG structures, which don’t suffer conductor backing issues, exhibit interesting frequency response characteristics. The limitations of modeling and simulation tools in terms of speed and accuracy are also examined in this thesis. Experiments and simulations were carried out show-ing the inadequacies of the Spice diode model for the simulations in power electronics. Also, an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model was proposed as an alternative and a complement to full-wave solvers, for a quick and sufficiently accurate simulation of interconnects. A software implementation of this model using Matlab’s ANN toolbox was shown to considerably reduce (by over 800 times) the simulation time of microstrip lines using full-wave solvers such as Ansoft’s HFSS and CST’s MWS. Finally, a novel cooling structure using a double heatsink for high performance electronics was presented. Methods for optimizing this structure were also discussed. / QC 20100809

<p>In this project Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy is used to investigate a new kind of photodiode that is based on nanowires. The photo current and I-V curves for different temperatures, different applied biases, in darkness and illumination condition have been studied. The experiment was conducted in the temperature range from 78 K (-195ºC) to 300 K (27ºC). These photo diodes are designed to work on NIR wavelengths. The results show some excellent properties, such as high break down voltage, and that is an important advantage for photo detectors, low and constant reverse saturation current (Is). The results show some defects, most of them come from fabrication. The design of the sample is also discussed.</p>

<p>För att kalibrera väderradarna i Sverige finns en miniräknare med program som styr kalibreringen. Deluppgiften ”Program för kalibrering” innebär att överföra dessa program till en PC. Då ingen dokumentation finns om hur kommunikationen sker mellan radar och miniräknare, är första steget att analysera och jämföra programkoden från miniräknaren med informationen från en linjelyssnare. Därefter skrivs programmen i det grafiska programmeringsspråket Agilent Vee. Programmen läser av radarns svar på signaler med olika dämpning från en signalgenerator, beräknar en radarkonstant, skapar en kalibreringstabell, samt programmerar kalibreringstabellen i radarns signalprocessor. Datorns mätvärden och beräkningar jämförs med miniräknarens, och det kan konstateras att programmen överensstämmer med varandra.</p><p>Deluppgiften ”Automatiserad kontroll av dämpsteg” innebär att med en spektrumanalysator läsa av effekten på en signal med varierande dämpning från en signalgenerator. Detta görs för att kontrollera dämpstegen, då man på Saab Aerotech upptäckt problem med signalgeneratorn. Ett program skrivs för att automatiskt styra både signalgenerator och spektrumanalysator. Den avlästa effekten vid varje dämpsteg sparas och en graf med dessa värden genereras automatiskt av programmet. I grafen återfås en linjär kurva, vilket är det förväntade utseendet vid fungerande dämpsteg. För en ytterligare kontroll läses effekten av vid varje enskild dämpare. Även dessa värden ligger inom accepterade gränser, vilket innebär att problemet ligger på annat håll i signalgeneratorn, än i dämpstegen.</p> / <p>A calculator is used to calibrate all the weather radars in Sweden. One part of this thesis is to transfer the programs on this calculator to a PC. There is no documentation on how the calculator communicates with the radar, so the first step is to analyze and compare the code from the program with the information shown on a protocol analyzer. When the communication is known, a program is written in the language Agilent Vee. One program reads the response from the radar of a signal with different attenuation. Others calculates the radar constant, generates a calibration table and programs the table to the signal processor in the radar. By comparing the result from the programs on the PC and the corresponding results from the calculator it is verified that the programs run correctly.</p><p>Saab Aerotech have found that the signal generator in not working correctly. The other part of this thesis is to automatically control the signal generator and a spectrum analyzer. The spectrum analyzer reads the power of a signal with different attenuation from the signal generator and presents the values in a graph. The curve of the graph is linear which means that there is no problem with the attenuation.</p>

The interaction of an HVDC converter with the connected power system is of complex nature. An accurate model of the converter is required to study these interactions. The use of analytical small-signal converter models provides useful insight and understanding of the interaction of the HVDC system and the connected system components. In this thesis analytical models of the HVDC converters are developed in the frequency-domain by calculating different transfer functions for small superimposed oscillations of voltage, current, and control signals. The objective is to study the dynamic proprieties of the combined AC-DC interaction and the interaction between different HVDC converters with small signal analysis. It is well known that the classical Bode/Nyquist/Nichols control theory provides a good tool for this purpose if transfer functions that thoroughly describe the 'plant' or the 'process' are available. Thus, there is a need for such a frequency-domain model. Experience and theoretical calculation have shown that voltage/power stability is a very important issue for an HVDC transmission link based on conventional line-commutated thyristor-controlled converters connected to an AC system with low short circuit capacity. The lower the short circuit capacity of the connected AC system as compared with the power rating of the HVDC converter, the more problems related to voltage/power stability are expected. Low-order harmonic resonance is another issue of concern when line-commutated HVDC converters are connected to a weak AC system. This resonance appears due to the presence of filters and shunt capacitors together with the AC network impedance. With a weak AC system connected to the HVDC converter, the system impedances interact through the converter and create resonances on both the AC- and DC-sides of the converter. In general, these resonance conditions may impose limitations on the design of the HVDC controllers. In order to improve the performance of the HVDC transmission system when it is connected to a weak AC system network, a reactive compensator with a voltage source converter has been closely connected to the inverter bus. In this thesis it is shown that the voltage source converter, with an appropriate control strategy, will behave like a rotating synchronous condenser and can be used in a similar way for the dynamic compensation of power transmission systems, providing voltage support and increasing the transient stability of the converter. / QC 20100708

This thesis considers the problem of making dynamic models for industrial processes by combining physical modelling with experimental data. The focus is on distributed parameter systems, that is, systems for which the model structure involves partial differential equations (PDE). Distributed parameter systems are important in many applications, e.g., in chemical process systems and in intracellular biochemical processes, and involve for instance all forms of transport and transfer phenomena. For such systems, the postulated model structure usually requires a finite dimensional approximation to enable identification and validation using experimental data. The finite dimensional approximation involves translating the PDE model into a set of ordinary differential equations, and is termed model reduction. The objective of the thesis is two-fold. First, general PDE model reduction methods which are efficient in terms of model order for a given level of accuracy are studied. The focus here is on a class of methods called moving mesh methods, in which the discretization mesh is considered a dynamic degree of freedom that can be used for reducing the model reduction error. These methods are potentially highly efficient for model reduction of PDEs, but often suffer from stability and robustness problems. In this thesis it is shown that moving mesh methods can be cast as standard feedback control problems. Existing moving mesh methods are analyzed based on tools and results available from control theory, and plausible explanations to the robustness problems and parametric sensitivity experienced with these methods are provided. Possible remedies to these problems are also proposed. A novel moving finite element method, Orthogonal Collocation on Moving Finite Elements (OCMFE), is proposed based on a simple estimate of the model reduction error combined with a low order linear feedback controller. The method is demonstrated to be robust, and hence puts only small demands on the user. In the second part of the thesis, the integration of PDE model reduction methods with grey-box modelling tools available for finite dimensional models is considered. First, it is shown that the standard approach based on performing model reduction using some ad hoc discretization method and model order, prior to calibrating and validating the reduced model, has a number of potential pitfalls and can easily lead to falsely validated PDE models. To overcome these problems, a systematic approach based on separating model reduction errors from discrepancies between postulated model structures and measurement data is proposed. The proposed approach is successfully demonstrated on a challenging chromatography process, used for separation in biochemical production, for which it is shown that data collected at the boundaries of the process can be used to clearly distinguish between two model structures commonly used for this process. / QC 20101020

The work presented in this thesis deals with optical studies of semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) in the InGaAs material system. It is shown that for self-assembled InAs QDs, the interaction with the surrounding GaAs barrier and the InAs wetting layer (WL) in particular, has a very large impact on their optical properties. The ability to control the charge state of individual QDs is demonstrated and attributed to a modulation in the carrier transport dynamics in the WL. After photo-excitation of carriers (electrons and holes) in the barrier, they will migrate in the sample and with a certain probability become captured into a QD. During this migration, the carriers can be affected by exerting them to an external magnetic field or by altering the temperature. An external magnetic field applied perpendicular to the carrier transport direction will lead to a decrease in the carrier drift velocity since their trajectories are bent, and at sufficiently high field strength become circular. In turn, this decreases the probability for the carriers to reach the QD since the probability for the carriers to get trapped in WL localizing potentials increases. An elevated temperature leads to an increased escape rate out of these potentials and again increases the flow of carriers towards the QD. These effects have significantly different strengths for electrons and holes due to the large difference in their respective masses and therefore it constitutes a way to control the supply of charges to the QD. Another effect of the different capture probabilities for electrons and holes into a QD that is explored is the ability to achieve spin polarization of the neutral exciton (X0). It has been concluded frequently in the literature that X0 cannot maintain its spin without application of an external magnetic field, due to the anisotropic electron – hole exchange interaction (AEI). In our studies, we show that at certain excitation conditions, the AEI can be by-passed since an electron is captured faster than a hole into a QD. The result is that the electron will populate the QD solely for a certain time window, before the hole is captured. During this time window and at polarized excitation, which creates spin polarized carriers, the electron can polarize the QD nuclei. In this way, a nuclear magnetic field is built up with a magnitude as high as ~ 1.5 T. This field will stabilize the X0 spin in a similar manner as an external magnetic field would. The build-up time for this nuclear field was determined to be ~ 10 ms and the polarization degree achieved for X0 is ~ 60 %. In contrast to the case of X0, the AEI is naturally cancelled for the negatively charged exciton (X-) and the positively charged exciton (X+) complexes. This is due to the fact that the electron (hole) spin is paired off in case of X- (X+).  Accordingly, an even higher polarization degree (~ 73 %) is measured for the positively charged exciton. In a different study, pyramidal QD structures were employed. In contrast to fabrication of self-assembled QDs, the position of QDs can be controlled in these samples as they are grown in inverted pyramids that are etched into a substrate. After sample processing, the result is free-standing AlGaAs pyramids with InGaAs QDs inside. Due to the pyramidal shape of these structures, the light extraction is considerably enhanced which opens up possibilities to study processes un-resolvable in self-assembled QDs. This has allowed studies of Auger-like shake-up processes of holes in single QDs. Normally, after radiative recombination of X+, the QD is populated with a ground state hole. However, at recombination, a fraction of the energy can be transferred to the hole so that it afterwards occupies an excited state instead. This process is detected experimentally as a red-shifted luminescence satellite peak with an intensity on the order of ~ 1/1000 of the main X+ peak intensity. The identification of the satellite peak is based on its intensity correlation with the X+ peak, photoluminescence excitation measurements and on magnetic field measurements. / Arbetet som presenteras i denna avhandling rör studier av kvantprickars optiska egenskaper. En kvantprick är en halvledarkristall som endast är några tiotals nanometer stor. Den ligger oftast inbäddad inuti en större kristall av ett annat halvledarmaterial och pga. den begränsade storleken får en kvantprick mycket speciella egenskaper. Bland annat så kommer elektronerna i en kvantprick endast att kunna anta vissa diskreta energinivåer liknande situationen för elektronerna i en atom. Följaktligen kallas kvantprickar ofta för artificiella atomer. För halvledarmaterial gäller det generellt att det inte endast är fria elektroner i ledningsbandet, som kan leda ström utan även tomma elektrontillstånd i valens­bandet, vilka uppträder som positivt laddade partiklar, kan leda ström. Dessa kallas kort och gott för hål. I en kvantprick har hålen såsom elektronerna helt diskreta energinivåer. Precis som är fallet i en atom, så kommer elektroniska övergångar mellan olika energi­nivåer i en kvantprick att resultera i att ljus emitteras. Energin (dvs. våglängden alt. färgen) för detta ljus bestäms av hur energinivåerna i kvant­pricken ligger, för elektronerna och hålen, och genom att analysera ljuset kan man således studera kvantprickens egenskaper. Studierna i den här avhandlingen visar att växelverkan mellan en kvantprick och den omgivande kristallen, som den ligger inbäddad i, har stor inverkan på kvantprickens optiska egenskaper. T.ex. visas att man kan kontrollera antalet elektroner, som kommer att finnas i kvantpricken genom att modifiera hur elektronerna kan röra sig i omgivningen. Dessa rörelser modifieras här genom att variera temperaturen och genom att lägga på ett magnetiskt fält. Ett magnetiskt fält, vinkelrätt mot en elektrons rörelse, kommer att böja av dess bana och dess chans att nå fram till kvantpricken kan således minskas. Elektronen kan då istället fastna i andra potentialgropar i kvantprickens närhet. Genom att öka temperaturen, vilket ger elektronerna större energi, kan deras chans att nå fram till kvantpricken å andra sidan öka. En annan effekt, som studerats, är möjligheten att kontrollera spinnet hos elektronerna i en kvantprick. Även i dessa studier visar det sig att växelverkan med omgivningen spelar stor roll och kan användas till att kontrollera elektronens spin. Mekanismen som föreslås är att om elektronerna hinner före hålen till kvantpricken, så hinner de överföra sitt spin till atomkärnorna i kvantpricken. På detta sätt kan man få atomkärnornas spin polariserat, vilket resulterar i ett inbyggt magnetfält, i storleksordningen 1.5 Tesla, som i sin tur hjälper till att upprätthålla en hög grad av spinpolarisering även hos elektronerna. För att få elektronerna att hinna först, måste deras rörelser i omgivningen kontrolleras. I en ytterligare studie undersöktes den process där en elektronisk övergång i kvantpricken inte enbart resulterar i emission av ljus, utan även i att en annan partikel tar över en del av energin och blir exciterad. Dessa processer avspeglas i att en del av det ljus som emitteras har lägre energi. Detta ljus är också mycket svagt, ca 1000 ggr lägre intensitet, och möjligheten att kunna mäta detta är helt beroende på hur ljusstarka kvantprickarna är. De prover som använts i denna studie består av pyramidstrukturer, ca 7.5 mikrometer stora, med kvantprickar inuti. Denna geometri ger ca 1000 ggr bättre ljusutbyte jämfört med traditionella strukturer, vilket möjliggjort studien.

This thesis deals with a system for operation of directly driven offshore wave energy converters. The work that has been carried out includes laboratory testing of a permanent magnet linear generator, wave energy converter mechanical design and offshore testing, and finally design, implementation, and offshore testing of an underwater collector substation. Long-term testing of a single point absorber, which was installed in March 2006, has been performed in real ocean waves in linear and in non-linear damping mode. The two different damping modes were realized by, first, a resistive load, and second, a rectifier with voltage smoothing capacitors and a resistive load in the DC-link. The loads are placed on land about 2 km east of the Lysekil wave energy research site, where the offshore experiments have been conducted. In the spring of 2009, another two wave energy converter prototypes were installed. Records of array operation were taken with two and three devices in the array. With two units, non-linear damping was used, and with three units, linear damping was employed. The point absorbers in the array are connected to the underwater substation, which is based on a 3 m3 pressure vessel standing on the seabed. In the substation, rectification of the frequency and amplitude modulated voltages from the linear generators is made. The DC voltage is smoothened by capacitors and inverted to 50 Hz electrical frequency, transformed and finally transmitted to the on-shore measuring station. Results show that the absorption is heavily dependent on the damping. It has also been shown that by increasing the damping, the standard deviation of electrical power can be reduced. The standard deviation of electrical power is reduced by array operation compared to single unit operation. Ongoing and future work include the construction and installation of a second underwater substation, which will connect the first substation and seven new WECs.

This thesis deals with the electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) problems of distributed electrical networks, especially that caused by lightning to electrified railway. Lightning transients were found to damage important devices that control train movements, causing traffic stoppage and delays. This thesis attempts to develop computational models for identification of parameters influencing the coupling phenomena between those devices and lightning. Some supporting experimental investigations are also carried out. This thesis forms the groundwork on the subject of lightning interaction with the electrified railway networks. Lightning induces transient overvoltages in railway conductor systems such as tracks, overhead wires, and underground cables, either due to direct lightning strike to the system or due to the coupling of electromagnetic fields from remote strikes. Models based on multiconductor transmission line theory were developed for calculating the induced voltages and currents. A transmission line return stroke model, that can predict the remote electromagnetic fields comparable to experimental observations, is also developed. Earlier works on modeling earth return impedances for transient studies in power distribution systems are not readily applicable for railways for lightning transients, in cases of low earth conductivities found in Sweden and for large variation in conductor heights. For the wires above ground, the ground impedance models were modified for wide range of frequencies, soil conductivities and wide spread of conductor heights. Influences of pole insulator flashovers, pole-footing soil ionizations and interconnections between the conductors on the lightning surge propagation are studied. Wave propagation in buried shielded and unshielded cables with ground return is studied. Simplified, valid and computationally efficient ground impedance expressions for buried and on-ground wires are proposed. A model for the coupling phenomena (transfer impedance) through multiple cable shields with multiconductor core is also proposed. Besides, experimental studies on lightning induced transients entering a railway technical house, failure modes of relay and rectifier units used in the train position/signaling applications for lightning transients are performed. A high frequency circuit model for the booster transformer for lightning interaction studies is developed. The simulation models are being converted to user-friendly software for the practicing engineers of the railway industry.

In this project Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy is used to investigate a new kind of photodiode that is based on nanowires. The photo current and I-V curves for different temperatures, different applied biases, in darkness and illumination condition have been studied. The experiment was conducted in the temperature range from 78 K (-195ºC) to 300 K (27ºC). These photo diodes are designed to work on NIR wavelengths. The results show some excellent properties, such as high break down voltage, and that is an important advantage for photo detectors, low and constant reverse saturation current (Is). The results show some defects, most of them come from fabrication. The design of the sample is also discussed.

Photodetectors are a kind of semiconductor devices that convert incoming light to an electrical signal. Photodetectors are classified based on their different structure, fabrication technology, applications and different sensitivity. Infrared photodetectors are widely used in many applications such as night vision, thermal cameras, remote temperature sensing, and medical diagnosis etc.   All detectors have material inside that is sensitive to incoming light. It will absorb the photons and, if the incoming photons have enough energy, electrons will be excited to higher energy levels and if these electrons are free to move, under the effect of an external electric field, a photocurrent is generated.   In this project Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) Spectroscopy is used to investigate a new kind of photodiodes that are based on self-assembled semiconductor nanowires (NWs) which are grown directly on the substrate without any epi-layer. The spectrally resolved photocurrent (at different applied biases) and IV curves (in darkness and illumination) for different temperatures have been studied respectively. Polarization effects (at low and high Temperatures) have been investigated.  The experiments are conducted for different samples with high concentration of NWs as well as with lower concentration of NWs in the temperature range from 78 K (-195ºC) to 300 (27ºC). These photodiodes are designed to work in near infrared (NIR) spectral range.   The results show that the NW photodetectors indeed are promising devices with fairly high break down voltage, change of photocurrent spectra with polarized light, low and constant reverse saturation current (Is). The impact of different polarized light on photocurrent spectra has been investigated and an attempt has been made to clarify the observed double peak of InP photocurrent spectrum. Our investigations also include a comparison to a conventional planar InP p-i-n photodetector.