Growing need for application of electronics at temperatures beyond their rated limit, (usually > 150 °C) and the non availability of high temperature compatible electronics necessitates thermal management solutions that should be compact, scalable, reliable and be able to work in environments characterized by high temperature (150 -250 °C), mechanical shock and vibrations. In this backdrop the proposed research aims at realization of an adsorption cooling system for evaporator temperatures in the range of 140 °C-150 °C, and condenser temperature in the range of 160 °C-200 °C. Adsorption cooling systems have few moving parts (hence less maintenance issues), and the use of Thermo-Electric (TE) devices to regenerate heat of adsorption in between adsorbent beds enhances the compactness and efficiency of the overall 'ThermoElectric-Adsorption' (TEA) system. The work presented identifies the challenges involved and respective solutions for high temperature application. An experimental set up was fabricated to demonstrate system operation and mathematical models developed to benchmark experimental results. Also, it should be noted that TEA system comprises TE and adsorption chillers. A TE device can be a compact cooler in its own right. Hence a comparison of the performance of TEA and TE cooling systems has also been presented.

This dissertation presents thermal and thermoelectric measurements of nanostructures. Because the characteristic size of these nanostructures is comparable to and even smaller than the mean free paths or wavelengths of electrons and phonons, the classical constitutive laws such as the Fourier’s law cannot be applied. Three types of nanostructures have been investigated, including nanoscale constrictions patterned in a sub-100 nm thick silicon film, monatomic thick graphene ribbons supported on a silicon dioxide (SiO₂) beam, and indium antimonide (InSb) nanowires. A suspended measurement device has been developed to measure the thermal resistance of 48-174 nm wide constrictions etched in 35-65 nm thick suspended silicon membranes. The measured thermal resistance is more than ten times larger than the diffusive thermal resistance calculated from the Fourier’s law. The discrepancy is attributed to the ballistic thermal resistance component as a result of the smaller constriction width than the phonon-phonon scattering mean free path. Because of diffuse phonon scattering by the side walls of the constriction with a finite length, the phonon transmission coefficient is 0.015 and 0.2 for two constrictions of 35 nm x 174 nm x220 nm and 65 nm x 48 nm x 50 nm size. Another suspended device has been developed for measuring the thermal conductivity of single-layer graphene ribbons supported on a suspended SiO₂ beam. The obtained room-temperature thermal conductivity of the supported graphene is about 600 W/m-K, which is about three times smaller than the basal plane values of high-quality pyrolytic graphite because of phonon-substrate scattering, but still considerably higher than for common thin film electronic materials. The measured thermal conductivity is in agreement with a theoretical result based on quantum mechanical calculation of the threephonon scattering processes in graphene, which finds a large contribution to the thermal conductivity from the flexural vibration modes. A device has been developed to measure the Seebeck coefficients (S) and electrical conductivities ([sigma]) of InSb nanowires grown by a vapor-liquid-solid process. The obtained Seebeck coefficient is considerably lower than the literature values for bulk InSb crystals. It was further found that decreasing the base pressure during the VLS growth results in an increase in the Seebeck coefficient and a decrease in the electrical conductivity, except for a nanowire with the smallest diameter of 15 nm. This trend is attributed to preferential oxidation of indium by residual oxygen in the growth environment, which could cause increased n-type Sb doping of the nanowires with increasing base pressure. The deviation in the smallest diameter nanowire from this trend indicates a large contribution from the surface charge states in the nanowire. The results suggest that better control of the chemical composition and surface states is required for improving the power factor of InSb nanowires. On approach is to use Indium-rich source materials for the growth to compensate for the loss of indium due to oxidation by residual oxygen. / text

The assembly of nanostructures into “multi”-dimensional materials is one of the main topics occurring in nanoscience today. It is now possible to produce high quality nanostructures reproducibly but for their further application larger structures that are easier to handle are required. Nevertheless during their assembly their nanometer size and accompanying properties must be maintained. This challenge was addressed in this work. Lead chalcogenides have been chosen as an example system because they are expected to offer great opportunities as thermoelectric materials. Three different ways to achieve assemblies of lead chalcogenide nanostructures were used and the resulting structures characterized with respect to their potential application as thermoelectric material. The first means by which a “multi”-dimensional assembly of lead chalcogenide quantum dots can be produced is the formation of porous structures such as aerogels and xerogels. A procedure, where the addition of an initiator such as oxidizers or incident radiation is unnecessary, is introduced and the formation process studied by absorption spectroscopy. The time-consuming aggregation step could be significantly reduced by employing a slightly elevated temperature during gelation that does not lead to any observable differences within the resulting gel structures. After either supercritical or subcritical drying, highly porous monolithic gel structures can be achieved. During the gel formation the size and the shape of the particles changed and they were directly linked together. Nevertheless the resulting porous structures remain crystalline and size dependent effects of the optical properties could be shown. Gels produced from a mixture of PbS and PbSe QDs show a homogenous distribution of both materials but it is not clear to what extent they form an alloy. Although the particles are directly linked together the resulting porous structures possess a very high resistivity and so it was not possible to characterize the semiconductor aerogels with regard to their thermoelectric properties. To achieve an enhanced conductivity porous structures containing PbS and Au nanoparticles have been produced. As has been seen for the pure semiconductor gels the size of the PbS quantum dots has increased and elongated particles were formed. In contrast to the PbS QDs the Au nanoparticles did not change their size and shape and are unevenly distributed within the PbS network. Through the use of the gold nanoparticles the conductivity could be increased and although the conductivity is still quite small, it was possible to determine Seebeck coefficients near room temperature for a mixed semiconductor-metal gel. The second means by which QD solids could be formed was by the compaction of the QD building blocks into a material that is still nanostructured. Therefore the synthesis of PbS was optimized to achieve sufficient amounts of PbS quantum dots. The ligands used in the synthesis of the QDs unfortunately act as an insulating layer resulting in QD solids with resistivities as high as 2 Gigaohm. For this reason different surface modification strategies were introduced to minimize the interparticle distance and to increase the coupling between the QDs so as to increase the conductivity of the resulting quantum dot solids. One very promising method was the exchange of the initial ligands by shorter ones that can be destroyed at lower temperatures. By such heat treatments the resistivity could be decreased by up to six orders of magnitude. For the pressing of the quantum dots two different compaction methods (SPS and hydraulic pressing) were compared. While the grain growth within the SPS pressed samples is significantly higher the same densification can be achieved by a cold hydraulic pressing as well as by SPS. The densification could be further increased through the use of preheated PbS QDs due to the destruction of the ligands. Samples which had been surface modified with MPA and subsequently thermally treated show the best results with respect to their thermopower and resistivities. Nevertheless the conductivity of the QD solids is still too high for them to be used as efficient thermoelectric materials. The final assembly method does not involve QDs but instead with one dimensional nanowires. Therefore a synthesis was developed that enables the formation of PbS nanowires of different diameters and one that is easy up-scalable. By the use of a less reactive sulfur precursor and an additional surfactant the formation of nuclei is significantly retarded and within an annealing time of two hours nanowires can be formed presumably by an oriented attachment mechanism. Single crystalline nanowires with a diameter of 65-105 nm could be achieved with the longest axes of the nanowires being parallel to [100]. The resulting nanowires were used as building blocks for film formation on glass substrates by an easily implemented method that requires no special equipment. To characterize the films with a view to their possible application as a thermoelectric material, surface modifications of the films were performed to improve the charge transfer in the films and the Seebeck coefficients of the resulting films measured. Therefore the previous approach of using MPA was applied and a subsequent thermal treatment demonstrated very promising results. In addition an crosslinking ligand was used for surface treatment that leads to similar results as was observed for the thermally treated MPA approach. Both approaches lead to an order of magnitude decrease in the resistivity and due to the fewer grain boundaries present in the films composed of nanowires as compared to the QD assemblies the conductivity is significantly higher. The Seebeck coefficient measurements show that the thermal treatment only slightly affects the Seebeck coefficients. Therefore a significantly higher power factor could be achieved for the nanowire films than for the QD solids.

No description available.

Carbon nanotubes are known as one of the strongest materials in nature and since their discovery; they have triggered the scientific interest for fabricating multi-functional polymer composites. However, a well-known problem associated to the incorporation of nanoparticulate materials in polymer matrices is their tendency to agglomerate in order to reduce their surface energy, and the extreme increase of the polymer viscosities (i.e melts, solutions, etc), which makes it very difficult to process them. Polymers can be efficiently reinforced by fibers for applications where high strength and stiffness are required. Micro-scale short fiber reinforced polymer composites have been an alternative way to obtain fiber reinforced composites since the long fiber incorporation is a painful job and not always feasible and easy to produce composites in big scale. Therefore, use of long glass fibers as the support for depositing CNTs as well as CNTs+other kind of nanoparticles was made, and the resulting interfaces were investigated in detail by single fiber model composites. This approach can bring the CNT functionality, fiber strength and toughness to the final composite, and simultaneously alleviate the manufacturing process from increase of the polymer high viscosities. Finally, very logically the question of whether to improve or destroy the interface integrity comes before implementing the hybrid hierarchical reinforcements in bigger scales, and an output out of this work will be given. Furthermore, several information and functionalities arising from the CNTs at the interphase region will be elucidated like cure monitoring of the epoxy resin matrix, UV-sensing ability, and thermoelectric energy harvesting, giving rise to multi-functional structural composites. CNT-modified natural fibers also have been utillised to fabricate short fiber reinforced composites, and have shown a promising reinforcement effect due to the CNT nanostructured interfaces. The ‘interface’ in fiber reinforced polymer composites (FRPCs) is known as a very crucial parameter that has to be considered in the design of a composite with desired properties. Interfaces are often considered as surfaces however, they are in fact zones or areas with compositional, structural, and property gradients, typically varying from that of the fiber and the matrix material. Characterization of the mechanical properties of interfaces is necessary for understanding the mechanical behavior of scaled-up composites. In fact, the mechanical characteristics of a fiber/resin composite depend mainly on i) the mechanical properties of the component materials, ii) the surface of the fiber, and iii) the nature of the fiber/resin bonding as well as the mode of stress transfer at the interface. Among the many factors that govern the characteristics of composites involving a glass, carbon, natural or ceramic fiber, and a macromolecular matrix, the adhesion between fiber and matrix plays a predominant role. In specific, the stress transfer at the interface requires an efficient coupling between fiber and matrix. Therefore, it is important to optimize the interfacial bonding since a direct linkage between fiber and matrix gives rise to a rigid, low impact resistance composite material.

Primarily, newly developed, high sensitive and accurate methods for thermal characterization of liquids using photothermal radiometry are presented. Two experimental configurations are suggested, tested and validated with usual liquid materials. These methods are used to study polymer dispersed liquid crystal samples. Dynamic thermal properties of samples are analysed verses amplitude varying applied electric field with constant frequency as well as versus frequency varying electric field with constant amplitude. Our results clearly show the thermal properties of the samples are prone to depolarizing field effects at the lower frequencies of the applied electric field. The experimental results are modeled against existing theories to predict electric properties of the sample composites. Second part of the manuscript describes the development of a novel photothermal technique based on thermoelectric effect. This technique is particularly useful for thermally characterizing thermoelectric materials without using a separate sensor for measuring induced temperature changes. A theoretical and experimental study is presented. The experiments are done on polyaniline - carbon nanotube composite pellets by measuring Seebeck voltage generated by the samples upon heating by a modulated laser beam. Additional infrared radiometry experiments are done on the same samples and the results are in good agreement with those previously found. Later on, the possibility of photothermoelectric materials to be used as sensors for finding thermal transport properties of materials with a thermal wave resonant cavity is suggested.

Die vorliegende Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit der Entwicklung neuartiger thermoelektrischer (TE) Materialien, unter Berücksichtigung einer effizienten Präparation in Verbindung mit sorgfältiger chemischer Charakterisierung und physikalischer Messung. Als Grundvoraussetzung für eine TE aktive Verbindung muss diese ein Halbleiter sein, dessen Ladungsträgerkonzentration durch geeignete Substitution justiert werden kann. Weiterhin sollte eine starke Steigung der elektronischen Zustandsdichte am Fermi-Niveau vorhanden sein, um hohe Seebeck-Koeffizienten zu erhalten. Schwere Elemente in einer möglichst komplizierten Kristallstruktur sollten für eine relativ geringe thermische Leitfähigkeit von Vorteil sein. RuIn3 und seine Substitutionsvarianten erfüllen diese Voraussetzungen. Eine Fest-Flüssig-Reaktion mit anschließendem Spark-Plasma-Sintern (SPS) zur Präparation polykristalliner Materialien lieferte phasenreine Produkte. Binäres RuIn3 ist ein Halbleiter mit einer Bandlücke von 0,45 eV, welcher in Abhängigkeit von der Temperatur große negative und positive Seebeck-Koeffizienten zeigt. Die thermische Leitfähigkeit ist mit κmin = 3,8(8) W K-1 m-1 relativ gering. Eine genaue Einstellung der Ladungsträgerkonzentration kann durch Substitution von In mit Sn oder Zn erfolgen, wodurch ausschließlich negative (Sn) oder positive (Zn) Seebeck-Koeffizienten vorliegen. Gleichzeitig wird die thermische Leitfähigkeit um ca. 50 % im Vergleich zu binärem RuIn3 gesenkt. Die Substitution in RuIn3-xSnx und RuIn3-xZnx (x = 0,10) geht mit einem Halbleiter-Metall-Übergang einher, welcher durch Messungen des elektrischen Widerstands verifiziert wurde. Analysen mittels wellenlängendispersiver Röntgenspektroskopie zeigen eine gute Übereinstimmung der nominellen und experimentellen Zusammensetzung für die Sn-Substitution und einen vergleichsweise geringen Zn-Gehalt. RuO2-Verunreinigungen in kommerziellem Ru-Pulver sind die Ursache für kleine Nebenphasenanteile von In2O3 in RuIn3-xSnx und ZnO in RuIn3-xZnx. Die dadurch ablaufenden Reduktionen und die Redoxpotentiale der Elemente und Verbindungen können mit den Gitterparametern der Substitutionsvarianten und dem Homogenitätsbereich der Stammverbindung RuIn3 in Einklang gebracht werden. Zur Eliminierung der RuO2-Verunreinigungen wurde eine Wasserstoff-Reduktionsapparatur entwickelt. Damit konnten die Sauerstoffverunreinigungen im Ru-Pulver vollständig entfernt werden. Mit diesem gereinigten Ausgangsmaterial wurden die mit Zn substituierten Spezies erneut synthetisiert. Es zeigt sich eine sehr gute Übereinstimmung zwischen der nominellen und experimentellen Zusammensetzung für die Zn-Substitution unter Nutzung des reduzierten Ru-Pulvers. Die Substitutionen der In-Position mit Zn führten zu maximalen TE Gütewerten von ZTmax = 0,76(19) in RuIn2;975Zn0;025. Neben Optimierungen der Ladungsträgerkonzentration spielen Veränderungen des Gefüges für die Eigenschaften eines TE Materials eine zentrale Rolle. Zur Ermittlung der Auswirkungen des Gefüges auf die TE Eigenschaften wurden große Einkristalle von RuGa3 (isostrukturell zu RuIn3) durch ein modifiziertes Bridgman-Verfahren gezüchtet und mit polykristallinem Material verglichen, welches aus diesem Einkristall hergestellt wurde. Gitterparameter und chemische Zusammensetzung der untersuchten RuGa3-Proben weisen keinerlei Variation auf. Die TE Eigenschaften zeigen im Hochtemperaturbereich (T = 300 K) keine signifikanten Unterschiede. In der Messung des Seebeck-Koeffizienten des RuGa3-Einkristalls lässt sich bei tiefen Temperaturen ein scharfes Minimum beobachten, welches in der polykristallinen Probe nicht auftritt. Analog dazu ist die thermische Leitfähigkeit des Einkristalls durch ein deutliches Maximum gekennzeichnet, welches in der polykristallinen Probe nahezu vollständig zusammenfällt. Die zusätzlichen Korngrenzen im Gefüge des polykristallinen Materials wirken als Streuzentren für Phononen, welche im entsprechenden RuGa3-Einkristall nicht vorhanden sind. Die intrinsischen Eigenschaften von RuGa3 mit hoher Wärmeleitfähigkeit in Verbindung mit niedrigem Seebeck-Koeffizienten bei tiefen Temperaturen könnten mit dem Phonon-drag-Effekt erklärt werden. Darauffolgend wurde Ruthenium durch Eisen vollständig ersetzt und der momentan viel untersuchte Halbleiter FeGa3 (isostrukturell zu RuIn3) studiert. Die Präparation polykristalliner Proben wurde analog zu RuIn3 und RuGa3 mit einer Fest-Flüssig-Reaktion und anschließender SPS-Behandlung durchgeführt. Aufgrund fehlender Untersuchungen zu einem geeigneten Substitutionselement wurden die Substitutionsvarianten FeGa3-xEx (E = Al, In, Zn, Ge; x = 0,50) präpariert. Die festen Lösungen FeGa3-xEx mit E = Al, In, Zn zeigen keine Verbesserung der TE Aktivität. Für FeGa3-xGex konnten aus chemischer und physikalischer Sicht die besten Ergebnisse erzielt werden. Systematisch sinkende c-Gitterparameter bei steigender Substitutionskonzentration gehen mit einer sehr guten Übereinstimmung von nomineller und experimenteller Zusammensetzung einher. Mit steigendem Ge-Gehalt wird der elektrische Widerstand und die thermische Leitfähigkeit gesenkt. Für die feste Lösung FeGa2;80Ge0;20 wird eine maximale TE Aktivität ZTmax = 0,21(5) erreicht. Für Untersuchungen zu Gefügeeinflüssen in FeGa3 wurden Einkristalle mit polykristallinem Material verglichen. Dabei weisen die Gitterparameter und die chemische Zusammensetzung der Einkristalle und des polykristallinen Materials im Bereich des experimentellen Fehlers keine Unterschiede auf. Die TE Eigenschaften bei hohen Temperaturen (T = 400 K) zeigen keine signifikanten Unterschiede zwischen poly- und einkristallinen Proben. Im Gegensatz dazu stehen Messungen des Seebeck-Koeffizienten und der thermischen Leitfähigkeit bei tiefen Temperaturen. Bei Temperaturen unter 20 K sind die Wärmeleitfähigkeiten der Einkristalle durch starke Maxima geprägt (κ[001](Czochralski) < κ[100](Czochralski) < κ(Ga-Fluss)). Im polykristallinen Material mit der höchsten Defekt-Konzentration (Korngrenzen) ist dieses Signal durch viele zusätzliche Streuzentren für Phononen fast vollständig unterdrückt. Der Seebeck-Koeffizient der Einkristalle und des polykristallinen Materials ist im gleichen Temperaturbereich und in gleicher Reihenfolge ebenfalls durch starke Signale gekennzeichnet. Für die ungewöhnlich niedrigen Seebeck-Koeffizienten wurden magnetische oder strukturelle Phasenübergänge durch Messungen der magnetischen Suszeptibilität und der Wärmekapazität ausgeschlossen. Theoretische Berechnungen der elektronischen Eigenschaften auf Basis von ermittelten Ladungsträgerkonzentrationen aus Hall-Messungen zeigen, dass die extremen Seebeck-Koeffizienten in FeGa3 nicht elektronischen Ursprungs sein können, weshalb Elektronen-Korrelation ausgeschlossen wurde. Die gesamte thermische Leitfähigkeit ist bei Temperaturen kleiner 400 K nahezu ausschließlich durch den Anteil des Gitters bestimmt. Demzufolge wurde der Phonon-drag-Effekt als Ursache für die ungewöhnlich niedrigen Seebeck-Koeffizienten in FeGa3-Einkristallen von bis zu -16.000(800) µV K-1 begründet. Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit wurde gezeigt, dass die kontrollierte Durchführung von chemischen Reaktionen in Kombination mit einer gründlichen chemischen Charakterisierung eine entscheidende Rolle bei der effizienten Präparation von (un-)bekannten Verbindungen und Materialien spielt.

Submitted by Leonardo Cavalcante (leo.ocavalcante@gmail.com) on 2018-06-08T10:39:15Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Arquivototal.pdf: 4659601 bytes, checksum: ec36904dfc0aab7174f3c2eaa032e94f (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-06-08T10:39:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Arquivototal.pdf: 4659601 bytes, checksum: ec36904dfc0aab7174f3c2eaa032e94f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-07-25 / Conselho Nacional de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico - CNPq / In the last years companies have tried mechanisms for the development of competitive advantage and collaboration have been adopted as an alternative for obtaining such advantages. Thus, seeking to contribute to the literature, this research adopted as theoretical lens the Relational View in association with other theories, to analyze how the collaboration between companies operating in a Supply Chain of the thermoelectric sector contributes to the development of competitive advantages. Methodologically, this research developed a systematic review of the literature with the aim of identify factors of competitive collaboration and advantages interorganizational in supply chains, from there, it was elaborated an analysis model. The model was applied in a single case study with multiple units analysis. They were analyzed four companies, one Focal Firm and three suppliers, two of the first layer and second layer. The main instrument of data collection was a semi-structured interview applied with the managers of organizations. Data were analyzed with the Atlas.ti software. Through research it was found that adaptation, commitment, trust and strategic alignment are collaborative factors that are contributing to the development of advantages. Addition to these, communication and conflict resolution emerge as sub-factors that influence both in factors of collaboration such as the competitive advantage. The major sources of competitive advantage in the studied relationships were developing knowledge, exchange and sharing of knowledge routines, governance mechanisms and shared resources. This is because the members in the relationships believe that it was not necessary to develop specific assets for relationship. The perceived benefits from the collaboration in the supply chain are linked to the financial aspect, improving the efficiency of processes, decrease errors and problems with communication. Analysis of the results, along with the theory studied allowed the development seven propositions that represent the collaboration and interorganizational competitive advantage in the relationships studied. / Nos últimos anos empresas têm buscado mecanismos para o desenvolvimento de vantagem competitiva e a colaboração têm sido adotada como uma alternativa para obtenção dessas vantagens. Dessa forma, procurando contribuir para a literatura, esta pesquisa adotou como eixo teórico a Visão Relacional, em associação com outras teorias, para analisar como a colaboração entre empresas que atuam em uma cadeia de suprimentos do setor termelétrico contribui para o desenvolvimento de vantagens competitivas. Metodologicamente, esta pesquisa desenvolveu uma revisão sistemática da literatura com o intuito de identificar fatores de colaboração e de vantagens competitivas interorganizacionais em cadeias de suprimentos, a partir daí, foi elaborado um Modelo de Análise que foi aplicado em um estudo de caso único com múltiplas unidades de análise em uma cadeia de suprimentos do Setor Termelétrico. Foram analisadas quatro empresas, uma Empresa Focal e três Fornecedores, dois de primeira camada e um segunda camada. O principal instrumento de coleta de dados foi a entrevista semiestruturada aplicada junto aos gestores das organizações. Os dados coletados foram analisados com o auxílio do Atlas.ti. Por meio da pesquisa foi possível constatar que a adaptação, o compromisso, a confiança e o alinhamento estratégico são fatores de colaboração que estão contribuindo para o desenvolvimento das vantagens. Além destes, a comunicação, e, a resolução de conflitos emergem como subfatores que influenciam tanto nos fatores de colaboração como nos fatores de vantagem competitiva. As principais fontes de vantagem competitiva nos relacionamentos estudados são desenvolvimento do conhecimento, troca e rotinas de compartilhamento do conhecimento, mecanismos de governança e recursos compartilhados. Isso se deve ao fato de os relacionamentos apresentarem a particularidade de ainda não sentirem a necessidade de desenvolver ativos específicos para os relacionamentos. Os benefícios percebidos provenientes da colaboração na cadeia de suprimentos estão ligados ao aspecto financeiro, melhoria na eficiência dos processos, na diminuição de erros e ruídos de comunicação. A análise dos resultados, juntamente com a teoria estudada permitiu o desenvolvimento de sete proposições que representam a colaboração e a vantagem competitiva interorganizacional nos relacionamentos da cadeia estudada.

La thèse a pour objet de décrire, caractériser et analyser le nouveau scénario développé à Tocopilla (Chili) pour l’installation d’une puissance pour alimenter les mines de cuivre à Chuquicamata et de salpêtre dans l’Atacama par des capitaux américains. Létude porte sur l’inclusion, la transformation et les dérives du capitalisme minier, ayant développé diverses asymétries qui ont frappé la population jusqu’a aujourd´hui, ce qui transforme la ville en un pôle technologique, génerant de relations coloniales avec la population, faisant de Tocopilla une périphérie étudiée sous l’influence de l’État en raison d’une économie coloniale qui a profondément affecté l’environnement. / The thesis aims to describe, characterize and analyze the new scenario that was developed in Tocopilla (Chile) by means of the installation of a thermo power station to energize the copper mining in Chuquicamata and the mining of nitrate in the Atacama desert through american capitals. The inclusion, transformation and derivations of mining capitalism are studied. They developed numerous asymmetries that impacted the population until the present time. Converting the settlement into a technological pole, establishing colonial relations with the population and establishing Tocopilla in a periphery by the influence of the State, due to the effect of a colonial economy that deeply affected the environment. / La tesis tiene como objetivo describir, caracterizar y analizar el nuevo escenario que se desarrolló en Tocopilla (Chile) por la instalación de una termoeléctrica para energizar la minería de cobre en Chuquicamata y la minería del salpetre en el desierto de Atacama a través de capitales estadounidenses. Se estudia la inclusión, la transformación y las derivaciones del capitalismo minero que desarrolló diversas asimetrías que impactaron profundamente a la población hasta el tiempo presente, tornando al poblado en un polo tecnológico, estableciéndose relaciones coloniales con la población, además de constituir a Tocopilla en una periferia ante la influencia del Estado por efecto de una economía colonial que afectó profundamente al medio ambiente.

Les travaux de cette thèse consistent à étudier le phénomène de rectification optique au sein de dispositifs plasmo-électroniques. L’adressage optique de ces composants, de taille extrêmement réduite et présentant un temps de réponse ultra-rapide, induit une conversion du champ incident en un courant statique mesurable. L’intégration monolithique d’éléments plasmoniques et électroniques requiert une connaissance détaillée des mécanismes de transport thermique et électrique à l’échelle du nanomètre. Ces travaux visent donc également à discuter l’ensemble des effets thermiques inhérents à l’excitation optique de ces dispositifs connectés dans le but d’identifier les différentes contributions entrant en jeu dans la génération d’un courant photo-assisté. / The work described in this manuscrit consists in studying the optical rectification within plasmo-electronic devices. These ultra-compact optically adressed components with an ultra-fast time response induces a conversion of the incident field into a static current. The monolithically-integrated electronically optical antenna requires a detailed knowledge of nanoscale thermal and electrical transport mechanisms. This work also aims to discuss all thermal effects inherent in the optical excitation of these connected devices, in order to identify the different contributions in the generation of a photo-assisted current.