This work investigates the challenges associated with designing silicon-germanium (SiGe) analog and mixed-signal circuits capable of operating reliably in extreme environment conditions. Three extreme environment operational conditions, namely, operation over an extremely wide temperature range, operation at extremely low temperatures, and operation under radiation exposure, are considered. As a representative for critical analog building blocks, bandgap voltage reference (BGR) circuit is chosen. Several architectures of the BGRs are implemented in two SiGe BiCMOS technology platforms. The effects of wide-temperature operation, deep cryogenic operation, and proton and x-ray irradiation on the performance of BGRs are investigated. The impact of Ge profile shape on BGR's wide-temperature performance is also addressed. Single-event transient response of the BGR circuit is studied through microbeam experiments. In addition, proton radiation response of high-voltage transistors, implemented in a low-voltage SiGe platform, is investigated. A platform consisting of a high-speed comparator, digital-to-analog (DAC) converter, and a high-speed flash analog-to-digital (ADC) converter is designed to facilitate the evaluation of the extreme environment capabilities of SiGe data converters. Room temperature measurement results are presented and predictions on how temperature and radiation will impact their key electrical properties are provided.

This work represents several years' research into the field of radiation hardening by design. The unique characteristics of a SiGe HBT, described in Chapter 1, make it ideally suitable for use in extreme environment applications. Chapter 2 describes the total ionizing dose effects experienced by a SiGe HBT, particularly those experienced on an Earth-orbital or lunar-surface mission. In addition, the effects of total dose are evaluated on passive devices. As opposed to the TID-hardness of SiGe transistors, a clear vulnerability to single-event effects does exist. This field is divided into three chapters. First, the very nature of single-event transients present in SiGe HBTs is explored in Chapter 3 using a heavy-ion microbeam with both bulk and SOI platforms [31]. Then, in Chapter 4, a new device-level SEU-hardening technique is presented along with circuit-design techniques necessarily for its implementation. In Chapter 5, the circuit-level radiation-hardening techniques necessarily to mitigate the effects shown in Chapter 3 are developed and tested [32]. Finally, in Chapter 6, the performance of the SiGe HBT in a cryogenic testing environment is characterized to understand how the widely-varying temperatures of outer space may affect device performance. Ultimately, the built-in performance, TID-tolerance, and now-developing SEU-hardness of the SiGe HBT make a compelling case for extreme environment electronics. The low-cost, high-yield, and maturity of Si manufacturing combine with modern bandgap engineering and modern CMOS to produce a high-quality, high-performance BiCMOS platform suitable for space-borne systems.

Des approches traditionnelles en combinaison avec des méthodes moléculaires et biochimiques ont été utilisées pour étudier les communautés zooplanctoniques de la saline de Sfax. Une dizaine d'espèces ont été identifiées dans 4 bassins de salinité croissante. Les copépodes étaient la composante la plus représentative du compartiment zooplanctonique dans les bassins A5, A16 et C41. Le bassin M2 est monozoïque avec une présence exclusive d'Artemia salina.Nous avons montré le rôle crucial de la salinité dans la distribution des espèces mais nous avons souligné également l’influence, quoique plus faible, d’autres facteurs comme le ratio N:P qui pourrait être liée au mode de vie des animaux et directement aux phytoplancton. La composition en acides gras des copépodes et des Artemia est liée aux facteurs physico-chimiques et biologiques. Grâce à leur teneur en acides gras hautement insaturés, les copépodes et les Artemia peuvent être utilisés comme source alimentaire pour les poissons d'élevage. La phylogénie des copépodes est controversée puisque la structuration génétique de ce groupe n’est pas nettement identifiable. L’existence d’espèces cryptiques au sein des Paracartia grani est supposée mais reste à confirmer. Les facteurs abiotiques ne sont pas impliqués dans ces processus de divergence génétique. Chez Artemia salina, la forte teneur en sel, est un facteur de ségrégation des populations, l’adaptation des artémies à cette condition aboutit à des populations génétiquement distinctes. Un clivage génétique est repéré, il met en évidence une séparation entre les populations vivant dans de fortes teneurs en sel et celles en pleine mer. / Zooplankton community of solar saltern of Sfax. A dozen of species were identified in four ponds of increasing salinity. Copepods were the most abundant group in A5, A16 and C41. M2 is monozoic with an exclusive presence of Artemia salina. Salinity have a crucial role in species distribution, whereas, other factors such as N:P ratio have smaller influence. Fatty acids composition of copepods and Artemia depends on physico-chemical and biological parameters. Owing to their Highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFAs) composition, copepods and Artemia of the saltern of Sfax can be used as food source for cultured fishes. Copepods phylogeny is controversial because their genetic structure is not clearly identifiable. The existence of cryptic species within Paracartia grani is assumed but should be confirmed. Abiotic factors are not involved in processes of genetic divergence. For Artemia salina, the high salinity, is a factor of population segregation, the adaptation of Artemia in such condition leads to distinct, genetically, population. A genetic divide was identified, it highlights a separation between population living in high salinity and those in the sea.

We can find a lot of microorganisms living in snow including psychrophilic snow algae from the order Chlamydomonadales (Chlorophyta). They are adapted to the extreme conditions in this habitat and can cause the phenomenon of coloured snow. The species Chlamydomonas nivalis (Bauer) Wille is the most commonly associated with red snow in alpine and polar regions during summer season worldwide. In the field material, we can find red spherical cells without flagella and any morphological characteristics suitable for species determination. Until now, this species has not been isolated into laboratory culture and its life cycle is unclear. Furthermore it has been shown that red coloured snow can be caused by more species which used to be determined as Chlamydomonas nivalis. The aim of this study was to collect samples of red snow from different parts of Europe, to describe the morphological variability of Chlamydomonas nivalis-like snow algae in relation to region of origin, to try to isolate laboratory strain of this species and to describe its position and distribution by phylogenetic analysis of laboratory strains and field samples. Red snow samples were collected from 30 European localities in Slovenian Alps, Romania, Dolomites, Ötztal, Wallis and Sarntal Alps, High Tauern, Ortler massif, in Norway,...

La problématique de la performance des marins en navigation extrême, n’a été que très peu étudiée avec des méthodes scientifiques rigoureuses de façon systématique et sous un angle de vue global en conditions écologiques. Nos travaux se sont attachés à évaluer le comportement humain en conditions écologiques avec une approche environnementaliste et transactionnelle. L’objectif principal de cette thèse a été de comprendre quel est l’impact des facteurs environnementaux tels que la force du vent et la quantité de sommeil ainsi que d’une stimulation cognitive à l’aide d’un vidéo self-modeling sur la perception de l’anxiété, de la fatigue et la tolérance à l’effort à vitesse maximale aérobie. Les résultats de la première étude, en condition écologique, où l’influence du vent et de la privation du sommeil ont été modélisées grâce à l’outil des fonctions transferts, a permis de comprendre que le marin opère une régulation liée temporellement à son engagement et aux efforts ou privations comme par exemple celle du sommeil. Cette régulation est liée à la perception de l’anxiété et l’intensité de l’effort perçu et est influencée par les facteurs environnementaux comme le vent ou la privation de sommeil. Cette étude a aussi montré qu’il existe une relation entre la durée de l’engagement, mesurée par le nombre de jours passés en mer, et la quantité de sommeil nécessaire, permettant ainsi de résister aux conditions environnementales. Une seconde étude en milieu extrême, cette fois en équipage de deux personnes, en utilisant le même protocole a confirmé que la quantité de sommeil était le meilleur activateur pouvant agir sur l’anxiété et permettre au mieux sa régulation. Une troisième étude nous a permis de montrer que la tolérance à un effort, mesuré par la perception de l’effort, n’était pas couplée exclusivement à une réponse physiologique mais aussi à des facteurs cognitifs. Le résultat principal de cette étude pilote a été de montrer que l’utilisation du feedback vidéo comme stimulation cognitive diminue significativement la perception de l’effort à partir 50% de la durée de l’épreuve. Contrairement à ce qui aurait pu être attendu, aucun effet n’a été observé sur la fréquence cardiaque. L’ensemble de ces résultats tend à montrer l’importance de l’interaction environnement – individu en milieu extrême, ainsi que lors d’une épreuve menée jusqu’aux limites de l’épuisement. Ces résultats ouvrent des perspectives intéressantes dans les domaines de l’entraînement sportif et de la rééducation. / The problem of performance in extreme sailing navigation has been very little studied using rigorous scientific methods consistently and at an angle of view in global environmental conditions. Our work sought to evaluate human behavior in ecological conditions with environmentalist and transactional approach. The main objective of this thesis was to understand what the impact of environmental factors such as wind strength and the amount of sleep as well as cognitive stimulation using a video self-modeling on perception of anxiety, fatigue and exercise tolerance in maximal aerobic speed. The results of the first study, ecological condition, where the influence of wind and sleep deprivation were modeled using the tool transfers functions, has to understand that the sailor makes a time- dependent regulation of its commitment and efforts and hardships such as that of sleep. This regulation is related to the perception of anxiety and intensity of perceived fatigue and is influenced by environmental factors such as wind or sleep deprivation. This study also showed that there is a relationship between the duration of the engagement, as measured by the number of days at sea, and the amount of sleep needed, allowing withstand environmental conditions. A second study in extreme conditions, this time with a crew of two people using the same protocol confirmed that the amount of sleep was the best activator can act on anxiety and allow its better regulation. A third study, we showed that the tolerance to stress, as measured by perceived exertion, was not exclusively coupled to a physiological response but also cognitive factors. The main result of this pilot study was to show that the use of video feedback as cognitive stimulation significantly reduces the perception of effort from 50 % of the duration of the event. Contrary to what might be expected, no effect was observed on heart rate. All of these results suggest the importance of the interaction environment - individual in extreme environments, and in a test conducted to the limits of exhaustion. These results open interesting perspectives in the fields of sports training and rehabilitation.

The objective of this work is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the small-signal and broadband noise performance of highly scaled silicon-based field-effect transistors (FETs), and develop high-frequency noise models for robust radio frequency (RF) circuit design. An analytical RF noise model is developed and implemented for scaled Si-CMOS devices, using a direct extraction procedure based on the linear two-port noise theory. This research also focuses on investigating the applicability of modern CMOS technologies for extreme environment electronics. A thorough analysis of the DC, small-signal AC, and broadband noise performance of 0.18 um and 130 nm Si-CMOS devices operating at cryogenic temperatures is presented. The room temperature RF noise model is extended to model the high-frequency noise performance of scaled MOSFETs at temperatures down to 77 K and 10 K. Significant performance enhancement at cryogenic temperatures is demonstrated, indicating the suitability of scaled CMOS technologies for low temperature electronics. The hot-carrier reliability of MOSFETs at cryogenic temperatures is investigated and the worst-case gate voltage stress condition is determined. The degradation due to hot-carrier-induced interface-state creation is identified as the dominant degradation mechanism at room temperature down to 77 K. The effect of high-energy proton radiation on the DC, AC, and RF noise performance of 130 nm CMOS devices is studied. The performance degradation is investigated up to an equivalent total dose of 1 Mrad, which represents the worst case condition for many earth-orbiting and planetary missions. The geometric scaling of MOSFETs has been augmented by the introduction of novel FET designs, such as the Si/SiGe MODFETs. A comprehensive characterization and modeling of the small-signal and high-frequency noise performance of highly scaled Si/SiGe n-MODFETs is presented. The effect of gate shot noise is incorporated in the broadband noise model. SiGe MODFETs offer the potential for high-speed and low-voltage operation at high frequencies and hence are attractive devices for future RF and mixed-signal applications. This work advances the state-of-the-art in the understanding and analysis of the RF performance of highly scaled Si-CMOS devices as well as emerging technologies, such as Si/SiGe MODFETs. The key contribution of this dissertation is to provide a robust framework for the systematic characterization, analysis and modeling of the small-signal and RF noise performance of scaled Si-MOSFETs and Si/SiGe MODFETs both for mainstream and extreme-environment applications.