When a liquid is cooled to produce a glass, its dynamics, dominated by the structural relaxation, slows down dramatically, becoming of ≈100 s at the glass-transition temperature, Tg. At a slightly higher temperature (≈1.2Tg), a second, faster process, known as Johari-Goldstein (βJG) decouples from the structural one and remains active even in the glassy-state. It is nowadays established that the βJG -process is deeply connected to the structural one, though its microscopic origin and its role in the glass transition are still under debate. In this Thesis the spatial and temporal properties of the atomic motions within the JG-relaxation are investigated in two mono-hydroxyl alcohols using the technique known as nuclear γ-resonance time-domain interferometry (TDI). The results here obtained show that, within the βJ-relaxation, about one molecule out of four undergoes a restricted dynamics characterized by displacements of the order of 10% of the average inter-molecular distance. These re-arrangements correspond to local cage-breaking events and such un-caged molecules form a percolating cluster within the sample. At the same time we also found evidences of larger re-arrangements, occurring at a longer timescale with respect to the cage-breaking events and reaching out at least to the inter-molecular length-scale.

Various physical mechanisms that affect radiowave propagation at millimetre wavelengths are considered. Current modelling weaknesses are highlighted and new improved models or more appropriate modelling approaches are suggested. Interference and resonance phenomena in the scattering of spherical ice and water particles are reviewed. The long standing problem of the numerous resonances observed in the scattering diagrams of dielectric spheres is answered. The spatial structure and the physical characteristics of non-precipitable ice and water clouds are reviewed. Extinction and back scattering calculations for a wide variety of cloud models over the entire millimetre frequency spectrum are given. Multiple scattering and the effects of super-large drops in clouds are also dealt with. The potential of a spaceborne instrument in deducing information about the vertical structure of various cloud types is examined. Attenuation and reflectivity profiles resulting from various cloud types are calculated for a nadir pointing fixed beam millimetre wave radar operating at 94 GHz. The physics and application of the equation of radiative transfer to millimetre wave propagation in the earth's atmosphere are given and also is the solution of this equation for a typical millimetre wave remote sensing application. The theory of gaseous absorption at millimetre wavelengths is presented and an improved modelling approach is proposed for the calculation of the absorption and dispersion spectra of atmospheric gases. The effects of trace gases on communication systems operating at high altitudes are for the first time reported. Finally the use of the 60 GHz oxygen absorption band for top-side air traffic control/navigation and broadband transmission purposes is studied.

In this thesis results of x-ray scattering and neutron scattering experiments on several strongly correlated transition metal oxides are presented. The prototypical charge ordered cuprate La1.48Nd0.4Sr0.12CuO4 was investigated using polarised neutron scattering. The results show that several proposed schemes for the magnetic order in this class of materials may be ruled out, however the data are consistent with one-dimensional stripe-like magnetic order. X-ray diffraction was used to show that the charge order is insensitive to an applied magnetic field, but might be affected by the existence of superconductivity. The magnetic excitations were also studied, and at low energies a gap in the magnetic fluctuations was observed and there is tentative evidence that this is related to magnetic anisotropy. The spin state transition in LaCoO3 was investigated using neutron inelastic scattering, and excitations reminiscent of those observed in ferromagnets above their critical temperatures were observed. The debate surrounding the nature of the excited spin state, S=1 or S=2, could not be resolved, however. The nature of the spin excitations in La0.82Sr0.18CoO3 was investigated using polarised neutrons and it was found that at low energies the excitations take the form of spin-waves. At higher energies this mode becomes heavily damped, and several possible damping mechanisms for this are discussed. Finally, the multiferroic material DyMn2O5 was studied using x-ray resonant scattering. A complex, temperature dependent, magnetic structure was found using a Dy resonance, which reflects an underlying order of the Mn ions. The measurements were in agreement with a theory of multiferroics based on acentric spin-density waves.

Magnetic films have gained great attention for decades because of their broad industrial application. Their modern functionality more and more relies on their domain structure. Magnetic films usually form complex domain patterns with unique structures at different length scales due to the competition between short range attractive and long range repulsive interactions. The ensemble of domains is topologically disordered, although each of them possesses orientational spin order. Since simplifying complexity is the key step to understand and transform nature, finding new orders from the ostensible disordered structures would be a fascinating topic. Scattering techniques are well-known powerful tools to detect orders. Coherent soft xray magnetic resonant scattering becomes accessible with the development of synchrotron radiation facilities. We applied the technique to study the domain structure of CoPd/MnIr multilayer films with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. By tuning incident photon energy to Co 2p&rarr3d transition edge we collected small angle magnetic scattering patterns by a charged coupled device in transmission geometry. Each pattern is an unique fingerprint of the corresponding illuminated domain structure. The patterns were analyzed by an angular correlation method. A variety of striking rotational orders were discovered. Their evolution with applied fields was investigated. The sustainabilities of the orders under the room temperature, exchange biased (EB) state, and non-EB state were compared, which suggests that certain orders can be well manipulated under the EB condition. By simulating magnetic resonant scattering from domain patterns obtained by a direct imaging method, we probed the range of emerging orders and finite size effect. Our study provides a novel approach to characterizing magnetic films and potentially can be extended to any system with a complex microstructure. / 2015-07-11

Cette thèse traite de l'étude de films ultra minces de Fe par réflectivité magnétique résonante de rayons X mous (SXRMR). La technique de SXRMR associe les effets magnéto-optiques aux propriétés de diffusions des rayons X, ce qui permet sonder les propriétés magnétiques avec une résolution spatiale en profondeur. Un profil magnétique résolu en profondeur est donc dérivé des expériences, permettant d'étudier les effets des interfaces sur l'homogénéité des propriétés magnétiques. Dans un premier temps nous présentons l'étude d'un film mince de Fe sur un substrat vicinal d'Ag(116) recouvert par quinze monocouches d'Au. Cette étude révèle que l'aimantation est augmentée de 20 à 30$\%$ dans les deux à trois monocouches proches des interfaces d'Au et d'Ag, quelque soit la température et l'épaisseur de la couche de Fe. Nous avons également mis en évidence une inhomogénéité de la composante hors du plan à basse température pour des échantillons ayant un axe de facile perpendiculaire aux marches : la composante de l'aimantation hors du plan est de plus en plus grande lorsqu'on se rapproche du substrat vicinal d'Ag. Dans un deuxième temps, nous présentons l'étude d'un film mince de six monocouches de Fe sur du Cu(100) et recouvert par une couche d'Au. En utilisant une approche originale de contrainte sur les paramètres magnétiques, nous avons pû mettre en évidence que la dépendance de l'aimantation en fonction de la température n'était pas la même selon la position de la monocouches dans le film mince de Fe, comme prédit théoriquement par Sandratski. / This thesis deals about depth resolved magnetic profile of ultrathin Fe layers studied by soft X-ray Resonant Magnetic Reflectivity (SXRMR). This SXRMR technique combines magneto-optic effects to X-ray scattering allowing to be sensitive to magnetic properties as well as to be depth resolved. For each experiments, the depth resolved magnetic profile found allows to study interfaces effect on the homogeneity of magnetic properties. First, we present the study of a thin film of Fe grown on a vicinal substrate of Ag(116) and covered by fifteen monolayers of Au. This study reveal that the magnetization is enhanced of 20 to 30$\%$ int the two to three monolayers near both interfaces, whatever the temperature and the Fe thickness are. We have also discover an inhomogeneity of the magnetic out of plane component at low temperature for sample where the magnetization easy axis is perpendicular to the steps : the magnetic out of plane component is more and more important when we go strait to the vicinal substrate of Ag. Second, we show the study of a thin film of six monolayers of Fe grown on a Cu(100) substrate and covered by a Au layer. Using a new way of strain on magnetic parameter we have highlighted that the temperature dependance of the magnetization is not the same depending ont the position of the monolayer inside the Fe thin film as predicted by the theory of Sandratski.

Various physical mechanisms that affect radiowave propagation at millimetre wavelengths are considered. Current modelling weaknesses are highlighted and new improved models or more appropriate modelling approaches are suggested. Interference and resonance phenomena in the scattering of spherical ice and water particles are reviewed. The long standing problem of the numerous resonances observed in the scattering diagrams of dielectric spheres is answered. The spatial structure and the physical characteristics of non-precipitable ice and water clouds are reviewed. Extinction and back scattering calculations for a wide variety of cloud models over the entire millimetre frequency spectrum are given. Multiple scattering and the effects of super-large drops in clouds are also dealt with. The potential of a spaceborne instrument in deducing information about the vertical structure of various cloud types is examined. Attenuation and reflectivity profiles resulting from various cloud types are calculated for a nadir pointing fixed beam millimetre wave radar operating at 94 GHz. The physics and application of the equation of radiative transfer to millimetre wave propagation in the earth's atmosphere are given and also is the solution of this equation for a typical millimetre wave remote sensing application. The theory of gaseous absorption at millimetre wavelengths is presented and an improved modelling approach is proposed for the calculation of the absorption and dispersion spectra of atmospheric gases. The effects of trace gases on communication systems operating at high altitudes are for the first time reported. Finally the use of the 60 GHz oxygen absorption band for top-side air traffic control/navigation and broadband transmission purposes is studied.

Cette thèse présente une étude expérimentale des modifications des propriétés de diffusion résonante de la lumière par des nuages mésoscopiques de rubidium 87 froids dont la densité peut être variée. pour des densités de l’ordre de 1014 atomes/cm3, les distances entre certains atomes deviennent bien plus petites que la longueur d’onde du rayonnement à résonance avec la transition d2 (780 nm) du rubidium 87. l’ampleur des interactions dipôle-dipôle entre ces diffuseurs empêche alors de les considérer comme étant indépendants les uns des autres: on parle de diffusion collective. les méthodes employées pour produire les échantillons étudiés s’appuient sur des techniques de refroidissement (ralentisseur zeeman et piège magnéto-optique) et de piégeage (pinces optiques) d’atomes neutres permettant d’obtenir des ensembles d’atomes froids (environ 100 µK) allant d’exactement un à plusieurs centaines d’entre eux. les observations réalisées portent sur la lumière diffusée par ces atomes, collectée grâce à un système optique de grande ouverture numérique. l’étude consiste dans un premier temps en la caractérisation la diffusion résonante de lumière par un unique atome. elle aboutit notamment à la mesure du retard dans la diffusion par un atome d’un paquet d’ondes lumineuses, appelé délai de wigner, dans des conditions proches d’une expérience de pensée. dans un second temps, cette étude porte sur les propriétés de diffusion collective de lumière par des ensembles denses d’atomes. elle rapporte en particuliers une mesure de la suppression de l’excitation des nano-nuages en fonction de leur densité. / This thesis reports an experimental study of the modifications of the near-resonant light scattering properties of mesoscopic cold clouds of rubidium 87 which densities are tunable. for densities of the order of 1014 atoms/cm3, inter-atomic distances can be smaller than the wavelength of the radiation at resonance with the d2 line (780 nm) of rubidium 87. the magnitude of the dipole-dipole interactions between the scatters is such that they can no longer be considered as independent of each other: a phenomenon called collective scattering. the methods used to produce the studied samples are based on cooling (zeeman slower and magneto-optical trap) and trapping (optical tweezers) techniques for neutral atoms. they allow obtaining cold (100 µK) atomic ensembles containing from exactly one to several hundreds of atoms. the observations performed are based on the light scattered by these atoms which is collected thanks to a high numerical aperture optical system. in a first step, this study consists in characterizing the near-resonant light scattering by a single atom. it leads to the measurement of the delay in the scattering by an atom of a wave packet of light, called wigner delay, in conditions close to those of a gedanken experiment. in a second step, this study deals with the collective scattering of light by dense atomic ensembles. it especially reports a measurement of the suppression of the excitation of the nano-clouds versus their densities.

ACTAR TPC (ACtive TARget and Time Projection Chamber) est une cible active de nouvelle génération construite au GANIL (Grand Accélérateur d'Ions Lourds). Les cibles actives sont des cibles gazeuses où le gaz permet de détecter le passage de particules chargées selon le principe des chambres à projection temporelle (TPC). La TPC d'ACTAR est formée d'une anode segmentée de 16384 pixels carrés de 2 mm de côté. La haute densité de voies est gérée par le système électronique GET (General Electronics for TPCs). Ce système digitalise également les signaux sur un intervalle de temps donné, pour une reconstruction 3D complète des évènements. Un démonstrateur huit fois plus petit a d'abord été construit pour vérifier le fonctionnement de l’électronique et la conception mécanique. La finalisation d’ACTAR TPC s’est basée sur les résultats du démonstrateur, qui a été testé avec des faisceaux de 6Li, de 24Mg et de 58Ni. Le commissioning d'ACTAR TPC a été effectué dans le cas de la diffusion résonante sur cible de protons avec des faisceaux de 18O et de 20Ne.Un algorithme de reconstruction des traces mesurées dans la TPC permet d'en extraire les angles et les énergies des ions impliqués dans les réactions. Les résultats sont comparés à des données connues pour déterminer les performances du système de détection. Les résolutions obtenues sur le commissioning à partir de calculs en matrice R valident l'utilisation d'ACTAR TPC pour de futures expériences. Par ailleurs, la diffusion résonante 6Li + 4He réalisée avec le démonstrateur a permis d'étudier les états d’agrégat alpha dans le 10B. Deux résonances à 8.58 MeV et 9.52 MeV sont observées pour la première fois en diffusion élastique dans cette voie de réaction. / ACTAR TPC (ACtive TARget and Time Projection Chamber) is a next generation active target that was designed and built at GANIL (Grand Accélérateur d'Ions Lourds). Active targets are gaseous targets in which the gas is also used to track charged particles following the principles of time projection chambers (TPC). The TPC of ACTAR has a segmented anode of 16384 2 mm side square pixels. The high density of pixels is processed using the GET (General Electronics for TPCs) electronic system. This system also digitizes the signals over a time interval, enabling a full 3D event reconstruction. An eight time smaller demonstrator was first built to verify the electronics operation and the mechanical design. ACTAR TPC's final design was based on results obtained with the demonstrator which was tested using 6Li, 24Mg and 58Ni beams. The commissioning of ACTAR TPC was then carried out for the case of resonant scattering on a proton target using 18O and 20Ne beams. A track reconstruction algorithm is used to extract the angles and energies of the ions involved in the reactions. Results are compared to previous data to determine the detection system performances. Comparing the commissioning data with R matrix calculations, excitation functions resolutions in different cases are obtained. The use of ACTAR TPC is validated for future experiments. Furthermore, alpha clustering was studied in 10B through the resonant scattering 6Li + 4He, carried out with the demonstrator. Two resonances at 8.58 MeV and 9.52 MeV are observed for the first time in elastic scattering with this reaction channel.

Uranus is one of the least explored planets in our solar system. Event though the Uranian Ly-α emission has been a subject of study for decades, there is not a consensus on the sources contribution to the total signal. This thesis aims to analyse the contribution from scattering of the solar flux to the Uranian Ly-α dayglow by solving the radiative transfer equation in a parameter study for the atmosphere. The sources are solar Ly-α resonant scattering and Rayleigh scattering by atomic and molecular hydrogen respectively. The radiative transfer equation is solved using the Feautrier Method Program, a program written by Randall G. Gladstone. The program was adjusted to the Uranian atmosphere and modelled with different variations in parameters, including the atmospheric temperature and particle density of Ly-α scatterers and absorbers. A parameter study is performed to investigate the dependency on the Ly-α signal on these parameters. The results showed a significant Ly-α limb brightening with a maximum intensity located around 400 km outside one planetary radius as seen from the disk center. The contributions to the Ly-α dayglow from Rayleigh scattering by H2 was calculated to be 160 R whereas the contribution from resonant scattering by H was 550 R. One feature that prevents direct comparison to observed data with this thesis is that some sources that contributes to Uranus Ly-α signal are omitted in the simulations. / Uranus är en av solsystemets minst utforskade planeter. Även om dess Ly-α-strålning har undersökt, råder ännu inte konsensus kring de olika källornas bidrag till den totala Ly-α signalen. Genom att lösa ekvationen för strålningstransport i en parameterstudie ämnar examensarbetet att studera bidraget från solens två källor till Uranus Ly-α- signal. De två källorna är resonant- och Rayleigh strålningsspridning från atomärt och molekulärt väte. Ekvationen för strålningstransport beräknas av ett program som heter Feautrier Method Program, skapat av Randall G. Gladstone. Programmet har justeras till Uranus atmosfär för att kunna beräkna strålningstransport för olika atmosfärersmodeller i en parameterstudie. Parameterna som ändras är temperaturen, partikeldensiteten hos spridare och absorberare i atmosfären. Från resultaten kan parameterstudien svara på beroendet av de olika källorna till Ly-α-signalen från Uranus. Resultaten visar en tydlig ökning av ljusintensitet vid Uranus kanter med maximum runt 400 km utanför planetens radie, sett från planetens mitt. Bidraget till Ly-α-signalen från Rayleigh stålningsspridning beräknades till 160 R och från resonant strålningsspridning till 550 R. En egenskap som hindrar direkt jämförelse med resultaten från detta examensarbete och observerad data är att alla bidragande källor till Uranus Ly-α signal inte simulerats.