This dissertation presents our theoretical study of fundamental topological properties of ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic systems, including topological magnetic excitations and topological magnetic textures. In the first part, we explored the topological magnonic phases in various systems with Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction using a linear spin-wave theory. We have calculated the magnonic Chern number, topological phase diagram, and magnon thermal Hall conductivity at low temperature with tunable interactions due to the lattice deformation. In particular, we have investigated the topological phase transitions between distinct topological magnonic phases characterized by magnonic Chern numbers. We have also studied the magnon band topology and magnonic edge states in each topological phase. We found a sign reversal of the thermal Hall conductivity during topological phase transitions. We explicitly demonstrated the correspondence of thermal Hall conductivity with the topological edge states and their propagation directions. In the second part, a magnonic metamaterial in the presence of spatially modulated Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction was theoretically proposed and demonstrated by micromagnetic simulations. By analogy to the fields of photonics, we first established magnonic Snell’s law for spin waves passing through an interface between two media with different dispersion relations due to different Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions. Based on magnonic Snell’s law, we found that spin waves can experience total internal reflection. The critical angle of total internal reflection was strongly dependent on the sign and strength of Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction. Furthermore, spin-wave beam fiber and spin-wave lens were designed by utilizing the artificial magnonic metamaterials with inhomogeneous Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions. In the last part, we studied the impact of spin Hall torque, spin transfer torque, and topological torque on the velocity-current relation of antiferromagnetic skyrmions with the aim of reducing the deformation. Using a combination of micromagnetic simulations and analytical derivations, we demonstrated that the lateral expansion of the antiferromagnetic skyrmion is reminiscent of the well-known Lorentz contraction identified in one-dimensional antiferromagnetic domain walls. We also showed that in the flow regime the lateral expansion is accompanied by a progressive saturation of the skyrmion velocity when driven by spin Hall and topological torques. This saturation occurs at much smaller velocities when driven by the topological torque, while the lateral expansion is reduced, preventing the skyrmion size from diverging at large current densities. Our findings suggested that a compromise must be made between skyrmion velocity and lateral expansion during the device design. In this respect, exploiting the topological torque could lead to better control of the skyrmion velocity in antiferromagnetic racetracks.

Le parachèvement des pièces de fonderie de haute technicité est une tâche indispensable, réalisée en grande partie manuellement, et vouée à disparaître de par sa pénibilité. Le travail présenté concerne la mise en oeuvre industrielle d'une cellule robotisée de parachèvement. Une première partie présente les contraintes liées au procédé de fonderie sable et leurs impacts sur le parachèvement. Le processus robotisé comporte une phase d'usinage et de ponçage associées à un recalage par vision. Un état de l'art en regard de nos contraintes d'intégration a conduit au choix d'un robot à structure parallèle (Tricept) associé à deux axes supplémentaires introduisant des redondances cinématiques. Sa mise en oeuvre vis-à-vis du processus a suivi une démarche en trois étapes : la modélisation analytique de la cellule obtenue par équivalent sériel, la formalisation des contraintes du processus et une résolution par optimisation multicritères. Elle a nécessité la définition de critères d'optimisation spécifiques (précision, cinématique, rigidité) et permet d'améliorer le comportement de la cellule par la gestion des redondances cinématiques. La dernière partie présente la mise en production industrielle sur une pièce de validation et l'outil d'optimisation développé.

Content: Preface Selected publications Statistics (Publications and patents, Concluded scientific degrees; Appointments and honors; Invited conference contributions, colloquia, lectures and talks; Conferences, workshops, colloquia and seminars; Exchange of researchers; Projects) Doctoral training programme Experimental equipment User facilities and services Organization chart and personnel

Neste trabalho, estudamos os efeitos de ordem de curto alcance resentes na suscetibilidade paramagnética, para temperaturas acima da temperatura de transição antiferro-paramagnética, nos seguintes materiais: CoCl2.6H2O, CoBr2.6H2O, NiCl2.4H2O, MnCl2.4H2O e MnBr2.4H2O. As caracterísitcas apresentadas por estes materiais permitiram a investigação da dependência deste efeito com o valor do spin, com a dimensionalidade e com o tipo de anisotropia do sistema magnético. Desenvolvemos, também, um tratamento teórico simples, baseado no princípio variacional da energia livre, o qual é suficiente para explicar os comportamentos observados em nossos estudos experimentais. / In this work we have studied the effect of short-range ordering on the paramagnetic susceptibility, for temperatures above the antiferro-paramagnetic transition in the following materials: CoCl2.6H2O, CoBr2.6H2O, NiCl2.4H2O, MnCl2.4H2O and MnBr2.4H2O. The properties of by these materials permit the investigation of the dependence of this effect with the value of the spin, with the dimensionality and the anisotropy of the magnetic system. A simple theoretical treatment, based on variational principle of free energy, is developed, which accounts for most of the features observed in our experimental studies.

Neste trabalho, estudamos os efeitos de ordem de curto alcance resentes na suscetibilidade paramagnética, para temperaturas acima da temperatura de transição antiferro-paramagnética, nos seguintes materiais: CoCl2.6H2O, CoBr2.6H2O, NiCl2.4H2O, MnCl2.4H2O e MnBr2.4H2O. As caracterísitcas apresentadas por estes materiais permitiram a investigação da dependência deste efeito com o valor do spin, com a dimensionalidade e com o tipo de anisotropia do sistema magnético. Desenvolvemos, também, um tratamento teórico simples, baseado no princípio variacional da energia livre, o qual é suficiente para explicar os comportamentos observados em nossos estudos experimentais. / In this work we have studied the effect of short-range ordering on the paramagnetic susceptibility, for temperatures above the antiferro-paramagnetic transition in the following materials: CoCl2.6H2O, CoBr2.6H2O, NiCl2.4H2O, MnCl2.4H2O and MnBr2.4H2O. The properties of by these materials permit the investigation of the dependence of this effect with the value of the spin, with the dimensionality and the anisotropy of the magnetic system. A simple theoretical treatment, based on variational principle of free energy, is developed, which accounts for most of the features observed in our experimental studies.

Les tabliers métalliques à dalle orthotrope sont sensibles au phénomène de fatigue produit par les charges des poids lourds du trafic. Ce comportement n’est pas précisément prédit avec les méthodes de l’Eurocode 3, compte tenu de la complexité des effets locaux et de la connaissance insuffisante du rôle mécanique du revêtement (diffusion des charges et participation à la flexion locale). De plus l’augmentation du trafic des camions et éventuellement celle des charges admissibles par essieu en Europe tend à rendre ce problème bien plus critique. Le renforcement de ces tabliers est donc souhaitable de façon à prolonger la durée de vie des ponts existants, et aussi augmenter la durabilité des nouveaux ponts. Le béton fibré à ultra haute performance (BFUP) a été envisagé comme nouvelle solution de revêtement, étant donné ses très performantes propriétés mécaniques et de durabilité. L’objectif de cette étude, réalisé dans le cadre du projet ANR Orthoplus, est de quantifier expérimentalement l’apport des revêtements couramment utilisés dans les structures à dalle orthotrope (ultra-mince et béton bitumineux) et valider la solution innovante en BFUP. Les essais statiques et dynamiques sur les corps d’épreuve à l’échelle 1 (2,40x4,00) m2 ont été réalisés sur la plate-forme d’essai des structures de l’IFSTTAR. Quatre corps d’épreuve ont été testés : tôle de platelage de 14 mm non revêtue et revêtue de 80 mm de béton bitumineux, tôle de 10 mm revêtue de 35 mm de BFUP et tôle de 12 mm revêtue de 35 mm de BFUP. L’influence des différents types de chargement positionnés au centre des corps d’épreuve a été analysée : plaques métalliques type Eurocode 1 et vraies roues de camion. L’étude est portée sur le détail de fatigue: liaison auget-tôle de platelage entre pièces de pont. La contrainte géométriques de fatigue est évaluée expérimentalement en utilisant deux schémas d’extrapolation linéaire des mesures de déformation réalisées à proximité du cordon de soudure du détail étudié : le schéma du rapport CECA et celui proposé par l’Institut International de Soudure. L’extrapolation est faite à partir des mesures réalisées au-dessous de la tôle de platelage (σT) et sur l’âme de l’auget (σA). Les résultats expérimentaux ont été confrontés aux modèles aux éléments finis à différents niveaux : du modèle le plus simple possible au plus complexe. A partir des contraintes de fatigue obtenues expérimentalement, nous avons calculé la durée de vie des dalles orthotropes testés à l’aide de la règle du cumul linéaire de l’endommagement (Règle de Miner). Enfin nous avons mené une étude par analyse de cycle de vie d’un pont à dalle orthotrope pour vérifier la pertinence environnementale des solutions de revêtement.

The first year of membership of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) in the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centers (HGF) was a year of many changes also for the Institute of Ion Beam Physics and Materials Research (IIM). The transition period, however, is not yet over, since the full integration of the Center into the HGF will only be completed in the next period of the so-called program-oriented funding (POF). This funding scheme addresses the six core research fields identified by the Helmholtz Association (Energy; Earth and Environment; Health; Key Technologies; Structure of Matter; Aeronautics, Space and Transport) to deal with the grand challenges faced by society, science and industry. Since the Institute has strong contributions to both core fields “Key Technologies” and “Structure of Matter”, intense discussions were held amongst the leading scientists of the Institute, across the Institutes of the HZDR, and finally with leading scientists of other Helmholtz centers, to determine the most appropriate classification of the Institute’s research. At the end we decided to establish ourselves in Structure of Matter, the core field in which most of the large-scale photon, neutron and ion facilities in Germany are located. As a consequence, the Ion Beam Center (IBC) of the Institute submitted an application to become a HGF recognized large-scale facility, providing more than 50% of its available beam time to external users. This application perfectly reflects the development of the IBC over more than a decade as a European Union funded infrastructure in the framework of the projects “Center for Application of Ion Beams in Materials Research (AIM)” (1998-2000, 2000-2003, 2006-2010) and subsequently as the coordinator of the integrated infrastructure initiative (I3) “Support of Public and Industrial Research using Ion Beam Technology (SPIRIT)” (2009-2013). Another part of the Institute’s activities is dedicated to exploit the infrared/THz free-electron laser at the 40 MeV superconducting electron accelerator ELBE for condensed matter research. This facility is also open to external users and funded by the European Union.

This dissertation includes work done on graphene and related materials, examining their electronic and topological properties using first-principles methods. Ab-initio computational methods, like density functional theory (DFT), have become increasingly popular in condensed matter and material science. Motivated by the search for novel materials that would help us devise fast, low-power, post-CMOS transistors, we explore the properties of some of these promising materials. We begin by studying graphene and its interaction with dielectric oxides. Graphene has recently inspired a flurry of research activity due to its interesting electronic and mechanical properties. For the device community, graphene's high charge carrier mobility and continuous gap tunability can have immense use in novel transistors. In Chapter 3 we examine the properties of graphene placed on two oxides, namely quartz and alumina. We find that oxygen-terminated quartz is a useful oxide for the purpose of graphene based FETs. Inspired by a recent surge of interest in topological insulators, we then explore the topological properties of two-dimensional materials. We conduct a theoretical study to examine the relationship between crystal space group symmetry and the electric polarization of a two-dimensional crystal. We show that the presence of symmetry restricts the polarization values to a small number of distinct groups. There groups in turn are topologically inequivalent, making polarization a topological index. We also conduct density functional theory calculations to obtain actual polarization values of materials belonging to C3 symmetry and show that our results are consistent with our theoretical analysis. Finally we prove that any transformation from one class of polarization to another is a topological phase transition. In Chapter 5 we use density functional theory to examine the electronic properties of graphene intercalation compounds. Bilayer pseudospin field effect transistor (BiSFET) has been proposed as an interesting low-power, efficient post-CMOS switch. In order to implement this device we need bilayer graphene with reduced interlayer interaction. One way of achieving that is by inserting foreign molecules between the layers, a process which is called intercalation. In this chapter we examine the electronic properties of bilayer graphene intercalated with iodine monochloride and iodine monobromide molecules. We find that intercalation of graphene indeed makes it promising for the implementation of BiSFET, by reducing interlayer interaction. As an interesting side problem, we also use hybrid, more extensive approaches in DFT, to examine the electronic and optical properties of dilute nitrides. Dilute nitrides are highly promising and interesting materials for the purposes of optoelectronic applications. Together, we hope this work helps in elucidating the electronic properties of promising material systems as well as act as a guide for experimentalists. / text

The year 2013 was the third year of HZDR as a member of the Helmholtz Association (HGF), and we have made progress of integrating ourselves into this research environment of national Research centers. In particular, we were preparing for the evaluation in the framework of the so-called program oriented funding (POF), which will hopefully provide us with a stable funding for the next five years (2015 – 2019). In particular, last fall we have submitted a large proposal in collaboration with several other research centers. The actual evaluation will take place this spring. Most of our activities are assigned to the program “From Matter to Materials and Life” (within the research area “Matter”). A large fraction of this program is related to the operation of large-scale research infrastructures (or user facilities), one of which is our Ion Beam Center (IBC). The second large part of our research is labelled “in-house research”, reflecting the work driven through our researchers without external users, but still mostly utilizing our large-scale facilities such as the IBC, and, to a lesser extent, the free-electron laser. Our in-house research is performed in three so-called research themes, as depicted in the schematic below. What is missing there for simplicity is a small part of our activities in the program “Nuclear Waste Management and Safety” (within the research area “Energy”).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--McMaster University (Canada), 1990. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-10, Section: B, page: 5290. Supervisor: M.F. Collins.