Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 174-187). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 133-141).

Thesis (doctoral)--Technische Hochschule, Aachen, 2001.

Zugl.: Berlin, Freie Universiẗat, Diss., 2009.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 80-84). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

Zugl.: Leipzig, Univ., Habil.-Schrift, 2009

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2002. / Bibliography: leaves169-179.

Thesis (Ph.D)--Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2009. / Committee Chair: Li Mo; Committee Member: Chou Meiyin; Committee Member: First Phillip; Committee Member: Nguyen Toan; Committee Member: Zangwill Andrew. Part of the SMARTech Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Collection.

Ferroelectric ceramics are broadly used in applications including actuators, sensors and information storage. An understanding of the microstructual evolution and domain dynamics is vital for predicting the performance and reliability of such devices. The underlying mechanism responsible for ferroelectric constitutive response is ferroelectric domain wall motion, domain switching and the interactions of domain walls with other material defects. In this work, a combined theoretical and numerical modeling framework is developed to investigate the nucleation and growth of domains in a single crystal of ferroelectric material. The phase-field approach, applying the material electrical polarization as the order parameter, is used as the theoretical modeling framework to allow for a detailed accounting of the electromechanical processes. The finite element method is used for the numerical solution technique. In order to obtain a better understanding of the energetics of fracture within the phase-field setting, the J-integral is modified to include the energies associated with the order parameter. Also, the J- integral is applied to determine the crack-tip energy release rate for common sets of electromechanical crack-face boundary conditions. The calculations confirm that only true equilibrium states exhibit path-independence of J, and that domain structures near crack tips may be responsible for allowing positive energy release rate during purely electrical loading. The small deformation assumption is prevalent in the phase-field modeling approach, and is used in the previously described calculations. The analysis of large deformations will introduce the concept of Maxwell stresses, which are assumed to be higher order effects that can be neglected in the small deformation theory. However, in order to investigate the material response of soft dielectric elastomers undergoing large mechanical deformation and electric field, which are employed in electrically driven actuator devices, manipulators and energy harvesters, a finite deformation theory is incorporated in the phase-field model. To describe the material free energy, compressible Neo-Hookean and Gent models are used. The Jaumann rate of the polarization is used as the objective polarization rate to make the description of the dissipation frame indifferent. To illustrate the theory, electromechanical instabilities in composite materials with different inclusions will be studied using the finite element methods. / text

The studies of the designs on true-time-delay lines (TTDLs), n-bit digital phase shifters and wideband switched-line phase shifters using composite right/left-handed transmission-line (CRLH TL) unit cells are presented in this thesis. To simplify these designs, a symmetrical CRLH TL unit cell having equal input and output impedance is proposed. In the design of TDDLs, the symmetrical CRLH TL unit cell with higher time-delay efficiency helps achieve a size reduction of 67.9%, compared with the TTDL designed using right-handed transmission line (RH TL). The symmetrical CRLH TL unit cell is further modified to a compact CRLH TL unit cell to further reduce the size by 58%. For performances comparison, the TTDLs using the compact CRLH TL unit cells, symmetrical CRLH TL unit cells and RH TL are studied using computer simulation and measurement. Results show that the TTDLs using the compact CRLH TL unit cells can achieve much longer time delays. The TTDLs designed using CRLH TL unit cells have narrow bandwidths because CRLH TL unit cells have narrow bandwidths. In this thesis, a wideband unit cell obtained by rotating the CRLH TL unit cell by 900is proposed in the design of TTDLs. Simulation and measurement show that the TTDL using wideband unit cells can achieve a time delay about 3 times and 6 times longer than that of the periodic microstrip line (PML) and RH TL, respectively. A 2-bit, 3-bit and 6-bit phase shifters using symmetrical CRLH TL unit cells are designed using computer simulation. In these designs, positive-intrinsic-negative (PIN) diodes mounted on the fingers of the CRLH TL unit cells are used as switches to control the phase response at the output. Different phase shifts are achieved using different switching states determined by controlling bits. The phase shifters are fabricated and measured. Simulated and measured results agree very well. Power-handling capability is also analyzed using surface-current density on the CRLH TL unit cells. Results show that the phase shifters have much higher power-handling capabilities than that of the PIN diodes. A wideband 1800-switched-line phase shifter using symmetrical CRLH TL unit cell is proposed. The switched-line phase shifter employs a symmetrical CRLH TL unit cell as the reference arm and a RH TL as the delay arm to produce a constant phase shift across a wide frequency band. For comparison, a traditional 1800-switched-line phase shifter using RH TLs for both reference and delay arms is also designed. To reduce the size, the CRLH TL unit cell is realized using lump elements (LEs). Wideband 900-and 1800-switched-line phase shifters using LE-CRLH TL unit cells are studied and compared with the traditional 900-and 1800-switched-line phase shifters. Simulated and measured results show that the proposed designs using symmetrical CRLH TL unit cells and LE-CRLH TL unit cells have very constant phase shifts with smaller variations compared with the traditional designs. / published_or_final_version / Electrical and Electronic Engineering / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy