Engineers know well from an early point in their training the trials and tribulations of having to make design tradeoffs in order to optimize one performance parameter for another. Discovering tradeoff conditions that result in the elimination of a loss associated with the enhancement of some other parameter (an improvement over a typical tradeoff), therefore, ushers in a new paradigm of design in which the constraints which are typical of the task at hand are alleviated. We call such a design paradigm “tuning” as opposed to “trading off”, and this is the central theme of this work. We investigate two types of microwave electronic devices, namely GaN-based heterostructure field effect transistors (HFETs) and tunable ferroelectric-ferrite-based microwave phase shifters. The “tuning” associated with these types of devices arises from the notion of an optimal 2DEG density, capable of achieving higher performance in terms of electron velocity and enhanced reliability in the case of the HFET, and the coupling of ferroelectric and ferrite materials in tunable microwave phase shifters, capable of achieving high differential phase shifts while at the same time mitigating the losses associated with impedance mismatching which typically arise when the phase is tuned. Promises and problems associated with HFET devices based on the intriguing InAlN/GaN material system will be described. We focus on the fundamental problem associated with the induction of the large density of carriers at the interface, namely the disintegration of an excess of longitudinal optical phonons (hot phonons) in the channel. We use microwave measurements in conjunction with stress tests to evidence the existence of an optimal 2DEG density wherein the hot phonon effect can be “tuned,” which allows for enhanced high frequency performance as well as device reliability. Next, we focus on the design, fabrication, and measurement of tunable phase shifters consisting of thin films of BaxSr1-xTiO3 (BST), which has the advantage of having high dielectric tunability as well as relatively low microwave loss. We discuss the design, fabrication, and measurement of a simple coplanar waveguide (CPW) type of phase shifter as well as a more complicated “hybrid” phase shifter consisting of a ferrite (YIG) in addition to BST. The use of such a bilayer allows one to “tune” the impedance of the phase shifters independently of the phase velocity through careful selection of the DC biasing magnetic fields, or alternatively through the use of an additional piezoelectric layer, bonded to YIG whose permeability can then be tuned through magnetostriction.

Les HEMT à base de nitrure de gallium sont des composants très prometteurs en termes de performances en puissance et de fréquence de travail. L'enjeu est donc de développer des technologies performantes et fiables, afin d'intégrer ces transistors aux systèmes hyperfréquences, notamment dans le domaine des télécommunications, et en milieu durci. Les travaux ont été focalisés sur l'étude de la localisation des sources de bruit en excès aux basses fréquences, et de leur évolution suite aux phases de tests de vieillissement accéléré. Les caractérisations électriques ont été réalisées sur des structures fabriquées sur quatre plaques, dont trois sont basées sur une hétérostructure AlGaN/GaN, et la quatrième sur l'hétérostructure AlInN/AlN/GaN. Les résultats obtenus ont permis de valider une méthode de modélisation des sources de bruit en 1/f, localisées dans les zones d'accès aux contacts ohmiques et dans le canal. Des tests de vieillissement accéléré sous contraintes électriques ont permis de détecter des dégradations des performances statiques et du niveau de bruit en excès. Les effets combinés de piégeage et des effets thermiques expliquent ces dégradations, la température s'en étant révélée un facteur d'accélération. / The HEMT based on GaN materials are very promising, speaking of performance in power and frequency. The challenge is to develop efficient and reliable GaN based technologies, to intagrate these transistors to power microwave circuits, especially in the telecommunications field and on harsh environment. The work was focused on the study of the location of low frequency noise sources, and their evolution after accelerated life tests. The electrical characterizations were performed on structures made on four different wafers, three based on the AlGaN/GaN heterostructure, and the fourth based on the AlInN/AlN/GaN heterostructure. Thanks to the achieved results, a method for modeling 1/f noise sources, located in the channel and in the ohmic contacts access areas, has been validated. Life tests under electrical stress have been performed to detect DC and excess noise degradation. These degradations are explained by combined effects of trapping and thermal phenomena, with the temperature as an acceleration factor of degradation.

Cardiovascular diseases are the largest mortality factor globally, and early diagnosis is essential for a proper medical response. Cardiac computed tomography can be used to acquire images for their diagnosis, but without radiation dose reduction the radiation emitted to the patient becomes a significant risk factor. By reducing the dose, the image quality is often compromised, and determining a diagnosis becomes difficult. This project proposes image quality enhancement with deep learning. A cycle-consistent generative adversarial neural network was fed low- and high-quality images with the purpose to learn to translate between them. By using a cycle-consistency cost it was possible to train the network without paired data. With this method, a low-quality image acquired from a computed tomography scan with dose reduction could be enhanced in post processing. The results were mixed but showed an increase of ventricular contrast and artifact mitigation. The technique comes with several problems that are yet to be solved, such as structure alterations, but it shows promise for continued development.

A semiconductor optical source monolithically integrated with a surface acoustic wave (SAW) Bragg-cell to operate as a functional device is proposed in this thesis. The practical structure of such an integrated device is demonstrated and design guidelines are presented. Compared with conventional optical beam processed devices, this functional integrated semiconductor optical source (FISOS) is revised to be compact in size, flexible in function and potentially robust in performance. <br /> The FISOS is analyzed as two sub-divisions, optical source and acoustic processor, which have the common substrate structure. The optical beams excited from the optical source part of the device undergoes a scattering in the Bragg grating formed by SAWs that are generated by an IDT positioned on top of the acoustic processing part of device. By altering the property (power, frequency, etc.) of the SAW, versatile functionalities such as modulation, filtering, beam steering and so on of the optical beams can be realized in this optical source device. <br /> A multilayer structure based on GaN/InGaN MQWs grown on sapphire is designed for the FISOS to be blue light emitting and efficiently launching SAWs. An etch-down technique employed in the SAW processing part is taken to improve the overlap between the optical and acoustic waves and then the interaction efficiency. Optimizations to the geometrical dimensions of the FISOS, such the width of the ridge waveguide, the position of the IDT and the etching depth, etc., are discussed in the given structure. <br /> Numerical models are investigated to access the operational characteristics and then to provide design guidelines for the proposed integrated device. The Bragg diffraction of optical waves occurring within the acoustic waves in the proposed structure are simulated as a two-dimensional interaction between two guided optical modes and an acoustic surface wave. <br /> The modal distributions and propagation velocities of SAWs in a multilayer system are calculated using Adler’s matrix method. The electrical characteristics of an IDT, such as impedance, insertion loss, electromechanical constant and so on are also discussed. <br /> Transverse and lateral optical modes in the given multilayer structure are analyzed by the transfer matrix method. The interaction of optical waves and acoustic waves are modeled using the rigorous grating diffraction theory. Starting from Floquet’s theory, the well-known coupled-wave method and modal method can both be derived from the rigorous grating diffraction theory. Discussions of some useful approximate methods are also presented. In this thesis, the simulations of the acoustooptic interaction are performed using the coupled-wave method. <br /> From the simulation results, the angular distribution profile and spatial profile of the output of the FISOS are evaluated. An improvement to the expression of the diffraction efficiency in such an integrated device is proposed. The so-called beam diffraction efficiency gives a more complete measure to the acoustooptic diffraction and is used to investigate the features of FISOS different from conventional acoustooptic devices. Contour plots of the beam efficiency varying with acoustic frequency and power in a FISOS is demonstrated to be a convenient and powerful approach in the device design. <br /> The operational performances of an integrated deflector and a modulator in FISOS are analyzed to investigate the feasibility of FISOS. The trade-off of the efficiency-resolution in an integrated deflector design is discussed. Short interaction length, high acoustic frequency and narrow ridge are proved to be helpful for a larger number of resolvable spots with a fairly high efficiency. In the case of the integrated modulator, given that the figure of merit Q is fixed, it is demonstrated that the smaller the Q, the longer the interaction length, larger ridge width and lower acoustic frequency will give rise to a larger bandwidth, though the highest efficiency might appear at a higher frequency. <br /> Some practical issues such as the misalignment of planar elements on the device and the incoherence of the integrated optical source are also discussed. A modified working frequency can be used to compensate the efficiency loss in the former case; in the latter case, it is demonstrated that a distortion of beam diffraction efficiency versus acoustic power with an incoherent optical source arises due to the wide spectrum of the incident optical waves.

This dissertation is the first ever which provides an annotated translation and analysis of the Gaṇitatilaka by Śrīpati and its Sanskrit commentary by the Jaina monk Siṃhatilakasūri (14th century CE). The Gaṇitatilaka is a Sanskrit mathematical text written by Śrīpati, an astronomer-mathematician who hailed from 11th century CE Maharashtra. It has come down to us together with Siṃhatilakasūri’s commentary in a uniquely extant yet incomplete manuscript. The only edition available of both Sanskrit texts is by Kāpadīā (1937). Siṃhatilakasūri’s commentary upon the Gaṇitatilaka GT is a precious source of information on medieval mathematical practices. To my knowledge, this is, in fact, the first Sanskrit commentary on mathematics –whose author is known– that has survived to the present day and the first written by a Jaina that has come down to us. This work has never before been studied or translated into English. It is my intention to show that the literary practices adopted by Siṃhatilakasūri, in expounding step-by-step Śrīpati’s work, enrich the commentary in such a way that it consequently becomes “his own mathematical text.” Together with the English translation of both the root-text by Śrīpati and the commentary by Siṃhatilakasūri, I present the reconstruction of all the mathematical procedures explained by the commentator so as to understand the way medieval Indian mathematics was carried out. I also investigate Siṃhatilakasūri’s interpretative arguments and the interaction between numbers and textual norms which characterises his work. The present research aims to: i) edit the Sanskrit edition by Kāpadīā ii) revise the English translation of Śrīpati’s text by Sinha (1982) iii) provide the first annotated English translation of selected passages from the commentary by Siṃhatilakasūri iv) highlight the contribution to our understanding of the history of Indian mathematics brought by this commentary and v) investigate Siṃhatilakasūri’s literary style.

Le développement des systèmes de télécommunication et de transfert d’informations motive la mise au point de systèmes de transmission qui permettent des débits plus élevés sur des distances plus grandes. De ce fait, les transistors utilisés dans ces systèmes doivent fonctionner à des fréquences et des puissances plus élevées. Différents transistors sont apparus pour répondre au mieux aux contraintes des applications visées par ces systèmes. Les transistors à haute mobilité électronique, HEMT, en nitrure de gallium (GaN) répondent actuellement aux applications allant de 1GHz à 30GHz. Pour ces applications, les HEMT GaN concurrencent avantageusement les technologies bipolaires et BiCMOS basées sur SiGe, les LDMOS Si et SiC, ainsi que les PHEMT GaAs. Même si la filière technologique GaN est encore récente, les HEMT GaN semblent prometteurs. A l’image des autres technologies III-V (InP, GaAs), les procédés de fabrication utilisés pour les HEMT AlGaN/GaN sont complexes et entraînent la formation de nombreux défauts cristallins. Des effets parasites de fonctionnement sont induits par des mécanismes physiques qui pénalisent le transport des porteurs dans la structure. De ce fait, à l’heure actuelle, ces effets parasites ont une influence négative sur les performances de ce transistor. Ils sont principalement liés aux pièges à électrons induits par des impuretés présentes dans le matériau ou des défauts cristallins. Malgré cela, les performances sont très prometteuses et rivalisent déjà avec d’autres technologies hyperfréquences (InP, GaAs, SiC et Si) puisque les HEMTs AlGaN/GaN débitent des puissances de 4W/mm à 30GHz [ITRS08]. Les travaux présentés dans ce manuscrit sont consacrés à l'étude des phénomènes parasites dans les HEMTs AlGaN/GaN. Les composants étudiés dans ce travail proviennent du programme blanc ANR CARDYNAL et ont été fabriqués par III-V Lab Alcatel-Thales. Une méthodologie a été développer afin de permettre la simulation TCAD d’un HEMT GaN dans l’objectif de valider ou d’invalider les origines des mécanismes de dégradation ainsi que des effets parasites. Le courant de grille a été spécialement étudié et un modèle analytique permettant de le décrire en fonction de la température a été développé. Les mécanismes de transport à travers la grille ont aussi été étudiés par simulation TCAD afin de les localiser géographiquement dans la structure du transistor. / III-V nitrides have attracted intense interest recently for applications in high-temperature, high-power electronic devices operating at microwave frequencies. Great progress has been made in recent years to improve the characteristics of nitride High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs). However, it's necessary to study the mecanisms involved in the electron transport as the mechanic strain on the AlGaN layer, the fixed charge distribution and leakage currents. In this goal, from DC I-V measurements, pulsed I-V measurements and DCTS measurements, TCAD simulation are used to validate the assumption on the origin of the parasitic mechanisms on the electron transport. I-V measurement in temperature (from 100K to 200K) are used to identify the nature of mechanisms (Poole-Frenkel, band-to-band tunneling, thermionic,..). With this method, an accurate study of the gate current was done. To choose the different physical phenomena and which model to implement in the TCAD simulations, an analytical model was developed with a compraison with measurements. These mechanisms are validated by TCAD simulation. The comparaison between I-V measurements and simulation permit to localize (in the transistor) these parasitic mechanisms. In conclusion of this work, a high density of traps in a thin layer under the gate increase the probability of tunnelling current through the gate. When the gate bias increases, the high density of traps in AlGaN layer is using by electrons to leak by the gate. When the gate bias increases, the valence band in AlGaN layer is aligned with the conduction band in the channel. The very thin thickness of this layer (about 25nm) makes possible a band-to-band tunneling.

Group-III-nitride semiconductors (GaN, InGaN, and AlGaN) are important for the fabrication of a range of optoelectronic devices (such as blue-green light emitting diodes, laser diodes, and UV detectors) as well as devices for high-temperature/high-power electronics. In the fabrication of these devices, ion bombardment represents a very attractive technological tool. However, a successful application of ion implantation depends on an understanding of the effects of radiation damage. Hence, this thesis explores a number of fundamental aspects of radiation effects in wurtzite III-nitrides. Emphasis is given to an understanding of (i) the evolution of defect structures in III-nitrides during ion irradiation and (ii) the influence of ion bombardment on structural, mechanical, optical, and electrical properties of these materials. ¶ Structural characteristics of GaN bombarded with keV ions are studied by Rutherford backscattering/channeling (RBS/C) spectrometry and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Results show that strong dynamic annealing leads to a complex dependence of the damage buildup on ion species with preferential surface disordering. Such preferential surface disordering is due to the formation of surface amorphous layers, attributed to the trapping of mobile point defects by the GaN surface. Planar defects are formed for a wide range of implant conditions during bombardment. For some irradiation regimes, bulk disorder saturates below the amorphization level, and, with increasing ion dose, amorphization proceeds layer-by-layer only from the GaN surface. In the case of light ions, chemical effects of implanted species can strongly affect damage buildup. For heavier ions, an increase in the density of collision cascades strongly increases the level of stable implantation-produced lattice disorder. Physical mechanisms of surface and bulk amorphization and various defect interaction processes in GaN are discussed. ¶ Structural studies by RBS/C, TEM, and atomic force microscopy (AFM) reveal anomalous swelling of implanted regions as a result of the formation of a porous structure of amorphous GaN. Results suggest that such a porous structure consists of N$_{2}$ gas bubbles embedded into a highly N-deficient amorphous GaN matrix. The evolution of the porous structure appears to be a result of stoichiometric imbalance, where N- and Ga-rich regions are produced by ion bombardment. Prior to amorphization, ion bombardment does not produce a porous structure due to efficient dynamic annealing in the crystalline phase. ¶ The influence of In and Al content on the accumulation of structural damage in InGaN and AlGaN under heavy-ion bombardment is studied by RBS/C and TEM. Results show that an increase in In concentration strongly suppresses dynamic annealing processes, while an increase in Al content dramatically enhances dynamic annealing. Lattice amorphization in AlN is not observed even for very large doses of keV heavy ions at -196 C. In contrast to the case of GaN, no preferential surface disordering is observed in InGaN, AlGaN, and AlN. Similar implantation-produced defect structures are revealed by TEM in GaN, InGaN, AlGaN, and AlN. ¶ The deformation behavior of GaN modified by ion bombardment is studied by spherical nanoindentation. Results show that implantation disorder significantly changes the mechanical properties of GaN. In particular, amorphous GaN exhibits plastic deformation even for very low loads with dramatically reduced values of hardness and Young's modulus compared to the values of as-grown GaN. Moreover, implantation-produced defects in crystalline GaN suppress the plastic component of deformation. ¶ The influence of ion-beam-produced lattice defects as well as a range of implanted species on the luminescence properties of GaN is studied by cathodoluminescence (CL). Results indicate that intrinsic lattice defects mainly act as nonradiative recombination centers and do not give rise to yellow luminescence (YL). Even relatively low dose keV light-ion bombardment results in a dramatic quenching of visible CL emission. Postimplantation annealing at temperatures up to 1050 C generally causes a partial recovery of measured CL intensities. However, CL depth profiles indicate that, in most cases, such a recovery results from CL emission from virgin GaN, beyond the implanted layer, due to a reduction in the extent of light absorption within the implanted layer. Experimental data also shows that H, C, and O are involved in the formation of YL. The chemical origin of YL is discussed based on experimental data. ¶ Finally, the evolution of sheet resistance of GaN epilayers irradiated with MeV light ions is studied {\it in-situ}. Results show that the threshold dose of electrical isolation linearly depends on the original free electron concentration and is inversely proportional to the number of atomic displacements produced by the ion beam. Furthermore, such isolation is stable to rapid thermal annealing at temperatures up to 900 C. Results also show that both implantation temperature and ion beam flux can affect the process of electrical isolation. This behavior is consistent with significant dynamic annealing, which suggests a scenario where the centers responsible for electrical isolation are defect clusters and/or antisite-related defects. A qualitative model is proposed to explain temperature and flux effects. ¶ The work presented in this thesis has resulted in the identification and understanding of a number of both fundamental and technologically important ion-beam processes in III-nitrides. Most of the phenomena investigated are related to the nature and effects of implantation damage, such as lattice amorphization, formation of planar defects, preferential surface disordering, porosity, decomposition, and quenching of CL. These effects are often technologically undesirable, and the work of this thesis has indicated, in some cases, how such effects can be minimized or controlled. However, the thesis has also investigated one example where irradiation-produced defects can be successfully applied for a technological benefit, namely for electrical isolation of GaN-based devices. Finally, results of this thesis will clearly stimulate further research both to probe some of the mechanisms for unusual ion-induced effects and also to develop processes to avoid or repair unwanted lattice damage produced by ion bombardment.

Des avancées significatives dans la synthèse des matériaux semiconducteurs à large bande interdite de la famille de GaN permettent aujourd'hui la réalisation de dispositifs optoélectroniques (diodes, lasers) mais aussi celle de dispositifs électroniques (transistor). L'absence de substrat natif GaN ou AlN a pour conséquence le recours à l'hétéroépitaxie sur des substrats de nature différente comme le silicium qui présente un grand intérêt de par son prix très compétitif, la taille des substrats disponibles et sa conductivité thermique. L'orientation (111) du silicium est préférée en raison d'une symétrie de surface hexagonale, compatible avec la phase wurtzite du GaN. Néanmoins, les différences de paramètres de maille et de coefficients d'expansion thermique génèrent des défauts cristallins et des contraintes dans les matériaux élaborés qui peuvent, s'ils ne sont pas maîtrisés, dégrader les performances des dispositifs. Ce travail de thèse a porté sur la croissance par épitaxie par jets moléculaires (EJM) d'hétérostructures à base de GaN sur substrat Si(111) en vue de la réalisation de transistors à haute mobilité d'électrons (Al,Ga)N/GaN. Ce travail avait pour objectif l'identification des paramètres de croissance susceptibles d'avoir un impact notable sur la qualité structurale et électrique de la structure HEMT (High Electron Mobility Transistor), et notamment sur l'isolation électrique des couches tampon et le transport des électrons dans le canal. Nous montrerons l'impact notable de certains paramètres de la croissance sur la qualité structurale et électrique de la structure HEMT. Nous verrons comment la relaxation des contraintes est liée au dessin d'empilement des couches, à leurs conditions d'élaboration et à la densité de défauts.

The present thesis is a study of the evolution of defect states in devices based on wide bandgap semiconductors. The attention has been focused on light-emitting diodes based on GaN and Schottky diodes based on SiC, these latter a basic structure for the fabrication of high-power rectifiers and ionising particle detectors. In both cases, we studied the defects and their electronic properties by means of the following experimental techniques: current-voltage (I-V) measurements, in order to investigate the effect of imperfections on the transport properties of the material/device; capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements, yielding the profile of concentration of charge carriers, and giving information on the influence of defects on this concentration; deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS), a technique allowing for the identification and characterization of defect-originated electron levels in the gap. I also employed techniques, such as photocurrent spectroscopy (PC), allowing for the characterization of light absorption by the material and/or device versus varying photon energy. In both cases of SiC and GaN, the defect characterization was always interpreted in the framework of its influence on device operation. In the analysed LEDs the defect evolution was connected to the evolution of quantum efficiency, and in the SiC diodes we studied the effects of defect introduction on the charge collection efficiency (CCE) and on the leakage current of the device. Furthermore, for the interpretation of photocurrent spectra, I developed a model describing the generation of photocurrent considering the dispersion relations for the absorption coefficient and refractive index in the various device layers, as well as the internal reflection, transmission and interference phenomena involving the optical field within the device. The research yielded various interesting results: I detected many deep levels introduced by proton- and electron-irradiation in SiC. From the study of their annealing behaviour I concluded that one of these levels is related to a particular lattice defect, the carbon interstitial. By means of the analysis of the introduction rates of the levels and comparisons between proton and electron irradiation, I was able to distinguish between deep levels related to simple intrinsic defects and to defect complexes. In the case of the GaN LED, I found that the evolution of several independent properties are strongly correlated, meaning that a single degradation mechanism is responsible for the observed changes. In particular, I concluded that the degradation of the light emission intensity is due to the generation of defects in the active region of the device.

Ce travail a consisté en la croissance (par épitaxie à jets moléculaires) et la caractérisation de nanostructures à base de semiconducteurs nitrures (GaN, AlN et alliages) afin de développer de composants optoélectroniques avancés basés sur les transitions intrabandes pour la prochaine génération de systèmes de télécommunications à très haut débit. Une première série de résultats concerne la croissance de couches minces de nitrures, notamment celle des alliages d'AlGaN. D'après notre étude, la croissance de couches dont la fraction molaire d'Al reste en deçà de 35 % nécessite la présence d'un excès de Ga. Au delà, il est nécessaire d'utiliser l'In en tant que surfactant ou bien de réaliser des superalliages GaN/AlN. Des études du dopage Si de ce type de structures ont été menées. Nous avons ensuite étudié des structures à multicouches de puits quantiques GaN/AlN dopées Si. Celles-ci présentent les pics d'absorption ISB polarisée p à des longueurs d'onde de la gamme des télécommunications à température ambiante. L'effet de divers paramètres de croissance et de design a été étudié. L'analyse des caractérisations de ces échantillons a permis d'évaluer le champ électrique interne ainsi que l'offset de bande de conduction entre le GaN et l'AlN de nos structures. Concernant la synthèse des structures multicouches de boîtes quantiques GaN/AlN dopées Si, nous avons adapté la technique de croissance de ces structures pour minimiser la taille de boîtes, et ce, de manière à ce que leur absorption intrabande puisse atteindre les longueurs d'onde des télécommunications optiques. L'énergie du pic d'absorption des boîtes peut être ajustée en modifiant la quantité de GaN dans les boîtes, la température de croissance, et le temps d'interruption de croissance. Enfin, les résultats obtenus sur la réalisation de composants sont développés. Nous nous sommes focalisés sur les dispositifs basés sur l'absorption (photodétecteurs à puits et à boites quantiques, modulateurs électro-optiques) et l'émission de lumière infrarouge dans la gamme de longueurs d'onde des télécommunications. Des résultats prometteurs ont été obtenus sur l'ensemble de ces composants, ils forment une première étape vers la fabrication de composants pour les télécommunications à base de semiconducteurs nitrures.