Bragg reflection waveguides (BRW) or one-dimensional photonic bandgap structures have been demonstrated for phase-matching chi(2) nonlinearities in AlxGa1-xAs. The method exploits strong modal dispersion of a Bragg mode and total internal reflection modes co-propagating inside the waveguide. It is shown that phase-matching is attained among the lowest order modes of interacting harmonics, which allows maximizing the utilization of harmonics powers for nonlinear interactions. As our first demonstration, we report second-harmonic generation (SHG) of a 2-ps telecommunication pump in a 2.4 mm long slab BRW. The conversion efficiency is estimated as 2.0 %/W.cm^2 with a generated SH power of 729 nW. This efficiency has been considerably improved by introducing lateral confinement of optical modes in ridge structures. Characterizations denote that efficiency of SHG in ridge BRWs can increase by over an order of magnitude in comparison to that of the slab device. Also, we report continuous-wave SHG in BRWs. Using a telecommunication pump with a power of 98 mW, the continuous-wave SH power of 23 nW is measured in a 2.0 mm long device. Significant enhancements of chi(2) interactions is obtained in the modified design of matching-layer enhanced BRW (ML-BRW). For the first time, we report type-II SHG in ML-BRW, where the second-harmonic power of 60 µW is measured for a pump power of 3.3 mW in a 2.2 mm long sample. Also, we demonstrate the existence of type-0 SHG, where both pump and SH signal have an identical TM polarization state. It is shown that the efficiency of the type-0 process is comparable to type-I and type-II processes with the phase-matching wavelengths of all three interactions lying within a spectral window as small as 17 nm. ML-BRW is further reported for sum-frequency and difference-frequency generations. For applications requiring high pump power, a generalized ML-BRW design is proposed and demonstrated. The proposed structure offsets the destructive effects of third-order nonlinearities on chi(2) processes when high power harmonics are involved. This is carried out through incorporation of larger bandgap materials by using high aluminum content AlxGa1-xAs layers without undermining the nonlinear conversion efficiency. Theoretical investigations of BRWs as integrated sources of photon-pairs with frequency correlation properties are discussed. It is shown that the versatile dispersion properties in BRWs enables generation of telecommunication anti-correlated photon-pairs with bandwidth tunablity between 1 nm and 450 nm.

Bragg reflection waveguides (BRW) or one-dimensional photonic bandgap structures have been demonstrated for phase-matching chi(2) nonlinearities in AlxGa1-xAs. The method exploits strong modal dispersion of a Bragg mode and total internal reflection modes co-propagating inside the waveguide. It is shown that phase-matching is attained among the lowest order modes of interacting harmonics, which allows maximizing the utilization of harmonics powers for nonlinear interactions. As our first demonstration, we report second-harmonic generation (SHG) of a 2-ps telecommunication pump in a 2.4 mm long slab BRW. The conversion efficiency is estimated as 2.0 %/W.cm^2 with a generated SH power of 729 nW. This efficiency has been considerably improved by introducing lateral confinement of optical modes in ridge structures. Characterizations denote that efficiency of SHG in ridge BRWs can increase by over an order of magnitude in comparison to that of the slab device. Also, we report continuous-wave SHG in BRWs. Using a telecommunication pump with a power of 98 mW, the continuous-wave SH power of 23 nW is measured in a 2.0 mm long device. Significant enhancements of chi(2) interactions is obtained in the modified design of matching-layer enhanced BRW (ML-BRW). For the first time, we report type-II SHG in ML-BRW, where the second-harmonic power of 60 µW is measured for a pump power of 3.3 mW in a 2.2 mm long sample. Also, we demonstrate the existence of type-0 SHG, where both pump and SH signal have an identical TM polarization state. It is shown that the efficiency of the type-0 process is comparable to type-I and type-II processes with the phase-matching wavelengths of all three interactions lying within a spectral window as small as 17 nm. ML-BRW is further reported for sum-frequency and difference-frequency generations. For applications requiring high pump power, a generalized ML-BRW design is proposed and demonstrated. The proposed structure offsets the destructive effects of third-order nonlinearities on chi(2) processes when high power harmonics are involved. This is carried out through incorporation of larger bandgap materials by using high aluminum content AlxGa1-xAs layers without undermining the nonlinear conversion efficiency. Theoretical investigations of BRWs as integrated sources of photon-pairs with frequency correlation properties are discussed. It is shown that the versatile dispersion properties in BRWs enables generation of telecommunication anti-correlated photon-pairs with bandwidth tunablity between 1 nm and 450 nm.

El principal objetivo de este estudio es cuantificar y examinar la movilidad intergeneracional del ingreso en la Argentina, explorando la hipótesis de variación del grado de (in)movilidad a lo largo de la distribución del ingreso correspondiente a los hijos así como a los padres, a través de la aplicación de métodos econométricos utilizados en la literatura empírica reciente para datos no longitudinales. Los resultados, obtenidos a partir de la información proveniente de dos muestras de la Encuesta Permanente de Hogares de 1986 y 2006, sugieren que el ingreso laboral de los padres está correlacionado más fuertemente con el ingreso de las hijas que con el de los hijos varones. Asimismo, se observa que la persistencia intergeneracional varía a lo largo de la distribución del ingreso laboral de los hijos y de los padres. En general, el efecto del ingreso laboral del padre y de la madre es mayor para los hijos que se encuentran en los cuantiles más bajos. Por otra parte, las elasticidades intergeneracionales del ingreso estimadas en cada cuantil de los hijos, para diferentes tramos de la distribución del ingreso laboral de los padres, son considerablemente distintas. En síntesis, los resultados revelan la existencia de significativas no linealidades en la relación intergeneracional del ingreso laboral. / The principal aim of this paper is quantify and examine intergenerational earnings mobility in Argentina, exploring particularly the hypothesis of variation of the degree of intergenerational (in)mobility across childs´s and parents’s income distribution, by the implementation of econometrics methods utilized in recent empirical literature for nonlongitudinal data. The results derived from the information of two samples from the Permanent Household Survey of 1986 and 2006 suggest that parents´s earnings correlate more strongly with daughter´s earnings than they do with that of a son. Also, intergenerational persistence varies across childs´s and parents’s income distribution. In general, the effect of father´s and mother´s earning is higher for childrens in the lower income quantiles. Moreover, the intergenerational income elasticities in every quantil of the childs, for different sections of parents's income distribution, are considerably distinct. In synthesis, the results uncover the existence of significant nonlinearities in the intergenerational earnings relationship.

O problemas do impacto em corpos elásticos está massivamente presente na indústria e no funcionamento de grande parte dos equipamentos domésticos. Entender e dominar este fenômeno é fundamental não somente a indústria mecânica mas a todas as outras que nela se apóiam. Neste trabalho são apresentados estudos básicos sobre impacto longitudinal, transversal e propagação de ondas de tensão elástica. São introduzidos conceitos de análise modal, amortecimento, não linearidade e transformada discreta de Fourier, empregada em análise de sinais. O método dos elementos finitos foi a principal ferramenta matemática empregada. Com ele foi possível a construção das superfícies de tensão equivalente máxima, capazes de representar diversas situações de impacto que podem ocorrer a uma determinada geometria. A compilação deste trabalho, em suma, visa a compreensão geral do fenômeno do impacto e da posição nele ocupada pelas grandezas físicas massa, velocidade e tensão. O conhecimento de como estas grandezas estão relacionadas permite projetar um sistema dinâmico com mais inteligência. / The impact problem in elastic bodies is present in industry and working of most domestic equipaments. The knowledge and understanding of this phenomenon is of fundamental importance to the mechanical industry and their dependents. This work presents basic studies about longitudinal and transversal impact and elastic stress propagation. The concepts of modal analysis, damping, nonlinearities and discrete fourier transform, employed in signal analysis, are introduced. The finite element method was the main mathematical tool used here. It allowed the construction of the surface of maximum equivalent stress, which represents many crashes situations that can occur in certain model. In summary, this work intends the general comprehension of the impact phenomenon and the existing relation among mass, velocity and generated stresses. This comprehension allows to project dynamic systems with more intelligence.

Le sujet de cette thèse concerne l'étude de l'influence des incertitudes paramétriques et structurelles sur le comportement d’un SDNE de 1ière espèce défini par l’association d’une fractance et d’un élément I (au sens bond-graph), et ce quel que soit le domaine de la Physique. Le mémoire de thèse comporte deux parties. La première, composée de trois chapitres, présente un caractère théorique et méthodologique, elle s’inscrit dans le cadre de la théorie des systèmes. La seconde comporte deux chapitres qui présentent un caractère applicatif, l’objectif étant d’illustrer dans les domaines de la mécanique et de l’électronique la démarche présentée dans la première partie. / The objective of this thesis is to study the effects of the parametric and structural uncertainties on the behavior of the 1st order fractional dynamic systems. Such systems are defined by the alliance of a fractance and an inductance and can be applied in any physical domain.So, this thesis is divided into two parts. The first part regroups the first three chapters and presents a theoretical and methodological approach for this study whereas the second part contains the remaining two chapters. These chapters represent the applications of the previously shown theory in the mechanical domain (hydropneumatic suspension) and in the electrical domain.

Le couplage fort entre le transport électronique dans une boîte quantique à un seul niveau et un oscillateur nano-mécanique couplé capacitivement peut conduire à une transition vers un état mécaniquement bistable et bloqué en courant. Son observation est à portée de main dans les expériences de pointe menées sur les nanotubes de carbone. Nous étudions donc la réponse mécanique du système et plus précisément la fonction spectrale de déplacement, la réponse linéaire à une solicitation externe et le comportement pendant le retour à l'équilibre. Nous montrons qu'il existe une relation étroite entre les grandeurs électriques (telles le courant électrique et la fonction spectrale des fluctuations du courant) et mécaniques. Nous constatons qu'en augmentant le couplage électromécanique, les deux fonctions spectrales présentent un pic qui s'élargit et se déplace vers les basses fréquences alors que le temps de déphasage de l'oscillateur se raccourcit. Ces effets sont maximaux à la transition où les non-linéarités dominent la dynamique et sont robustes vis-à-vis de l'effet des fluctuations extérieures et de la dissipation. Ces caractéristiques fortes ouvrent la voie à la détection de la transition vers l'état de blocage du courant dans des dispositifs actuellement étudiées par plusieurs groupes. / The strong coupling between electronic transport in a single-level quantum dot and a capacitively coupled nano-mechanical oscillator may lead to a transition towards a mechanically-bistable and blocked-current state. Its observation is at reach in carbonnanotube state-of-art experiments. Therefore, we investigate the mechanical response of the system, namely the displacement spectral function, the linear response to a driving, and the ring-down behavior, and the electric response, namely the electric current and current spectral function. We show that a close relation between electric and mechanical quantities exists. We find that, by increasing the lectromechanical coupling, the peak in both spectral functions broadens and shifts at low frequencies while the oscillator dephasing time shortens. These effects are maximum at the transition where nonlinearities dominate the dynamics, and are robust towards the effect of external uctuations and dissipation. These strong signatures open the way to detect the blockade transition in devices currently studied by several groups.

In vielen industriellen Anwendungen sind Dichtungen im Einsatz. Vergleicht man den Preis mit dem eines Gesamtsystems, in denen Dichtungen verwendet werden, so sind Dichtungen verhältnismäßig günstig. Jedoch führt ein Versagen von Dichtungen meist zu schwerwiegenden Konsequenzen. Dichtungen sind komplexe Subsysteme und ihre Auslegung erfordert umfangreiche Kenntnisse im Bereich Materialmodellierung, Belastung und Versagenskriterien. Die heutige Simulationstechnologie ermöglicht einen parametrischen Workflow für die Berechnung des Verhaltens von Dichtungen mit den auftretenden Effekten wie nichtlinearem Materialverhalten, wechselnden Kontaktbedingungen und Flüssigkeitsunterwanderung bei Druck. Als ein führendes Simulationswerkzeug für diese physikalische Fragestellung wird ANSYS Mechanical für die Auslegung herangezogen. Desweiteren kann das Verständnis für das Produkt erhöht werden, was zu einer Verbesserung der Funktionalität und der Zuverlässigkeit führt. Versuchsdaten können als Spannungs-Dehnungskurven in ANSYS importiert werden, welche das Materialverhalten des hyperelastischen Werkstoffs mit traditionellen Materialmodellen wie Mooney Rivlin, Ogden and Yeoh oder einer neueren Formulierung, der Antwortfunktionsmethode, widerspiegeln. Robuste Kontakttechnologien beschleunigen die Simulation und Entwicklungszeit-Berechnungszeiten und gewährleisten ein genaues Verhalten des Simulationsmodells. Insbesondere bei Dichtungen ist die druckbeaufschlagte Fläche in 2D und 3D Anwendungen von Bedeutung. ANSYS berechnet diese automatisch in Abhängigkeit des aktuellen Kontaktzustandes. Diese benutzerfreundliche Unterstützung führt zu einer höheren Genauigkeit des Simulationsergebnisses, da ein manuelles Schätzen der Druckflächen entfällt. Mit einem parametrischen und durchgängigen Ansatz innerhalb von ANSYS Workbench, beginnend bei der CAD-Geometrie, über die Vernetzung, Material- und Randbedingungsdefinition und Lösung. können eine Reihe von Varianten in kurzer Zeit berechnet werden. Neben einem besseren Verständnis für das Produkt hilft dies dem Ingenieur Änderungen vorzunehmen, was zu exakten und aussagekräftigen Ergebnissen führt. Desweiteren kann der Einfluss von Unsicherheiten berücksichtigt werden, sodass der Berechnungsingenieur fernab von idealen Bedingungen robuste und zuverlässige Dichtungen entwickeln kann.

Ces travaux concernent l'évaluation perceptive de la reproduction sonore. Le but de notre étude est de proposer un protocole permettant la caractérisation perceptive des non-linéarités et des phénomènes de distorsion modifiant le signal reproduit par un système tel qu'une enceinte acoustique. L'élaboration d'un tel protocole nécessite de rassembler de nombreuses enceintes et d'utiliser une méthode d'évaluation adaptée. Nous ne cherchons pas à évaluer la distorsion en terme de qualité globale mais plutôt à estimer les dissemblances perçues entre différentes enceintes distordues afin de révéler, grâce à une analyse multidimensionnelle MDS, les critères sur lesquelles les auditeurs se basent pour les différencier. Dans un premier temps, nous avons utilisé des signaux de synthèse afin de générer des échantillons dont la distorsion est contrôlable. Nous avons ainsi créé un corpus composé de nombreux échantillons distordus simulant ou se rapprochant du fonctionnement d'une enceinte acoustique avec différents types de non-linéarités. Ensuite nous proposons une méthode adaptée à l'évaluation de la dissemblance sur des corpus étendus que nous avons validée à partir de simulations et de tests d'écoute. Enfin, nous avons appliqué cette méthode d'évaluation sur le corpus d'enceintes que nous avons élaboré afin de tester l'utilisation du protocole proposé et de donner quelques résultats préliminaires concernant les dimensions perceptives liées à la distorsion non linéaire. / This work deals with the perceptual evaluation of the sound reproduction. Our aim is to elaborate a protocol allowing to assess the influence of nonlinearities and distortions of a loudspeaker. Such a protocol requires gathering a large set of loudspeakers together with an appropriate method for its evaluation. This study deals with the perceptual evaluation of dissimilarities between different loudspeakers rather than their absolute quality judgements. Thanks to a multidimensional scaling technique, this approach allows to uncover the criteria used by the listeners to differentiate various distorting loudspeakers. First, we used synthesized signals to generate samples of sounds resulting from controlled distortion. Numerous distorded stimuli have been generated that simulate sounds radiated by a loudspeaker. Then, we propose a method suitable for the evaluation of a large set of stimuli. In order to verify its application to the estimation of dissimilarity, simulations and listening tests have been conducted. Finally, this listening test method has been applied to the created set of distorting loudspeakers in order to verify the use of our protocol and provide some preliminaries results concerning the perception of nonlinear distortion.

Pour les solutions transitoires répétées des structures géométriquement nonlinéaires l’effort numérique présente souvent une contrainte importante. Ainsi, l’introduction d’un modèle d’ordre réduit, qui prend en compte les effets nonlinéaires et qui accélère considérablement les calculs, s’avère souvent nécessaire.Ce travail aboutit à une méthode qui permet des solutions transitoires accélérées, fidèles et paramétrables, à travers d’un modèle réduit de la structure initiale. La structure est discrétisée et son équilibre dynamique décrit par une équation matricielle. La projection sur une base réduite est introduite afin d’obtenir un modèle réduit. Une étude numérique complète sur plusieurs bases communes démontre que la simple introduction d’une base constante ne suffit pas pour prendre en compte le comportement nonlinéaire. Trois exigences sont déduites pour une solution transitoire accélérée, fidèle et paramétrable. L’algorithme de solution doit permettre un suivi de l’évolution nonlinéaire de la solution transitoire, la solution doit être autonome des termes nonlinéaires en éléments finis et la base doit être adaptée à des paramètres externes.Trois approches sont mises en place, chacune répondant à une exigence. Ces approches sont assemblées dans la méthode intégrée. Les approches sont la mise-à-jour et augmentation de la base , la formulation polynomiale des termes nonlinéaires et l’interpolation de la base. Un algorithme de type Newmark forme le cadre de la méthode intégrée. L’application de la méthode intégrée sur des cas test en élément finis géométriquement nonlinéaires confirme qu’elle répond au but initial d’obtenir des solutions transitoires accélérées, fidèles et paramétrables. / For repeated transient solutions of geometrically nonlinear structures the numerical effort often poses a major obstacle. Thus, the introduction of a reduced order model, which takes the nonlinear effects into account and accelerates the calculations considerably, is often necessary.This work yields a method that allows for rapid, accurate and parameterisable solutions by means of a reduced model of the original structure. The structure is discretised and its dynamic equilibrium described by a matrix equation. The projection on a reduced basis is introduced to obtain the reduced model. A comprehensive numerical study on several common reduced bases shows that the simple introduction of a constant basis is not sufficient to account for the nonlinear behaviour. Three requirements for an rapid, accurate and parameterisable solution are derived. The solution algorithm has to take into account the nonlinear evolution of the solution, the solution has to be independent of the nonlinear finite element terms and the basis has to be adapted to external parameters.Three approaches are provided, each responding to one requirement. These approaches are assembled to the integrated method. The approaches are the update and augmentation of the basis, the polynomial formulation of the nonlinear terms and the interpolation of the basis. A Newmark-type time-marching algorithm provides the frame of the integrated method. The application of the integrated method on test-cases with geometrically nonlinear finite elements confirms that this method leads to the initial aim of a rapid, accurate and parameterisable transient solution.

Modulation instability (MI) is a general characteristic of wave propagation in nonlinear dispersive media and it has been intensively investigated in several branches of physics due to its fundamental nature as well as technological applications. This phenomenon corresponds to the exponential growth of weak harmonic perturbations in virtue of the interplay between dispersive and nonlinear effects. Hence, despite its important features, MI is also a main source of channel depletion and degradation in optical fiber communications. In this thesis, we investigate the modulational instability (MI) induced by cross-phase-modulation (XPM) of two incoherently coupled optical pulses co-propagating in a lossless fiber with a finite nonlinear response time. The non-instantaneous character of the nonlinear response is introduced through a Debye relaxation process. We analytically obtain the exact dispersion relation for weak harmonic perturbations over the stationary solution. We show that the instability spectrum, present in both normal and anomalous dispersive regimes in instantaneously responding Kerr media, develops a double peak structure whose relative strength and typical frequency range depend on the response time. Further, we reveal that there are two unstable modes in the entire frequency spectrum. We report the dependence of the maximum gain and central frequency within each unstable mode as a function of the group velocity mismatch and response time, showing the crossover between the regimes of fast and slow non-linear responses. / Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Alagoas / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / Instabilidade Modulacional (IM) é um fenômeno característico da propagação de ondas em meios dispersivos não-lineares e tem sido estudado em diversas áreas da Física devido a sua natureza fundamental bem como suas importantes plicações tecnológicas. Esse fenômeno corresponde ao enriquecimento exponencial de pequenas perturbações harmônicas devido a cooperação dos efeitos não-lineares e dispersivos. Portanto, não obstante sua aplicabilidade, IM é, de igual modo, uma fonte importante de degradação em sistemas de comunicação por fibras ópticas. Nesta tese investigamos a instabilidade modulacional (IM) induzida por Modulação de Fase Cruzada (MFC) de dois pulsos ópticos acoplados incoerentemente que se propagam em uma fibra sem perda com tempo de resposta não-linear finito. O caráter não-instantâneo da resposta não-linear é introduzido através de um processo de relaxação de Debye. Obtemos analiticamente, de modo exato, a relação de dispersão para fracas perturbações harmônicas da solução estacionária. Mostramos que o espectro de instabilidade, presente tanto no regime de dispersão normal quanto no anômalo em meios Kerr com resposta instantânea, desenvolve uma estrutura de pico duplo cuja a intensidade relativa e a frequência típica dependem do tempo de resposta considerado. Além do mais, revelamos que existem dois modos instáveis ao longo de todo o espectro de frequência. Apresentamos a dependência do ganho máximo e da frequência correspondente dentro de cada modo instável como função da diferença da velocidade de grupo e do tempo de resposta, mostrando o cruzamento entre os regimes de resposta não-linear rápida e lenta.