This thesis investigates the development of ultrasonic Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) systems, based on guided waves propagation, for the localization of low-velocity impacts and the detection of damage mechanisms in isotropic and anisotropic structures. For the identi- cation of the impact point, two main passive techniques were developed, an algorithm-based and an imaging-based method. The former approach is based on the dierences of the stress waves measured by a network of piezoelectric transducers surface bonded on plate-like structures. In particular, four piezoelectric sensors were used to measure the antisymmetrical A0 Lamb mode in isotropic materials, whilst six acoustic emission sensors were employed to record the wave packets in composite laminates. A joint time-frequency analysis based on the magnitude of the Continuous Wavelet Transform was used to determine the time of arrivals of the wave packets. Then, a combination of unconstrained optimization technique associated to a local Newton's iterative method was employed to solve a system of non linear equations, in order to assess the impact location coordinates and the wave group speeds. The main advantages of the proposed algorithms are that they do not require an a-priori estimation of the group velocity and the mechanical properties of the isotropic and anisotropic structures. Moreover, these algorithms proved to be very robust since they were able to converge from almost any guess point and required little computational time. In addition, this research provided a comparison between the theoretical and experimental results, showing that the impact source location and the wave velocity were predicted with reasonable accuracy. The passive imaging-based method was developed to detect in realtime the impact source in reverberant complex composite structures using only one passive sensor. This technique is based on the re- ciprocal time reversal approach, applied to a number of waveforms stored in a database containing the impulse responses of the structure. The proposed method allows achieving the optimal focalization of the acoustic emission source (impact event) as it overcomes the limitations of other ultrasonic impact localization techniques. Compared to a simple time reversal process, the robustness of this approach is experimentally demonstrated on a stiened composite plate. This thesis also extended active ultrasonic guided wave methods to the specic case of dissipative structures showing non-classical nonlinear behaviour. Indeed, an imaging method of the nonlinear signature due to impact damage in a reverberant complex anisotropic medium was developed. A novel technique called phase symmetry analysis, together with frequency modulated excitation signals, was used to characterize the third order nonlinearity of the structure by exploiting its invariant properties with the phase angle of the input waveforms. Then, a \virtual" reciprocal time reversal imaging process was employed to focus the elastic waves on the defect, by taking advantage of multiple linear scattering. Finally, the main characteristics of this technique were experimentally validated.

Cette thèse s'inscrit dans le domaine de l'imagerie non-destructive en électromagnétisme. L'originalité du travail réside, tout d'abord, dans sa forte connotation expérimentale. Celle-ci a abouti à la construction d'un prototype RADAR capable d'acquérir des données multisources-multistatiques dans la gamme de fréquence [2-4] GHz. De plus, ce système implémente la formation de voies au moyen d'un réseau d'atténuateurs/déphaseurs commandé numériquement.Les expériences menées relèvent, d'une part, de l'imagerie qualitative. Le Retournement Temporel, ainsi que les méthodes DORT et TR-MUSIC, ont été appliqués afin de détecter et localiser des cibles diffractantes. Le cas des milieux réverbérants a notamment été abordé.D'autre part, le prototype a été utilisé dans le cadre de la diffraction inverse quantitative sur des données très limitées en ouverture. Un algorithme itératif non-linéarisé prenant en compte l'aspect multi-fréquentiel des données a été adapté à la configuration expérimentale notamment grâce à une procédure de calibration performante.Enfin, la possibilité de greffer les avantages du Retournement Temporel sur ces techniques quantitatives a été étudiée. L'objectif est l'amélioration des résultats dans des milieux aléatoires proches de ceux rencontrés notamment en imagerie médicale (détection de tumeurs) ou en sondage du sous-sol (détection de mines, de nappes de pétrole). / This thesis deals with non-destructive electromagnetic imaging. Its originality lies, primarily, in a marked experimental approach, which has led to the realization of a RADAR prototype able to acquire multisource-multistatic data within the [2-4] GHz frequency band. Furthermore, the system implements beamforming through a numerically-controlled attenuator/phase shifter array.On the one hand, qualitative imaging experiments have been performed. Time Reversal, as well as DORT and TR-MUSIC methods, have been applied to detect and localize scattering objects. In particular, the case of reverberating media has been dealt with.On the other hand, the prototype has been used for quantitative inverse scattering with very aspect-limited data. A non-linearized iterative algorithm taking into account the multi-frequency nature of the data has been adapted to the experimental configuration through a performing calibration procedure.Finally, the possibility of exploiting the features of Time Reversal within the quantitative frame has been studied. The goal is the improvement of the results in random media mimicking those typical of medical imaging (tumor detection) or sub-surface probing (land mine or oil detection) applications.

In one of the non-destructive testing techniques, Lamb waves, because of its ability to propagate a long distance and being hard to attenuate, can detect a wide range of area. However, due to its multimodal and dispersive characteristics, identifying the signals of defects during the test is often difficult. Time reversal method, a self-focusing technique, can offset the dispersion of Lamb waves and effectively focus on the spatial and temporal domain. This study applies the finite element method to stimulate the propagation of Lamb waves on an aluminum plate, selecting four sets of frequency-thickness products and two excitation types to excite the single-mode or multimode Lamb waves. This study aims to discuss the effects of modal and dispersion on the focus of the time reversal methods. The results show that 2 MHz-mm and in-plane excitation can produce numerous, more dispersive modals with the best focus effect. If we applied the time reversal method to testing the defects of Lamb waves, and the defects are circular and longitudinal notches, then, according to the results, the reflection signal amplitude of the circular defects can be highly increased. According to the test results of small-sized notches, the time reversal method cannot effectively improve the detecting ability of this defect.

We consider the inverse source problem arising in thermo-and photoacoustic tomography. It consists in reconstructing the initial pressure from the boundary measurements of the acoustic wave. Our goal is to extend versatile time reversal techniques to the case when the boundary of the domain is perfectly reflecting, effectively turning the domain into a reverberant cavity. Standard time reversal works only if the solution of the direct problem decays in time, which does not happen in the setup we consider. We thus propose a novel time reversal technique with a nonstandard boundary condition. The error induced by this time reversal technique satisfies the wave equation with a dissipative boundary condition and, therefore, decays in time. For larger measurement times, this method yields a close approximation; for smaller times, the first approximation can be iteratively refined, resulting in a convergent Neumann series for the approximation.

A strong argument can be made that physics is, at its core, the study of symmetries. Nonlinear optics is certainly no exception, with an enormous number of distinct processes each depending in its own way on the underlying symmetries of the physical system, the light, or of nature itself. Restricting ourselves to optical harmonic generation, we will explore three unique physical systems as well as three symmetries. In each case, the controlled breaking of that symmetry will lead to optical enhancements, novel nonlinearities, or deep physical insights. Beginning with silicon metasurfaces, we will explore the effects of even and odd spatial symmetries in optical systems. The periodic breaking of this symmetry will lead us to the highly engineerable physics of bound states in the continuum. By studying the harmonic emission from an atomic gas in the volume surrounding the metasurface, we will come to understand that significant nonlinear optical enhancements can be engineered with any linewidth and at any wavelength. In the context of the two-dimensional material hexagonal boron nitride, we will investigate and break crystal inversion symmetries. Using an intense laser tuned to the phonon resonance of hexagonal boron nitride, large amplitude anharmonic ionic motions will provide us a powerful degree of control over the internal symmetries of the system at an atomic level. Breaking this symmetry, we measure short-lived even-order nonlinearities that would otherwise be forbidden in equilibrium. Our observations for second- and third- harmonic generation are confirmed by time-dependent density functional theory. Those simulations further extend the understanding of this symmetry-breaking effect to even higher order processes. Lastly, single-crystal graphene and graphite provide an ideal platform through which to explore time-reversal symmetry. Chiral photons, or optical beams with ellipticity and handedness, are well known to break time-reversal symmetry. While applying high-power, chiral light to graphene, the breaking of time-reversal lifts a degeneracy of the K and K’ valleys in the momentum space Brillouin zone. Lifting this degeneracy, we unveil underlying spatial symmetry properties of graphene in odd-order third- and fifth- harmonic generation which should otherwise be unobservable. We also show experimentally, for the first time, that valley polarization and population can be extracted using our technique.

The search for physics beyond the Standard Model has been a main focus of the scientific community for several decades. Unknown physics in the form of new interactions violating the simultaneous reversal of charge and parity symmetries (CP) would, for example, provide a significant step towards understanding the baryon matter-antimatter asymmetry observed in the Universe. Such parameters are predicted to also manifest themselves in atomic and molecular systems in the form of both: permanent electric dipole moments and nuclear charge distribution asymmetries described by the nuclear Schiff moment. Both can be measured to a high degree of precision in modern experiments, allowing us to place stringent limits on parameters appearing in new fundamental theories. The Cold Molecule Nuclear Time Reversal Experiment (CeNTREX) is the latest approach to probing these effects. CeNTREX is a molecular beam experiment that uses thallium fluoride (²⁰⁵Tl⁹F) as its test species to measure energy shifts induced by the interaction of thallium's nuclear Schiff moment. It does so by performing nuclear magnetic resonance using a separate oscillatory fields technique. The precision of this measurement is dictated by the free precession time and the number of interrogated molecules, and is significantly enhanced by thallium fluoride's inherent properties. Employing novel methods, CeNTREX strives to achieve significant improvements to limits placed on the fundamental parameters. One such method is rotational cooling. It was thoroughly analyzed, simulated and experimentally confirmed - with the help of optical and microwave pumping, we collapsed the initial Boltzmann distribution of molecules amongst their rotational states into one chosen hyperfine state of the ground rotational state manifold. The efficiency of this process depends on multiple factors, the most crucial being the approach towards dark state destabilization and remixing. After careful investigation, we chose the most appropriate method and devised an efficient rotational cooling scheme. Experimental confirmation showed an enhancement factor of r𝑓23.70±1.13, very close to our theoretical predictions. This allows us to conclude that CeNTREX should provide a 2500-fold improvement over the current best measurements of the nuclear Schiff moment in thallium nucleus.

Time Reversal (TR) is a technique that may be used to focus an acoustic signal at a particular point in space. While many variables contribute to the quality of TR focusing of sound in a particular room, the most important have been shown to be the number of sound sources, signal bandwidth and absorption properties of the medium [Ribay et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 117(5), 2866-2872 (2005)]. However, the effect of room size on TR focusing has not been explored. Using the image source method algorithm proposed by Allen and Berkley [J. Allen and D. A. Berkley, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 65(4), 943-950 (1979)], TR focusing was simulated in a variety of rooms with different absorption and volume properties. Experiments are also conducted in a couple rooms to verify the simulations. The maximum focal amplitude, the temporal focus quality, and the spatial focus clarity are defined and calculated for each simulation. The results are used to determine the effects of absorption and room volume on TR. Less absorption increases the amplitude of the focusing and spatial clarity while decreasing temporal quality. Dissimilarly, larger volumes decrease focal amplitude and spatial clarity while increasing temporal quality. This thesis also explores the placement of individual transducers within a room. It also compares the layout of several source transducers used for a reciprocal time reversal process. Maximum focal amplitude and spatial clarity are found to increase when the focus location is dual coplanar to the source location while temporal quality is found to decrease in comparison to the case when source and focal location share only one plane. Maximum focal amplitude is found to be at a minimum when the focus location is at the critical distance and increases closer and farther away from the source, while temporal quality steadily decreases and spatial clarity steadily increases farther from the source. The maximum focal amplitude and the temporal quality are not greatly affected by the type of array layout, but a circular array is ideal for maximizing spatial clarity.

In this thesis we present new approaches in the domains of soft fault detection and location in complex wire networks, based on the properties of time reversal. When addressing the detection of soft faults, the idea is to adapt the testing signal to the network under test, instead of being predefined for all the tested networks, as opposed to standard reflectometry techniques. We prove that this approach, which we name the Matched Pulse approach (MP), is beneficial whenever the system is more complex, i.e., its response is richer in echoes, which is opposed to common understanding. The MP analysis is conducted via a formal mathematical analysis, followed by simulation and experimental results validating the proposed approach. In the domain of soft fault location, and based on the DORT (Décomposition de l'Opérateur de Retournement Temporel) properties, we derive a distributive non-iterative method able to synthesize signals that focus on the fault position. Through a statistical study we analyze some of the influencing parameters on the performance of the method, and then simulation and experimental results show that the method is able to synthesize signals directly focalizing on the soft fault position, without the need for iterations.

This thesis reports on results in the fields of experimental spin- and general wave dynamics.

Contrairement à la capture tactile multi digitale déjà largement répandue, il n'existe pas de solution superposable à un écran permettant l'affichage localisé d'informations perceptibles au toucher. On propose dans ce travail de thèse une approche basée sur la focalisation d'ondes de flexion dans une plaque mince. Cette focalisation, obtenue suivant le procédé de retournement temporel, permet de produire une stimulation tactile localisée en un ou plusieurs points d'une plaque transparente à partir d'un ensemble d'actionneurs situés sur son contour. Le dimensionnement de l'interface s'appuie en premier lieu sur l'étude du contraste de focalisation et sa sensibilité à la température. D'autres critères de dimensionnement sont étudiés tels que les résolutions spatiale et temporelle, la fréquence de répétition de la focalisation, le bilan énergétique ou le bruit audible généré. Le retournement temporel synthétique, permettant la focalisation en tout point de la surface à partir d'un apprentissage en un ensemble fini de points du contour est adapté au cas des plaques minces. Un démonstrateur est assemblé et caractérisé. On obtient sur une plaque d'épaisseur 0.5 mm un déplacement au point de focalisation jusqu'à 7 µm, pour une tache de focalisation d'un diamètre de 5 mm. La focalisation simultanée en plusieurs points est également obtenue expérimentalement. On propose finalement un modèle pour la prise en compte de la perturbation de la focalisation par le contact avec un ou plusieurs doigts. Une étude de perception montrant la possibilité de détecter et de discriminer le stimulus tactile produit conclue ce travail. / The sense of touch is an effective and yet underused interaction modality for human computer communication. As opposed to multitouch tactile screens already available, there is no solution able to provide a localized tactile stimulation on a transparent surface. This work introduces a novel approach for tactile feedback based on the focusing of flexural waves produced by a set of transducers located on sides of a thin plate. This focusing, allowed by the time reversal technique, produces a tactile stimulation localised in one or several points of a transparent surface. Design of the tactile interface relies of the study of focusing contrast and its thermal drift as well as temporal and spatial resolution, focusing refresh rate, energy balance and audible noise production. Synthetic time reversal, allowing the focusing at any point of the plate from the acquisition of impulse responses at a set of contour points is also introduced. A mock up device has been built and caracterised. A displacement up to 7 µm and a focal spot size about 5 mm on a 0.5 mm thick glass plate. Simultaneous focusing in multiple points is also achieved. A model describing the perturbation induced by the contact of one or many fingers with the plate is developped. A perceptual study finally demonstrates the possibility to detect and discriminate the stimulation produced by the focusing. The measured uncoupling of finger pulp and surface displacements at the focusing point could explain this detection.