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A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. Johannesburg, 24 May 2014. / The Sunyaev-Zel'dovich e ect (hereafter SZE), i.e. the distortion of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) spectrum due to inverse Compton scattering of CMB photons o energetic electrons in cosmic structures, is a relevant inves- tigation tool for astrophysical and cosmological studies. Since the SZE is an interaction between photons and electrons, polarization arises as a natural out- come and then provides the SZE with an important complementary component as an astrophysical and cosmological probe. This thesis is an extensive study on the SZE in non-relativistic and relativistic regime including polarization. We rst perform a study on a set of galaxy clusters hosting radio halos where we constrain the non-thermal pressure present in these structures using multifre- quency data such as SZE, radio and X-ray. We found that the average ratio between non-thermal to thermal pressure is 0:5. We then derive, in the full relativistic regime, a general formulation of the properties of the SZE, and we further derive the Stokes parameters, Q and U, of the polarized SZE. This is done in a general case by solving the polarized Boltzmann collisional integral in the Thomson limit that allows us to extract the Stokes parameters for arbitrary electron distribution functions. We further discuss the spectral features of the SZE polarization as produced by other additional e ects occurring in the clus- ter atmospheres, like nite optical depth e ects and transverse plasma motions. We nally apply the results of our study to di erent cosmic structures (e.g. galaxy clusters and radio galaxies) and we discuss the relevance of SZE polar- ization in the study of extragalactic astrophysical plasmas and for cosmological applications.

Les communautés de la physique nucléaire et des hautes énergies ont montré un intérêt croissant pour les faisceaux de positrons intenses et hautement polarisés. Des photons polarisés durs peuvent produire des positrons dans le champ atomique par création de paire, l'électron et le positron ainsi produits portent une partie de la polarisation de la particule initiale. Les récentes avancées dans le domaine des sources d'électrons à courants intenses (1 mA) et hautement polarisés au Jefferson Lab offrent la perspective de créer des positrons polarisés à partir d'électrons de faible énergie. Cette thèse se propose de discuter les transferts de polarisation aux positrons dans la perspective d'une optimisation du design d'une source de positron polarisée. L'expérience PEPPo, visant à mesurer la polarisation de positrons par un faisceau d'électrons de basse énergie (<10MeV) mais de basse intensité est discutée. Une démonstration concluante de cette technique fournirait une méthode alternative de produire des positrons polarisés de basse énergie et des informations utiles pour optimiser le design d'une source dans la gamme d'énergie inférieure au GeV. / The nuclear and high-energy physics communities have shown a growing interest in the availability of high current, highly-polarized positron beams. A sufficiently energetic polarized photon or lepton incident on a target may generate, via bremsstrahlung and pair creation within a solid target foil, electron-positron pairs that should carry some fraction of the initial polarization. Recent advances in high current (> 1 mA) spin polarized electron sources at Jefferson Lab offer the perspective of creating polarized positrons from a low energy electron beam. This thesis discusses polarization transfer from electrons to positrons in the perspective of the design optimization of a polarized positron source. The PEPPo experiment, aiming at a measurement of the positron polarization from a low energy (< 10 MeV) highly spin polarized electron beam is discussed. A successful demonstration of this technique would provide an alternative scheme for the production of low energy polarized positrons and useful information for the optimization of the design of polarized positron sources in the sub-GeV energy range.

With growing interest in devices that utilize the spin degree of freedom of the charge carriers, there is an extensive research effort into materials with high spin polarization. Two types of materials that have attracted particular attention are the half metallic (HM) ferromagnets and dilute magnetic semiconductors (DMS). I report on a series of experiments which probe the level spin polarization in HM CrO2 and the DMS Ga1−xMnxAs. In order to accurately determine the spin polarization, P, of CrO2 in a realistic device structure I have developed a method to chemically modify the surface of CrO2 to obtain a consistent and reproducible barrier, which preserves the bulk spin polarization. Using this method I have been able to produce high quality CrO2 based planar junctions with either superconducting (SC) or ferromagnetic (FM) counter electrodes. Analysis of both zero field and Zeeman split conductance data from CrO2-SC junctions consistently yield P values close to 100%, providing unambiguous evidence that the high P of CrO2 is maintained at and across an artificial barrier in a realistic device structure. Magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJ) fabricated with CrO2 and Co electrodes display a low field inverse magneto-resistance with a maximum magneto-resistance (MR) of -24% occurring at 5K. The origin of this inverse sign is discussed in terms of selective spin transport due to variations in the type of interfacial bonding between the electrodes and the barrier. A strong linear bias dependence of the MR, similar to what is seen in the CrO2-SC junctions, is observed. This linear background is attributed to a continuum of inelastic states in the barrier region. Measurements of the MR as a function of temperature display a rapid decrease in MR as temperature increases. Additionally we have carried out the first direct measurement of the degree of spin polarization of the magnetic semiconductor Ga1−xMnxAs using Andreev reflection spectroscopy. Analysis of the conductance spectra of high transparency Ga0.95Mn0.05As/Ga junctions consistently yields an intrinsic value for P greater than 85%. Our experiments also revealed an extreme sensitivity of the measured spin polarization to the nature and quality of the interface for this material. / Dissertation / PhD

Thesis advisor: Utku Unver / This dissertation is composed of three essays in microeconomic theory. The first and second essays are in the theory of matching, with hierarchical organizations and complementarities being their respective topic. The third essay is in on electoral competition and political polarization as a result of manipulation of public opinion through social influence networks. Hierarchies are a common organizational structure in institutions. In the first essay, I offer an explanation of this fact from a matching-theoretic perspective, which emphasizes the importance of stable outcomes for the persistence of organizational structures. I study the matching of individuals (talents) via contracts with institutions, which are aggregate market actors, each composed of decision makers (divisions) enjoined by an institutional governance structure. Conflicts over contracts between divisions of an institution are resolved by the institutional governance structure, whereas conflicts between divisions across institutions are resolved by talents' preferences. Stable market outcomes exist whenever institutional governance is hierarchical and divisions consider contracts to be bilaterally substitutable. In contrast, when governance in institutions is non-hierarchical, stable outcomes may not exist. Since market stability does not provide an impetus for reorganization, the persistence of markets with hierarchical institutions can thus be rationalized. Hierarchies in institutions also have the attractive incentive property that in a take-it-or-leave-it bargaining game with talents making offers to institutions, the choice problem for divisions is straightforward and realized market outcomes are pairwise stable, and stable when divisions have substitutable preferences. Complementarity has proved to be a challenge for matching theory, because the core and group stable matchings may fail to exist. Less well understood is the more basic notion of pairwise stability. In a second essay, I define a class of complementarity, asymmetric complements, and show that pairwise stable matchings are guaranteed to exist in matching markets where no firm considers workers to be asymmetric complements. The lattice structure of the pairwise stable matchings, familiar from the matching theory with substitutes, does not survive in this more general domain. The simultaneous-offer and sequential-offer versions of the worker-proposing deferred acceptance algorithm can produce different matchings when workers are not necessarily substitutable. If no firm considers workers to be imperfect complements, then the simultaneous-offer version produces a pairwise stable matching, but this is not necessarily true otherwise. If no firm considers workers to be asymmetric complements, a weaker restriction than no imperfect complements, then the sequential-offer version produces a pairwise stable matching, though the matching produced is order-dependent. In a third essay, I examine electoral competition in which two candidates compete through policy and persuasion, and using a tractable two-dimensional framework with social learning provide an explanation for increasing political polarization. Voters and candidates have policy preferences that depend upon the state of the world, which is known to candidates but not known to voters, and are connected through a social influence network that determines through a learning process the final opinion of voters, where the voters' initial opinions and the persuasion efforts of the candidates affect final opinions, and so voting behavior. Equilibrium level of polarization in policy and opinion (of both party and population) increases when persuasion costs decrease. An increase in homophily increases the equilibrium level of policy polarization and population opinion polarization. These comparative static results help explain the increased polarization in both the policy and opinion dimensions in the United States. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2013. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Economics.

The angular momentum of light originates from two sources: one is the spin angular momentum (SAM) of individual photons, which is related to the polarization of light and the other is the orbital angular momentum (OAM) associated with helical wavefront of the light if it is helically phased (complex phase front). A beam of light that is composed of photons possessing both OAM and SAM states can be used in different areas of study such as rotating microscopic particles, interacting with nonlinear materials, investigating atom-light interactions, communication and medical imaging technologies, quantum information, quantum entanglement and etc. In this dissertation we study coherent beams that convey photons in superposition states of polarization and complex phase front. Our study includes two fields: (I) classical wave-like behavior with visible light in the field of singular optics. (II) quantum particle-like behavior of photons of light in the field of quantum-entangled optics. The approach is to investigate the state of such photons both mathematically and experimentally in classical-singular and quantum-entangled fields. We discuss seven projects based on this research. In one project we present a new method to encode OAM modes into perpendicular polarization components and making superpositions of polarization and spatial modes mapped by Poincare sphere. In another project using spatial light modulators (SLM) we realized highorder disclination patterns in the polarization map of the cross section of the beam. We also realize new forms of polarization disclination patterns (line patterns where rotational invariance is violated) known as monstars that were not previously seen. We proposed a new definition for characterizing these patterns since they can have zero or negative singularity index. In another project, instead of SLM we used q-plates to generate new forms of monstars. We proposed a robust and easy method for determining the topological charge of a complex phase front beam by inspecting the interference pattern the beam reflected from a wedged optical flat. In another project we encoded OAM modes onto orthogonal polarization components of a photon from an entangled pair and investigated the quantum entanglement. We also prepared a polarization entangled state and calculated some measures of entanglement. We summarize the projects and discuss the future prospects. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2018. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Semiconductor lasers (Sls) are very sensitive to external perturbations which may destabilize their steady output. This is particularly striking when the SL is subject to optical feedback, i.e. when part of the light coming out of the laser is reinjected in the cavity after reflection from a distant mirror. For some applications, this is a nuisance that we wish to avoid. But optical feedback may also drive the laser into dynamical regimes which are useful for new applications. In this thesis, we study different problems where an SL is subject to a delayed feedback or to an injected signal. These problems are motivated by recent experiments, technological issues, or particular dynamical phenomena. Specifically, we combine analytical techniques, numerical simulations, and experiments to investigate the bifurcation mechanisms leading to a large variety of oscillatory outputs. The systems that we discuss are an edge-emitting laser with polarization-rotated optical feedback, a two-mode laser with optical injection, a quantum cascade laser with optical feedback, and a semiconductor ring laser with optical feedback. We show that the bifurcations from the steady-states are of primary importance. They not only delimit the stability boundaries of the laser output but they also form the backbone structure of many pulsating waveforms. We investigate these bifurcations in detail in order to find the best operating conditions to observe specific dynamical regimes. Our results highlight laser key parameters that allow their efficient control. / Les lasers à semi-conducteur sont sensibles aux perturbations externes et celles-ci peuvent déstabiliser leur faisceau de sortie d’intensité constante. Ceci est particulièrement marquant quand le laser à semi-conducteur est sujet à un feedback optique, c’est-à-dire quand une partie de la lumière sortant du laser est réinjectée dans sa cavité après réflexion par un miroir distant. Pour certaines applications, cela représente une nuisance que l’on souhaite éviter. Mais le feedback optique peut aussi engendrer des régimes dynamiques utiles pour de nouvelles applications. Dans cette thèse, nous étudions différents problèmes où un laser à semi-conducteur est soumis à un feedback retardé ou à un signal injecté. Nos travaux sont motivés par de récentes expériences, des questions technologiques ou des phénomènes dynamiques particuliers. Nous combinons des techniques analytiques, des simulations numériques ainsi que des expériences afin d’analyser les mécanismes de bifurcation menant à une large variété de régimes oscillants.Nous étudions en premier lieu la dynamique d’un laser à semi-conducteur soumis à un feedback avec rotation de la polarisation. Nous examinons, à la fois théoriquement et expérimentalement, la séquence de bifurcations menant à des oscillations sous forme d’ondes carrées. Nous mettons en évidence une multistabilité entre différentes ondes carrées de périodes spécifiques. Nous introduisons alors un mécanisme de contrôle qui nous permet de sélectionner l’onde carrée désirée. Nous analysons ensuite les frontières de stabilité d’un laser à semi-conducteur à deux polarisations soumis à une injection optique. Nous montrons que si les gains des deux modes de polarisation sont suffisamment proches, un état stationnaire mixte stable peut exister. Nous explorons également les conditions permettant une bistabilité entre un état stationnaire pur et un état stationnaire mixte. Les lasers à cascade quantique sont de nouveaux lasers à semi-conducteur prometteurs qui possèdent une forte tolérance au feedback optique. Nous examinons de façon systématique leur stabilité dans la limite des grands retards. Nous montrons que des instabilités oscillantes sont cependant possibles pour de faibles valeurs du courant de pompe. Le dernier dispositif que nous étudions dans cette thèse est le laser à semi-conducteur en anneau soumis à un feedback optique. Nous identifions le mécanisme de bifurcation, appelé pont de bifurcation, responsable des instabilités oscillantes dans le faisceau de sortie du laser. Ces oscillations sont indésirables pour la plupart des applications impliquant de tels lasers. Nous montrons qu’elles peuvent être évitées en contrôlant la phase du feedback. / Doctorat en Sciences / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

O uso de filtros polarizadores em óculos de sol está se tornando muito comum em todo o mundo. No Brasil, apesar da norma ABNT NBR15111:2004 ter considerações específicas para seu uso (posição e eficiência), não existe equipamento nacional específico para executar as medidas necessárias para avaliação. Este trabalho descreve o desenvolvimento de um protótipo capaz de executar medidas em óculos de sol para verificar sua adequação à referida norma, que estabelece os seguintes requisitos para os filtros polarizadores: o limite para o desvio entre o eixo de transmissão do filtro polarizador e a vertical é de ±5º e o limite máximo para o desvio mútuo entre os eixos de polarização dos filtros polarizadores das duas lentes é de 6º. Ainda, a eficiência mínima de polarização é de 4:1 para filtros da categoria 1 e de 8:1 para as demais categorias, exceto a categoria 0. O desenvolvimento do protótipo foi dividido em duas etapas: 1. desenvolvimento e avaliação do método de medição, por simulações no software Malab® e testes em bancada; 2. construção do protótipo baseado no projeto, melhorias em bancada e testes preliminares em óculos. O sistema ótico consistiu de: uma fonte de luz (composta por um LED, uma lente biconvexa e um filtro difusor), pelos óculos em teste, pelo filtro analisador (formado por duas metades de filtros polarizadores dispostos com alinhamento perpendicular entre seus eixos de polarização), dois orifícios para passagem de luz designados por pinhole e dois sensores de luz. O sistema eletrônico é composto por seis placas de circuito impresso, a saber: a placa principal onde estão os microcontroladores que executam o software programado; duas placas para controle de motor de passo (filtro analisador e movimento horizontal dos óculos em teste); placa para controle de motor DC (movimento vertical para prender os óculos em teste), placa de alimentação e placa dos sensores. Como resultado, verificou-se a capacidade de posicionamento do filtro analisador com a resolução de 0,08°, a redução do coeficiente de variação de 0,89% para 0,31% pelo uso do filtro difusor, a resolução ótica para medição de um dos óculos de 0,023°, além de um possível problema de alinhamento entre as duas metades que compõe o filtro analisador, o que contribuiu para a desenvolvimento de uma análise mais detalhada das equações de comportamento do protótipo. O protótipo recebeu melhorias nos sistema ótico e eletrônico, além de testes nos óculos de sol disponíveis. No sistema ótico, os sensores foram substituídos por um de maior correlação com a função de sensibilidade para visão diurna V(&#955) e que possui resposta logarítmica, em função disso, o LED do conjunto ótico foi substituído por um de maior potência; também, em função da nova configuração mecânica, a lente da fonte de luz foi substituída por uma biconvexa de diferente distância focal. Assim, a iluminação tornou-se mais homogênea e mais intensa. No sistema eletrônico, utilizou-se um microcontrolador com maior capacidade de processamento, maior memória e conexão USB estável. A interface homem-máquina foi feita por uma tela de cristal líquido sensível ao toque. Os testes com o protótipo foram feitos em quatro óculos de sol polarizados, sendo que, como filtro polarizador de referência para calibração foi utilizada uma das lentes destes óculos. Os resultados preliminares indicaram a viabilidade de se finalizar este sistema como protótipo pronto para uso e calibrá-lo para se obter medidas que proporcionem análises das conformidades da norma brasileira. Contudo, por não ter disponível um filtro calibrador com características apropriadas, os resultados obtidos ainda não podem ser conclusivos. O protótipo construído foi capaz de aplicar o método de medição desenvolvido para caracterizar os óculos de sol, de acordo com as recomendações da norma. Sua estrutura mecânica é robusta e flexível, permitindo o estudo e desenvolvimento de outros métodos de medição e a inserção de outras funções. A contribuição científica e acadêmica deste trabalho reside nos projetos óticos e mecânicos, para se atender a necessidade de construção de um sistema que possa num futuro próximo estar analisando óculos de sol, com as características de um equipamento requerido pela norma brasileira e que não existe no mercado nacional. / The use of polarizing filters in sunglasses is becoming very common worldwide. In Brazil, despite the NBR15111:2004 has specific requirements for its use (position and efficiency), there is no proper national equipment to perform the measurements needed for evaluation. This paper describes the development of a prototype capable to perform measurements on sunglasses in order to verify their suitability for this standard, which establishes the following requirements for polarizing filters: the threshold for the deviation between the transmission axis and the polarizing filter vertical axis is ±5º and the upper limit for the mutual distance between the polarization axis of the two lenses is 6º. The lower efficiency of the polarizing filter is 4:1 for category 1 and 8:1 for all other categories except category 0. The development of the prototype was divided into two stages: 1. Development and evaluation of the measurement method, by software simulations in Malab® and test bench; 2. Prototype construction based on the project, improvements obtained in test bench and preliminary test results with sunglasses. The optical system includes: a light source ( composed by a LED, a biconvex lens and a diffuser filter ), the sunglasses in test, a analyzer filter ( formed by two polarizing filters halves, disposed with their polarization axes perpendicular to each other ), two holes for light transmission (called pinhole) and two light sensors . The electronic system consists of six printed circuit boards , the main board where the microcontroller running software are programmed ; two boards for control of stepper motors (analyzer filter and horizontal movement of the sunglasses in test ); a board to control a DC motor ( vertical motion to hold the sunglasses in test), a power board and a sensor board. As a result of the first step, it was determined the positioning capability of the analyzer filter with a resolution of 0.08°, a reduction of the coefficient of variation from 0.89% to 0.31% by the use of the diffuser, the optical resolution for measuring one of the lenses was 0.023°, also a possible alignment problem between the two analyzer halves, which contributed to the development of a detailed analysis of the behavioral equations of the prototype. The prototype received improvements in optical and electronic systems, and tests with the available sunglasses. In the optical system, the sensors were replaced by a others with higher correlation with the sensitivity function for daytime vision V(&#955) and logarithmic response. As a result, the LED of the light source was replaced by a more powerful one, due to the new mechanical configuration, the lens of the light source was replaced by a biconvex with different focal length, which made the light more homogeneous and intense. The electronic system used a new microcontroller with higher processing power and memory, as well as a more stable USB connection. A man-machine interface was made by including a liquid crystal display, seven-inch touchscreen. Tests with the prototype were made in four polarized sunglasses, the calibration was made using one sunglass lens. Preliminary results indicate the feasibility of this system as complete prototype, ready for use, to obtain measures that provide analyzes in accordance with Brazilian standard. However, by not having available a reference filter with suitable characteristics to serve as a calibrator, the results cannot be conclusive yet. The prototype built was able to apply the measurement method developed for characterizing sunglasses, according to the recommendations of the standard. Its mechanical structure is robust and flexible, allowing the study and development of other methods of measurement and inclusion of other functions. The scientific and academic contribution of this work lies in the optical and mechanical design, to meet the need of building a system that can analyze sunglasses in the near future, with the characteristics required by the Brazilian standard and this equipment does not exist in national market.

Dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) is an emerging method for increasing signal-to-noise in solid-state NMR experiments by transferring polarization from electrons to nuclei. Stable nitroxide biradicals, the polarization source for the cross effect mechanism, are typically co-dissolved at millimolar concentrations with biomolecules of interest. There has been considerable recent interest, however, in co-localizing the paramagnetic polarizing agent with the analyte of interest through covalent or noncovalent interactions. In this thesis, we bound the biradical to the protein of interest through conjugation to a high affinity, non-covalent inhibitor using E.coli dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) and its nanomolar inhibitor trimethoprim (TMP). Two different biradical affinity reagents (TMP-T and TMP-V-T) were created by covalently linking trimethoprim to the biradical polarizing agent TOTAPOL. These TMP-TOTAPOL compounds provided excellent enhancements of the DHFR NMR spectrum, comparable to when TOTAPOL is co-dissolved with the protein. In contrast to TOTAPOL, the specific interactions of these compounds enabled them to be added stoichiometrically to samples of DHFR at micromolar concentrations while retaining excellent enhancements. Benefits of lowered biradical concentration include reduced chemical perturbation of the sample and the ability to selectively enhance signals for the protein of interest in a perdeuterated solvent matrix. The binding of TMP-V-T to DHFR confines the paramagnetic TOTAPOL moiety to the protein binding pocket. We capitalized on this fact to site-specifically study paramagnet induced signal quenching in DNP samples. Using crystallography and solution NMR spectroscopy, we demonstrated that although the TMP fragment is well ordered the TOTAPOL moiety is disordered when bound to DHFR. We prepared site-specific isotpically enriched samples of DHFR and measured signal quenching in DNP samples. Intriguingly, the bleaching patterns seen in DNP samples are similar to those observed in room temperature studies. We argue that static disorder plays a role in this observation, among other contributions. Our results provide design principles for DNP experiments with affinity biradicals, and demonstrate the utility of affinity biradicals for DNP studies given the confined signal quenching. Affinity biradicals hold great promise for enabling selective DNP investigations of dilute proteins in whole cells or cellular lysates. We explored how to use TMP-T and TMP-V-T to study DHFR in whole cells and cellular lysates. We developed strategies to overcome fast chemical reduction of the nitroxide moiety in the cellular environment, and sample preparation protocols to obtain overexpressed DHFR with isotopic enrichment patterns that enable selective DNP enhancements. We demonstrate excellent enhancements of whole cell pellets by TOTAPOL, and also provide evidence for selective DHFR enhancement by TMP-V-T in cellular lysates. Our results form guidelines for future selective studies of DHFR in cellular contexts. These results collectively demonstrate the potential of the TMP-T(V-T) compounds and similar affinity biradical reagents both for mechanistic DNP studies and selective NMR studies in cellular contexts.

In this dissertation, I examine changes in risk-taking behavior, beliefs, and self-deception induced by changes in policy and behavior. Specifically, Chapter II examines player performance and risk-taking behavior in tournament environments which include eliminations in the middle of the tournament. I find that when players face elimination, they perform better and take risks more often. In addition, when facing elimination, players are more likely to have those risks pay off. Turning to the interaction between public policy and personal beliefs, Chapter III explores how public policy affects beliefs in the context of same-sex marriage. Exploiting the timing of the legalization of same-sex marriage, I find that legalization induces an increase in the proportion of people who have strong beliefs on same-sex marriage. I also find a substantial increase in measured state-level polarization due to legalization. Finally, Chapter IV presents the results of an experiment designed to uncover how self-confidence and self-deception change after performing dishonest behavior. In an online experimental laboratory, participants who cheated have higher confidence in their ability even when the opportunity to cheat is not present. In addition, participants who cheated, and were rewarded for cheating with a high reward, had higher beliefs in their ability. This dissertation includes unpublished co-authored material.