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Inertial sensing technologies, including accelerometers and gyroscopes, have been invaluable in numerous fields ranging from consumer electronics to healthcare and clinical practices. Inertial measurement units, specifically accelerometers, represent the most widely used microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices with excellent and reliable performance. Although MEMS-based accelerometers have many attractive attributes, such as their tiny footprint, high sensitivity, high reliability, and multiple functionalities, they are limited by their complex and expensive microfabrication processes and cumbersome, fragile structures that suffer from mechanical fatigue over time. Moreover, the rigid nature of beams and spring-like structures of conventional accelerometers limit their applications for wearable devices and soft-human machine interfaces where physical compliance that is compatible with human skin is a priority. In this dissertation, the development of novel practical resistive and capacitive-type inertial sensors using liquid metal as a functional proof mass material is presented. Utilizing the unique electromechanical properties of liquid metal, the novel inertial sensor design confines a graphene-coated liquid metal droplet inside tubular and 3D architectures, enabling motion sensing in single and multiple directions. Combining the graphene-coated liquid metal droplet with printed sensing elements offers a robust fatigue-free alternative material for rigid, proof mass-based accelerometers. Resistive and capacitive sensing mechanisms were both developed, characterized, and evaluated. Emerging rapid fabrication technologies such as direct laser writing and 3D printing were mainly adopted, offering a scalable fabrication strategy independent of advanced microfabrication facilities. The developed inertial sensor was integrated with a programmable system on a chip (PSoC) to function as a stand-alone system and demonstrate its application for real-time- monitoring of human health/ physical activity and for soft human-machine interfaces. The developed inertial sensor architecture and materials in this work offer a new paradigm for manufacturing these widely used sensors that have the potential to complement the performance of their silicon-based counterparts and extend their applications.

In the laser-induced cavitation (LIC) technique, a vapor-gas cavity is generated in water, or a soft material by focusing an intense laser pulse into the sample. The high-strain-rate mechanical properties of these samples can be investigated through a real-time size measurement of the expanding cavity bubble. Although this LIC technique has been applied to multiple research fields such as mechanical, biological and medical areas. It is possible to simplify and improve this LIC method by introducing optical-fibers. In this approach, we propose to employ an optical-fiber to deliver the intense laser pulse to an arbitrary position of an optical opaque specimen. At the same time, we also attempt to generate LIC at one end of the optical-fiber. This optical-fiber based LIC is achieved by dip-coating of the laser absorbing film on the fiber end. Thus, the film can absorb the laser pulse and generate LIC within the sample. In this study, the development of the coating material, the introduction of the optical-fiber into the existing LIC system, and the optical-fiber based LIC experiments are performed to characterize high-strain-rate mechanical properties of soft materials. We investigate the coating conditions and verify the consistency of the ablation based on the optimized coating materials. By conducting LIC experiments with gelatin samples, the feasibility of developed LIC method is investigated, LIC events are successfully formed at the fiber end which is inserted into the sample, and the rapid expanding dynamics are imaged with ultrafast stroboscopic microscopy. Using the multiple-exposure images, the expanding speeds and maximum cavity sizes are quantified to provide high-strain-rate characteristics of the soft materials. The inconsistency of the cavitation behavior resulted by the fluctuation of the coating condition and the high power intense laser conducting optical-fiber destruction can be improved by developing new coating method and new protective coating on the fiber end in the future.

The hybridization of direct write (DW) and additive manufacturing (AM) technologies to create additively manufactured electronics (AME) has enabled the integration of electrical functionality to form multifunctional AM components. Current work in AME has demonstrated the integration of conductive traces into and onto geometries and form factors that are not possible through traditional electronics packaging processes. This has largely been accomplished by using AM and DW technology to deposit conductive inks to form interconnects on the surface of AM substrates or within multimaterial AM geometries. However, the requisite thermal post-processing and high resistivity of the conductive inks and the limitations in thermal and dielectric performance of printable substrates commonly used in AME restrict the capabilities of these parts. This thesis proposes an alternative process for the conformal deposition of low resistivity traces on additively manufactured all-aromatic polyimides (AM-PI) without the use of conductive inks. This is accomplished through the selective patterning of laser induced graphene (LIG), a porous 3D graphene fabricated via laser irradiation, onto the AM-PI. While the resultant LIG is conductive, its resistivity is further reduced by the electrodeposition of copper (Cu-LIG). In this thesis, the synthesis of LIG on AM-PI, thermally post processed to 240℃, 300℃, and 450℃, is demonstrated and characterized through sheet resistance measurements and Raman spectroscopy. AM-PI post-processed to 300℃ demonstrated the lowest resistivity LIG formation (13.8 Ω/square). The resistivity of Cu-LIG is compared to an industry standard silver ink (Micromax CB028) used in direct write hybrid manufacturing applications. Cu-LIG was found to have a measured resistivity (1.39e-7 Ω·m), two orders of magnitude lower than the measured resistivity of the CB028 silver ink (1.62e-5 Ω·m). Additionally, the current capacity of the Cu-LIG was demonstrated and Joule heating of the material was observed via IR thermography. Cu-LIG demonstrated no failure of conductive trace or substrate under 5A of current for 2 minutes, heating to a maximum recorded temperature of 76.3℃. Several multifunctional components were fabricated as case studies to further validate the process. Several small passive electronic devices (e.g., a heater and an interdigitated capacitor) are fabricated to demonstrate selective deposition of complex copper traces. The fabrication of an Archimedes spiral on a hemispherical substrate via Cu-LIG is completed to demonstrate the ability to use the process to fabricate conformal conductive traces. An LED circuit is fabricated on a face-center cubic AM-PI lattice which demonstrates multi-planar fabrication on geometrically complex 3D printed substrates. / Master of Science / The hybridization of direct write (DW) and additive manufacturing (AM) technologies to create additively manufactured electronics (AME) has enabled the fabrication of AM components which have electronic functionality. Current work in AME has demonstrated the integration of conductive traces into and onto geometries and form factors that are not possible through traditional electronics packaging processes. This has largely been accomplished through the deposition of conductive inks to form interconnects on the surface of AM substrates or within multimaterial AM geometries. However, these conductive inks require thermal post-processing temperatures which exceed the thermal performance of common AM substrates. The dielectric performance of AM substrates is also restrictive to the capabilities of these parts. This thesis proposes an alternative process for the conformal deposition of low resistivity traces on high performance additively manufactured all-aromatic polyimides (AM-PI) without the use of conductive inks. This is accomplished through the selective patterning of laser induced graphene (LIG), a porous 3D graphene fabricated via laser irradiation, onto the AM-PI. While the resultant LIG is conductive, its resistivity is further reduced by the electrodeposition of copper (Cu-LIG). In this thesis, the synthesis of LIG on AM-PI, thermally post processed to 240℃, 300℃, and 450℃, is demonstrated and characterized through sheet resistance measurements and Raman spectroscopy. AM-PI post-processed to 300℃ demonstrated the lowest sheet resistance LIG formation (13.8 Ω/square). The resistivity of Cu-LIG is compared to an industry standard silver ink (Micromax CB028) used in direct write hybrid manufacturing applications. Cu-LIG was found to have a measured resistivity (1.39e-7 Ω·m), two orders of magnitude lower than the measured resistivity of the CB028 silver ink (1.62e-5 Ω·m). Additionally, the thermal performance and current capacity of the Cu-LIG was demonstrated by observing resistive heating of the material under current load via IR thermography. Cu-LIG demonstrated no failure of conductive trace or substrate under 5A of current for 2 minutes, heating to a maximum recorded temperature of 76.3℃. Several multifunctional components were fabricated as case studies to further validate the process. A heater and an interdigitated capacitor are fabricated to demonstrate selective deposition of complex copper traces. The fabrication of an Archimedes spiral on a dome via Cu-LIG is completed to demonstrate the ability to use the process to fabricate conformal conductive traces. An LED circuit is fabricated on an AM-PI lattice which demonstrates multi-planar fabrication on geometrically complex 3D printed substrates.

Laser-plasma-based ion accelerators are becoming a versatile platform to drive different fields of applied research and life sciences, for example translational research in radiation oncology. To ensure stable accelerator performance, complete control over the ion source, i.e., the high-intensity laser-solid interaction, is required. However, idealized interaction conditions are almost impossible to reach, as the utilized high-power lasers always feature a non-negligible amount of light preceding the laser peak. This leading edge of the laser pulse usually exceeds the ionization potential of bound electrons much earlier than the arrival of the high-power laser peak and the solid-density target undergoes significant modifications even before the actual high-intensity laser-plasma interaction starts. Control over this so-called target pre-expansion is a key requirement to achieve quantitative agreement between numerical simulations and experiments of high-intensity laser-solid interactions. This thesis investigates several aspects that are relevant to improve the capability of simulations to model realistic experimental scenarios. The corresponding experiments are conducted with cryogenic hydrogen-jet targets and the DRACO-PW laser at peak intensities between 10^12 W/cm^2 and 10^21 W/cm^2 . The experimental implementation of time-resolved optical-probing diagnostics and technical innovations with respect to the technique of off-harmonic optical probing overcome the disturbances by parasitic plasma self-emission and allow for unprecedented observations of the target evolution during the laser-target interactions. The laser-induced breakdown of solids, i.e., the phase transition from the solid to the plasma state, can be considered as an heuristic starting point of high-intensity laser-solid interactions. As it is highly relevant to simulations of target pre-expansion, Chapter 3 of this thesis presents time-resolved measurements of laser-induced breakdown in laser-target interactions at peak intensities between 0.6 * 10^21 W/cm^2 and 5.7 * 10^21 W/cm^2 . By increasing the peak intensity, a lowering of the applicable threshold intensity of laser-induced breakdown well below the appearance intensity of barrier-suppression ionization occurs. The observation demonstrates the relevance of the pulse-duration dependence of laser-induced breakdown and laser-induced damage threshold to the starting point of high-intensity laser-solid interactions. To apply the results to other laser-target assemblies, we provide a detailed instruction of how to pinpoint the starting point by comparing measurements of the laser contrast with a characterization study of the target-specific thresholds of laser-induced breakdown at low laser intensity. Chapter 4 of this thesis presents an example of how optical-probing diagnostics are able to estimate target pre-expansion as a starting condition for particle-in-cell simulations. The measurement allows to restrict the surface gradient of the pre-expanded plasma density to an exponential scalelength between 0.06 um and 0.13 um. Furthermore, the plasma-expansion dynamics induced by the ultra-relativistic laser peak are computed and post-processed by ray-tracing simulations. A comparison to the experimental results yields that the formation of the measured shadowgrams is governed by refraction in the plasma-density gradients and that the observed volumetric transparency of the target at 1.4 ps after the laser peak is not caused by relativistically induced transparency but by plasma expansion into vacuum instead.

L’optimisation des chambres de combustion est généralement réalisée à l'aide d’outils desimulation numérique. Lorsque le carburant est injecté sous forme liquide, la qualité des simulationsdépend en partie de la définition des conditions aux limites imposées pour cette phase à proximité del'injecteur (diamètre, vitesse et flux volumique des gouttes, vitesse de glissement entre phases). Cesconditions aux limites sont généralement définies à partir d'une analyse expérimentale dans desconditions réalistes d’injection, qui fait appel, dans le meilleur des cas, à l’utilisation del’Anémogranulomètre Phase Doppler (PDA). Cependant, cette technique ponctuelle est coûteuse entemps pour une caractérisation globale de l’injecteur et fournit une mesure des flux volumiques avecdes limitations. Il est également difficile d’accéder à des grandeurs telles que la vitesse de la phasegazeuse en présence des gouttes. Pour répondre à cette problématique, il paraît judicieux de mettre enœuvre des techniques de diagnostic optique spatialement résolues. Cette étude consiste à développer des techniques optiques de champ couplant des approches basées sur la diffusion de Mie, sur l'émission fluorescente des gouttes ou de traceurs et utilisant des algorithmes de type PIV, pour caractériser de manière simultanée et quantitative la granulométrie, la vitesse et le flux volumique de la phase dispersée, ainsi que la vitesse de la phase continue dans les brouillards de gouttes au sein d’une configuration réaliste de foyer aéronautique. Une attentionparticulière est portée à l'étude de la précision de la mesure. Ainsi, des comparaisons sont effectuéesavec des bases de données complètes obtenues à l’aide du PDA. L'analyse de ces résultats estconfrontée aux modèles de l'optique physique régissant les phénomènes de fluorescence et dediffusion de la lumière par des particules à l’aide de simulations. Cette démarche nous permetd'interpréter efficacement les résultats obtenus par imagerie directe et de définir les paramètresd'acquisition et de traitement assurant une précision optimale des mesures. / The optimization of combustion chambers is generally carried out using numerical simulation tools.When fuel is injected in liquid form, the simulation quality depends on the boundary conditionsimposed to this phase close to the injector (diameter, velocity and volume flux of the droplets, slipvelocity between phases). These boundary conditions are usually set from an experimental analysisunder realistic conditions of injection, which in the best case uses Phase Doppler Anemo-granulometry(PDA). However, this point measurement technique is time consuming for an overall injectorcharacterization and provides a measurement of the volume flux with some limitations. It is alsodifficult to access variables such as the velocity of the gas phase in the presence of droplets. Toaddress this problem, it seems appropriate to implement spatially resolved optical diagnostictechniques. This study consists in the development of optical field techniques which combine approaches based onMie scattering, fluorescent emission from droplets or tracers and use PIV algorithms to characterizesimultaneously and quantitatively size, velocity and volume flux of the dispersed phase, and velocityof the continuous phase in droplet sprays in a realistic configuration of aeronautical injector. Aparticular attention is given to the study of the measurement accuracy. Thus, comparisons are carriedout with complete databases obtained with the PDA. The analysis of these results is faced withphysical optics models governing phenomena of fluorescence and light scattering by particles usingsimulations. This approach allows us to effectively interpret the results obtained by direct imaging anddefine acquisition and processing parameters ensuring optimum accuracy.

Com clima diversificado e terras férteis, o Brasil tem vocação natural para o desenvolvimento agropecuário e todas as suas vertentes. Assim, o agronegócio é hoje a principal locomotiva da economia brasileira, representando cerca de um terço do nosso Produto Interno Bruto (PIB). Nesse contexto, o Brasil é o terceiro maior produtor de frutas do planeta, com destaque para a produção de laranjas. Particularmente, o país lidera a produção mundial de suco de laranja e conta com uma participação de 85% nas exportações deste produto. Porém, um dos principais fatores atuais que restringem os lucros e a expansão da citricultura é o controle fitossanitário. Atualmente, dentre as principais doenças podemos destacar o HLB e o cancro cítrico. Ambas, doenças bacterianas que não têm cura comprometem a produção e desenvolvimento da fruta e levam à morte da árvore. Dessa maneira, o monitoramento destas é fundamental para evitar danos aos frutos e a necessidade da erradicação de plantações inteiras. O presente trabalho avaliou o emprego das técnicas de Espectroscopia de Fluorescência Induzida por Laser (LIFS) e Espectroscopia de Emissão Óptica com Plasma Induzido por Laser (LIBS) como forma de diagnóstico destas doenças, se apresentando como uma alternativa às inspeções visuais e ao PCR utilizados atualmente. Para isso, folhas de citros in natura provenientes de plantas sadias, com HLB ou com cancro foram amostradas e medidas com ambos os sistemas. Através do sistema LIFS foi realizado um estudo de precocidade no diagnóstico do HLB. Este sistema fotônico pôde detectar a doença até 21 meses antes do aparecimento dos primeiros sintomas visuais. Foram utilizados classificadores sazonais, criados a partir de Regressão por Mínimos Quadrados Parciais (PLSR) e conjuntos de calibração previamente avaliados. Quanto ao cancro cítrico e o sistema LIFS, taxas de acerto superiores a 90% foram alcançadas nos melhores casos de validação cruzada dos dados. A diferenciação do cancro e do HLB também foi possível pela mesma técnica ao avaliar um conjunto pequeno de dados, que atingiu uma taxa de acerto de 82%. Através dos espectros obtidos pelo sistema LIBS, avaliou-se as variações nutricionais causadas na planta devido à doença. Por meio de tais variações e métodos de PLSR foi construído um modelo para o diagnóstico de HLB alcançando taxas de acerto da ordem de 75%. Em relação ao cancro cítrico e o sistema LIBS, um estudo preliminar foi realizado, e uma taxa de acerto superior a 90% foi atingida. Por fim, os resultados corroboraram com a ideia inicial de se realizar o diagnóstico do HLB e do cancro cítrico através de técnicas fotônicas. Dentre outras vantagens estas permitem uma análise rápida, in loco, sem a necessidade de preparo de amostra. Além disso, para o HLB, as técnicas fotônicas demonstraram menor sensibilidade à distribuição não homogênea da doença, quando comparada com a técnica de referência (qPCR). / The diverse climate and fertile soils make Brazil a country with a natural vocation for agricultural development. Thus, agribusiness is now the main locomotive of the Brazilian economy, accounting for about one-third of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In this context, Brazil is the third largest fruit producer in the world, with emphasis on the orange production. Particularly, the country leads the world production of orange juice, and with a stake of 85% in exports of this product. However, one of the main factors that restrict current profits and the expansion of citrus production is phytosanitary control. Currently, among the major diseases we highlight the HLB (Greening) and Citrus Canker, two bacterial diseases that have no cure and affect production and fruit development. Therefore, monitoring is essential to prevent damage to the fruits and the complete eradication of infected orchards. The present study evaluated the use of Laser-Induced Fluorescence Spectroscopy (LIFS) and Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) techniques as alternative diagnostic methods to visual inspection and PCR technique, currently used. For that, citrus leaves from healthy, HLB or citrus canker infected plants, were sampled and measured with both systems. Through LIFS system, a study of the HLB early diagnosis was done. This photonic system could detect the disease up to 21 months before the tree show the visual symptoms. Seasonal classifiers were used, which were designed from Partial Least Square Regression (PLSR) methods and calibration database previously acquired. Regarding citrus canker and LIFS system, success rates higher than 90% were achieved in the best cases. The differentiation between citrus canker and HLB was also possible using the same technique reaching a success rate around 82%. Through the spectrum obtained by LIBS system, it was evaluated the nutritional variations caused in the plant due to HLB, and based on these data, the diagnosis was done. The average success rate was 75%, which was achieved by PLSR model. Regarding on citrus canker and LIBS system, a preliminary study was carried out and a success rate greater than 90% was achieved. Finally, the results corroborated with the use of photonic techniques for the HLB and citrus canker diagnosis. Among other advantages, they allow rapid analysis, in loco and without the need of sample preparation. In addition, for the HLB, photonics techniques showed lower sensitivity to the non-homogeneous distribution of the disease when compared with the reference technique (qPCR).

Este trabalho apresenta uma contribuição ao estudo das flutuações quânticas dos feixes sonda e de bombeio na condição de transparência induzida por laser. Com esse estudo conseguimos observar nas flutuações dos campos uma manifestação do caráter coerente da interação dos átomos com os feixes. Para alcançar nosso objetivo, derivamos a teoria do fenômeno da transparência induzida tratando ambos feixes dentro do formalismo quântico. Com tal formulação, encontramos que a condição de transparência induzida corresponde a um estado de equilíbrio dinâmico do sistema átomo - campo de bombeio - campo sonda onde, os átomos redistribuem os fótons entre os campos, correlacionando os mesmos e alterando, ao mesmo tempo, as propriedades estatísticas desses feixes. Utilizando dois critérios diferentes, mostrando que a correlação entre os feixes sonda e de bombeio é de natureza quântica, o que possibilita a aplicação desse sistema, por exemplo, na informação e computação quânticas. Os resultados experimentais obtidos confirmaram as previsões teóricas em relação às flutuações quânticas dos campos, e a existência de uma correlação entre eles. Trata-se da primeira investigação experimental de propriedades estatísticas dos campos em transparência induzida. A correlação de intensidade medida é o primeiro passo para a observação de emaranhamento entre feixes sonda e de bombeio na condiçào de transparência induzida. / In this work we presente a contribution to the study of quantum fluctuations of pump and probe filds in the Electromagnetically Induced Transparency (EIT) condition. We observed in the fields fluctuations evidence of the coherent character of the interaction between the atoms and the fields. To reach our purpose, the fields were treated quantum-mechanically in deriving the theory of the EIT phenomenon. Using this formulation, we concluded that the EIT condition corresponds to a state of dynamical equilibrium of the system atom pump field probe field, where the atoms redistribute the photons between both fields, correlating them and, at the same time, affecting their statistical properties. By means of two different criteria we showed that such a correlation is of quantum nature, making possible the application of this system in, for example, quantum information and quantum computation. The theoretical predictions were corroborated by our experimental results regarding the quantum fluctuations and the existence of a correlation between the pump and probe fields. This is the first experiment to investigate statistical properties of the fields in EIT. The intensity correlation measured is the first step towards the observation of entanglement between the fields.

Thèse numérisée par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.