III-V nanostructures have attracted substantial research effort due to their interesting physical properties and their applications in new generation of ultrafast and high efficiency nanoscale electronic and photonic components. The advances in nanofabrication methods including growth/synthesis have opened up new possibilities of realizing one dimensional (1D) nanostructures as building blocks of future nanoscale devices. For processing of semiconductor nanostructure devices, simplicity, cost effectiveness, and device efficiency are key factors. A number of methods are being pursued to fabricate high quality III-V nanopillar/nanowires, quantum dots and nano disks. Further, high optical quality nanostructures in these materials together with precise control of shapes, sizes and array geometries make them attractive for a wide range of optoelectronic/photonic devices. This thesis work is focused on top-down approaches for fabrication of high optical quality nanostructures in III-V materials. Dense and uniform arrays of nanopillars are fabricated by dry etching using self-assembly of colloidal SiO2 particles for masking. The physico-chemistry of etching and the effect of etch-mask parameters are investigated to control the shape, aspect ratios and spatial coverage of the nanopillar arrays. The optimization of etch parameters and the utilization of erosion of etch masks is evaluated to obtain desired pillar shapes from cylindrical to conical. Using this fabrication method, high quality nanopillar arrays were realized in several InP-based and GaAs-based structures, including quantum wells and multilayer heterostructures. Optical properties of these pillars are investigated using different optical spectroscopic techniques. These nanopillars, single and in arrays, show excellent photoluminescence (PL) at room temperature and the measured PL line-widths are comparable to the as-grown wafer, indicating the high quality of the fabricated nanostructures. The substrate-free InP nanopillars have carrier life times similar to reference epitaxial layers, yet an another indicator of high material quality. InGaAs layer, beneath the pillars is shown to provide several useful functions. It effectively blocks the PL from the InP substrate, serves as a sacrificial layer for generation of free pillars, and as a “detector” in cathodoluminescence (CL) measurements. Diffusion lengths independently determined by time resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) and CL measurements are consistent, and carrier feeding to low bandgap InGaAs layer is evidenced by CL data. Total reflectivity measurements show that nanopillar arrays provide broadband antireflection making them good candidates for photovoltaic applications.  A novel post etch, sulfur-oleylamine (S-OA) based chemical process is developed to etch III-V materials with monolayer precision, in an inverse epitaxial manner along with simultaneous surface passivation. The process is applied to push the limits of top-down fabrication and InP-based high optical quality nanowires with aspect ratios more than 50, and nanostructures with new topologies (nanowire meshes and in-plane wires) are demonstrated.  The optimized process technique is used to fabricate nanopillars in InP-based multilayers (InP/InGaAsP/InP and InP/InGaAs/InP). Such multilayer nanopillars are not only attractive for broad-band absorption in solar cells, but are also ideal to generate high optical quality nanodisks of these materials. Finally, the utility of a soft stamping technique to transfer free nanopillars/wires and nanodisks onto Si substrate is demonstrated. These nanostructures transferred onto Si with controlled densities, from low to high, could provide a new route for material integration on Si. / <p>QC 20130205</p>

Elasmobranchs are among the oldest and most successful predators in the ocean, yet one of the most vulnerable to the direct and indirect effects of fishing. Many populations are rapidly declining around the world, and an increasing number is listed as threatened or endangered. The broader ecosystem consequences of these declines, and whether other marine predators can replace sharks, are open questions. In this thesis, I used a diverse set of data and modeling techniques to analyze long-term changes in elasmobranch populations in the Mediterranean Sea, and the consequences of shark declines on marine ecosystems. Because of its long history of fishing, the Mediterranean offers a unique perspective on the response of marine communities to exploitation over long time scales. Here, I reconstructed the history of elasmobranch exploitation over the past 200 years in pelagic, coastal and demersal communities. Results were combined meta-analytically to derive a general pattern of change for the entire region. Overall, I detected multiple cases of regional species extirpations, a strong correlation between historical intensity of exploitation and the stage of community degradation, and some cases of compensatory species increases. My results suggest that compared to other marine ecosystems worldwide, the Mediterranean Sea might be in an advanced stage of overexploitation. To gain more general conclusions about the patterns and consequences of shark declines in the ocean, I reviewed and reanalyzed documented changes in exploited elasmobranch communities around the world, and synthesized the effects of sharks on their prey and wider communities. This work revealed that sharks are abundant and diverse in little exploited or unexploited marine ecosystems but vulnerable to even light levels of fishing. The decline in large sharks has reduced natural mortality in a range of their prey, contributing to changes in abundance, distribution, and behaviour of marine megafauna that have few other predators. In some cases, this has resulted in cascading changes in prey populations and food-web structure. Overall, my thesis greatly enhanced our knowledge about the critical state of elasmobranchs in the Mediterranean Sea and the consequences of the declines of these important marine predators on marine ecosystems.

Cette thèse a pour but la recherche de Nouvelle Physique dans les événements à quatre quarks top en utilisant les données collectées dans les collisions proton-proton par l'expérience ATLAS au LHC. L'ensemble des données correspond à celui enregistré pendant tout 2011 à √s = 7 TeV et une partie de l'année 2012 à √s = 8 TeV. L'analyse est concentrée sur un état final avec deux leptons (des électrons et des muons) avec la même charge électrique. Cette signature est expérimentalement privilégiée puisque la présence de deux leptons avec le même signe dans l'état final permet de réduire le bruit du fond qui vient des processus du Modèle Standard. Les résultats sont interprétés dans le contexte d'une théorie effective à basse énergie, qui suppose que la Nouvelle Physique peut se manifester à basse énergie comme une interaction de contact à quatre tops droits. Dans ce contexte, cette analyse permet de prouver un type de théorie au delà du Modèle Standard qui, à basse énergie, peut se manifester de cette manière. Les bruits du fond pour cette recherche ont été estimés en utilisant des échantillons simulés et des techniques axées sur les données. Différentes sources d'incertitudes systématiques ont été considérées. La sélection finale des événements a été optimisée en visant à minimiser la limite supérieure attendue sur la section efficace de production des quatre tops si aucun événement de signal n'est trouvé. La région du signal a été ensuite examinée à la recherche d'un excès d'événement en comparaison avec le bruit du fond prévu. Aucun excès d'événement n'a été observé, et la limite supérieure observée sur la section efficace de production de quatre quarks top a été calculée. Ceci a permis de calculer la limite supérieure sur la constante de couplage C/lambda 2 du modèle. Une limite supérieure sur la section efficace de production de quatre tops dans le Modèle Standard a été aussi calculée dans l'analyse à √s = 8 TeV. En plus de l'analyse physique du signal de quatre tops, des études concernant le système d'étalonnage LASER du calorimètre Tile ont été présentées. Ces études sont liées au système des photodiodes utilisé pour mesurer l'intensité de la lumière dans le système LASER.

Cette thèse a pour sujet la mesure de la section efficace de production de paires de quarks top-antitop dans l'expérience CMS auprès du LHC. L'état final considéré est le canal semi-leptonique "tau+jets". Un boson W issu de la désintégration du quark top se désintègre en un tau hadronique et neutrino tandis que le second boson W se désintègre en une paire quark-antiquark. La conduite de cette analyse a nécessité le développement d'un nouveau mode de déclenchement des données (trigger) incluant la présence de quatre jets dont un identifié en tant que tau hadronique. La configuration de ce trigger ainsi que son efficacité ont été étudiés dans cette thèse. Un échantillon de données correspondant à 3.9 fb−1 a été enregistré avec ce trigger et analysé. Les leptons taus ont été reconstruits grâce à un algorithme identifiant leurs résonances intermédiaires tandis que les jets de quarks beaux issus de la désintégration des quarks tops ont été identifiés grâce à l'algorithme "probabilité par jet". Cet algorithme pour lequel j'ai mis en oeuvre une procédure de calibration depuis 2009 utilise le paramètre d'impact des traces de particules chargées pour calculer leur probabilité de venir du vertex primaire. Des études de performance de cet algorithme sont également présentées dans cette thèse. Afin de séparer le signal de l'important bruit de fond majoritairement constitué des processus multijets QCD et W+jets un réseau de neurones utilisant des variables dites d'environnement (aplanarité, HT, M(τ,jets), énergie transverse manquante...) a été développé. La section efficace a été extraite à l'aide d'un ajustement par méthode du maximum de vraisemblance de la sortie du réseau de neurones. Les incertitudes systématiques ont fait l'objet d'une étude détaillée. La valeur de la section efficace mesurée, σ(top-antitop) = 156 ± 12 (stat.) ± 33 (syst.) ± 3 (lumi) pb, est en accord avec la section efficace prédite par le modèle standard.

This thesis presents the search for New Physics in events with four top quarks using the data collected in proton-proton collisions by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. The dataset corresponds to the one taken during all 2011 at √s = 7 TeV and a part of 2012 at √s = 8 TeV. The analysis focuses on a final state with two leptons (electrons and muons) with the same electric charge. This signature is experimentally favored since the presence of two same-sign leptons in the final state allows to reduce the background coming from Standard Model (SM) processes. The results are interpreted in the context of a low energy effective field theory, which assumes that New Physics at low energy can manifest itself as a four right-handed top contact interaction. In this context, this analysis allows testing a class of beyond-the-SM (BSM) theories which at low energy can manifest in this way. Backgrounds to this search have been estimated using simulated samples and data-driven techniques. Different sources of systematic uncertainties have been also considered. The final selection of events has been optimized by aiming at minimizing the expected upper limit on the four tops production cross-section in case of no signal events found. The signal region is then analyzed by looking for an excess of events with respect to the predicted background. No excess of events has been observed, and the observed upper limit on the four tops production cross-section has been computed. This limit is then translated to an upper limit on the coupling strength C=2 of the model. An upper limit on the four tops production cross-section in the SM has been also computed in the analysis performed at √s = 8 TeV. In addition to the physics analysis of the four tops signal, some studies about the LASER calibration system of the ATLAS Tile calorimeter are presented. In particular, they are related to the photodiodes system used to measure the intensity of the laser light in the LASER system.

The field of high-energy physics has been living a very exciting period of its history with the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN collecting data. Indeed, this enormous machine able to collide protons at a center of mass energy of 14 TeV promises to unveil the mystery around the physics at such energy scales. From the physicists side, the expectations are very strong as it isnowadays a certitude that the Standard Model of particle physics is incomplete and should, in fact, be interpreted as the effective theory of a more fundamental one. Unfortunately, the 7 and 8 TeV runs of the LHC did not provide any sign of new physics yet but there has been at least one major discovery in 2010, namely the discovery of a scalar particle with a mass of 125 GeV and whichproperties are very close to those of the Standard Model Higgs boson. Since then, many questions have come up as we now want to understand if it really is the Standard Model Higgs boson or if it exhibits any deviations. It is in this peculiar context that my research work was carried. In a first project, we, my supervisors, our collaborator and I, have wanted to explore thephenomenology associated with the neutralinos and charginos sector of the left-right symmetric supersymmetric model. Such an analysis can be motivated by several reasons such as the fact that the supersymmetric nature of these models provides a natural explanation for the infamous hierarchy problem, implies the unification of the gauge coupling constants at very high energy and provides a natural candidate for dark matter. In addition to these nice features, the left-right symmetry introduces a natural framework for explaining the smallness of neutrino masses but also helps in addressing several other unresolved issues in the Standard Model framework. Only focusing on the lightest charginos and neutralinos decaying into one or more light leptons, we have shown in our study that these models can be easily discovered in multi-leptonic final states as theylead to signatures very different from those induced by the Standard Model or its supersymmetric version.[...]

Dans les communautés virtuelles pair-à-pair (P2P) de partage de données, les requêtes top-k présentent deux avantages principaux. Premièrement, elles permettent aux participants de qualifier les résultats de leurs requêtes par rapport aux données partagées dans le système et ceci en fonction de leurs préférences individuelles. Deuxièmement, elles évitent de submerger les participants avec un grand nombre de réponses. Cependant, les techniques existantes pour le traitement des requêtes top-k dans un environnement complètement distribué présentent l'inconvénient d'un temps d'attente important pour l'utilisateur. Ce temps d'attente est encore très long plus le système est surchargé. Dans un premier temps, nous revisitons le problème du temps d'attente de l'utilisateur dans le traitement des requêtes top-k en introduisant deux nouvelles mesures : le temps de stabilisation et la qualité restante cumulée. En complément des mesures existantes, elles permettent de qualifier plus précisément le comportement d'un algorithme top-k. Dans un deuxième temps, nous proposons une famille d'algorithmes (ASAP), permettant de retourner à l'utilisateur les résultats de bonne qualité le plus tôt possible. Enfin, nous nous intéressons au problème du traitement des requêtes top-k dans le cadre des systèmes P2P surchargés, particulièrement critique pour les solutions classiques, en proposant une nouvelle approche (QUAT). Cette solution fait usage de descriptions synthétiques des données des pairs pour permettre aux pairs de traiter en priorité les requêtes pour les quelles ils peuvent fournir des résultats de bonne qualité.

企業文化作為組織內部成員廣泛接納的價值觀和行為準則，潛移默化地控制和改變著企業內部人員的行為方式，從而對組織績效產生影響，因此企業文化的變革對於組織行為的調節有相當重要之作用。在全面品質管理的成功實施因素討論中，往往集中討論科技和資訊等方面的貢獻，卻相對缺乏對於軟性的企業文化的作用之研究。本文利用高績效工廠計劃第三輪蒐集之資料，利用偏最小平方法，分析了205家製造型企業的調查問卷結果，以探討公司高階管理者，應如果調整企業文化，來實施全面品質管理，提升組織的績效和顧客滿意度。本研究的自變量為高階領導的參與和支持，中介變量為企業文化，因變量為顧客滿意度；而其中中介變量又可以分為持續改善與學習、顧客導向、全面參與和團隊合作四個構面。 本研究發現，在公司高階管理者對品質管理有高度支持和參與時，組織內部會形成傾向顧客導向、重視全面參與和團隊合作、以及持續不斷改善與學習的組織文化，而這種組織文化最終都會提升最終顧客的滿意度。本研究之結論表示，在全面品質管理的實施過程中，高階領導者應透過全面變革其組織的文化，形成上下一體、協同合作、不斷關注顧客需求達成、利用經驗不斷改善品質和精益求精的價值觀，才能更好地完成顧客滿意度提升之目的，達成企業的競爭優勢。最後本研究亦提出對應的管理意涵、研究限制和未來研究的方向。 / As widely accepted values and codes of conduct inside of a corporation, the organizational culture controls and changes the way employees behave, influencing the corporate performance and customer satisfaction. Thus, the culture change is vital to regulate organizational behaviors. Total Quality Management is a philosophy that organizations can use to improve their performance but, often there is an over-emphasis on its tools and techniques, which may take precedence over the need to create a culture, that is open to change. This study collected the High Performance Manufacturing Round 3 data that contain 205 cases to analysis how can the top management change corporate culture to fulfill TQM and enhance customer satisfaction by using Partial Least Square. The independent variable would be Top Management Support and the dependent variable would be Customer Satisfaction. Corporate Culture would be mediating variable that contains Continuous Improvement and Learning, Customer Focus, Full Participation and Teamwork and Cooperation. This study suggests that if the top management highly support and commit to TQM, it is better for them to foster a Total Quality Culture that stressed on continuous improvement and teamwork spirit to improve customer satisfaction. Management implications, study limitation and future study suggestion and included in the end.

Icicles are a ubiquitous and picturesque feature of cold winter weather. Their familiar form emerges from a subtle interplay between the solidification dynamics of ice and the gravity-driven flow of the thin water film flowing over their evolving surface. The latent heat released by freezing is advected by the water film and ultimately carried away by the surrounding sub-zero air, which is also flowing. Like many processes far from equilibrium, icicle growth can exhibit nonlinear pattern formation. While scaling theory predicts that icicles converge to `platonic', self-similar shapes, natural icicles often exhibit regular ripple patterns about their circumference, which are due to a morphological instability. This thesis presents a comprehensive experimental study of icicles that sheds new light on the dynamics of their growth and the origin of their form. A table-top apparatus was designed and built for the controlled growth of icicles, under different conditions of temperature, water supply rate, ambient air motion, and water purity. Image analysis and Fourier methods were used to examine their morphology. Contrary to theoretical expectations, ripples do not appear on icicles made from pure water. Instead, ripples grow and travel on icicles made from salt solutions, even at very low concentrations. The addition of non-ionic surfactant or dissolved gases does not produce ripples, unless ionic impurities are also present. The ripple wavelength is independent of time and growth conditions. The ripple amplification rate and traveling velocity vary weakly with the ionic concentration, as do the tip and radial growth speeds of the icicle. While the tip and radial growth also depend on the ambient temperature and input mass flux, the ripple dynamics is not correlated with extrinsic conditions. If the ambient temperature or input mass flux is sufficiently low, the tip growth only advances for a short period of time before it ceases. After cessation, the shape of the icicle deviates increasingly from self-similarity. The most self-similar icicles are made from pure water with the surrounding air gently stirred, whereas icicles made from impure water in still air tend to grow multiple tips.

The purpose of this study is to determine if Low Impact Development (LID) can effectively mitigate flooding under projected climate scenarios. LID relies on runoff management measures that seek to control rainwater volume at the source by reducing imperviousness and retaining, infiltrating and reusing rainwater. An event-driven hydrologic/hydraulic model was developed to simulate how climate change, land use and LID scenarios may affect runoff response in the Bowker Creek watershed, a 10km2 urbanized catchment located in the area of greater Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. The first part of the study examined flood impacts for the 2050s (2040-2069) following the A2 emissions scenario. For the 24-hour, 25-year local design storm, results show that projected changes in rainfall intensity may increase flood extents by 21% to 50%. When combined with continued urbanization flood extents may increase by 50% to 72%. The second part of the study identified potential locations for three LID treatments (green roofs, rain gardens and top soil amendments) and simulated their effect on peak in-stream flow rates and flood volumes. Results indicate that full implementation of modeled LID treatments can alleviate the additional flooding that is associated with the median climate change projection for the 5-year, 10-year and 25-year rainfall events. For the projected 100-year event, the volume of overland flood flows is expected to increase by 1%. This compares favourably to the estimated 29% increase without LID. In term of individual performance, rain gardens had the greatest hydrologic effect during more frequent rainfall events; green roofs had minimal effect on runoff for all modelled events; and top soil amendments had the greatest effect during the heaviest rainfall events. The cumulative performance of LID practices depends on several variables including design specifications, level of implementation, location and site conditions. Antecedent soil moisture has a considerable influence on LID performance. The dynamic nature of soil moisture means that at times LID could meet the mitigation target and at other times it may only partially satisfy it. Future research should run continuous simulations using an appropriately long rainfall record to establish the probabilities of meeting performance requirements. In general, simulations suggest that if future heavy rainfall events follow the median climate change projection, then LID can be used to maintain or reduce flood hazard for rainfall events up to the 25-year return period. This study demonstrates that in a smaller urban watershed, LID can play an important role in reducing the flood impacts associated with climate change. / Graduate