Les composés à transition de spin forment une classe spécifique de matériaux pour lesquels la commutation de l’état de spin du centre métallique peut être pilotée par divers stimuli (T, P, irradiation lumineuse, …) et s’accompagne de changements remarquables des propriétés physiques (magnétiques, optiques, structurales ou encore vibrationnelles). Ils se distinguent des autres matériaux commutables par l’observation, pour un certain nombre d’entre eux, de processus coopératifs à l’état solide, donnant lieu à l’ouverture d’une hystérèse thermique (bistabilité) particulièrement intéressante pour le stockage de l’information. Un des challenges technologiques actuels est de réduire la taille des matériaux susceptibles d’application et de les mettre en forme au sein de dispositifs sans altérer pour autant leurs propriétés. Les objectifs de la thèse ont été d’élaborer des micro- et nanoparticules à conversion de spin à partir de composés moléculaires présentant une transition de spin du premier ordre à l’état massif, puis d’étudier et analyser l’influence de la taille et de la matrice dispersante sur les processus de transition de spin. Après un premier chapitre introductif portant sur les matériaux à transition de spin, les méthodes de nanochimie et de mise en forme, le deuxième chapitre décrit l’élaboration de particules des composés FeII(phen)2(NCX)2 (X = S, Se) et [FeIII(3-OMeSalRen)2]PF6 (R = Me, Et). Comme la technique de précipitation rapide convient pour des composés ioniques, son application à FeII(phen)2(NCX)2 composé neutre, a nécessité la mise au point d’une synthèse indirecte de particules, basée sur l’extraction de ligand de précurseurs solubles, et le contrôle via des paramètres expérimentaux, des étapes de nucléation-croissance. De nouvelles particules de composés ioniques de Fe(III) [FeIII(3-OMeSalRen)2]PF6 (R = Me, Et) et des films minces contenant ces particules dispersées dans un polymère (PVP) ont été préparées. Les études magnétique et optique de ces films montrent que la matrice et la mise en forme modifient toujours les caractéristiques de la transition de spin des particules.La deuxième partie des travaux a été consacrée à l’étude des effets d’environnement. L’interaction entre des microparticules de Fe(phen)2(NCS)2 et des matrices vitreuses (Tg > T1/2; T1/2, étant la température de transition) peut conduire à l’ouverture d’un large cycle d’hystérésis, déplacé vers les plus basses températures. Cette zone de bistabilité a été examinée à l’aide de la méthode FORC (First-Order Reversal Curves). L’analyse a permis d’établir l’existence de composantes réversibles attribuées aux interactions élastiques à l’interface matrice/particule et au changement de volume de la particule à transition de spin.L’étude des effets de matrice et de taille a été poursuivie avec des micro- et nanocristaux de [FeIII(3-OMeSalEen2]PF6 dispersés dans des polymères ou des liquides moléculaires formant des verres à basse température. L’encapsulation dans des verres rigides de particules haut-spin (T1/2 < Tg) ou bas-spin (T1/2 > Tg) donnent lieu à des conversions de spin déplacées respectivement vers les plus basses ou plus hautes températures, éventuellement des processus coopératifs avec hystérésis. Le renforcement de la coopérativité et la bistabilité observées dans le second cas ont été interprétés comme résultant des contraintes mécaniques vis-à-vis du changement de volume BS-HS de la particule. Enfin, le changement d’état de la matrice induit par des étapes de trempe (ou recuit) en-dessous (au-dessus) de la température de transition vitreuse, a été exploité pour moduler ces effets. Dans la perspective d’une application, de nouvelles études de composites ont été engagées avec des complexes présentant une transition de spin proche de la température ambiante. Le choix de la matrice dispersante selon certains critères (nature chimique, température de transition vitreuse) a permis de retrouver certains effets. / Spin-transition compounds are a class of materials for which the spin-state switching of the metal center can be controlled by various stimuli (T, P, light irradiation,...) and produces dramatic changes of physical properties (magnetic, optical, structural or vibrational). With respect to the set of switchable materials, a number of spin-transition compounds exhibit at solid-state cooperative processes and thermal hysteresis loops (bistability), particularly suitable for information storage. One of the current technological challenges is to integrate in devices such potentially interesting materials without altering their properties. The goal of the research, recently developed by several teams, is to determine the smaller size of object in which an information can be stored, and thus to understand the effect of downsizing on cooperativity and bistability. Therefore, the objectives of the Ph-D thesis were (i) to synthesize spin-crossover nano- and microparticles from molecular materials that in the form of bulk undergo a first-order phase transition; (ii), to investigate the importance of particles size and matrix effects on the spin-transition process.After a first chapter in which the spin crossover materials are introduced, the second chapter describes the synthesis of particles of FeII(phen)2(NCX)2 (X = S, Se) and [FeIII(3-OMeSalRen)2]PF6 (R = Me, E) compounds. As the fast precipitation technique essentially suits for ionic compounds, its application to neutral ones like FeII(phen)2(NCX)2, has been made possible by an indirect syntheses based on the ligand extraction from soluble precursors and the control of nucleation and growth processes of neutral products via experimental parameters. New particles of [FeIII(3-OMeSalEen)2]PF6 and thin films containing them after their dispersion in a polymeric matrix (PVP) have been prepared. The study of these films with UV-vis and magnetic measurements has raised the issue of the impact of the polymeric matrix and processing on the spin transition properties of these particles.The second part of the manuscript focuses on the interaction between the spin-crossover particles and the dispersing medium. This interaction between microparticles of Fe(phen)2(NCS)2 and glassy matrices (Tg > T1/2, T1/2, being the transition temperature) may result in the observation of large hysteresis loops shifted towards lower temperatures. This bistability has been examined with the FORC (First-Order Reversal Curves) method, magnetic measurements and a theoretical model. This analysis has shown the existence of reversible components associated to the particles/matrix interactions and the change of volume of spin-crossover particles.In a third part, the study of matrix and size effect has been pursued with micro- and nanocrystals of [FeIII(3-OMeSalEen2]PF6 encapsulated in polymeric or molecular liquids which form glasses at sufficiently low temperature. The encapsulation in rigid glasses of high spin (T1/2 < Tg) or low spin (T1/2 > Tg) particles give rise to transitions shifted towards lower or higher temperature respectively, possibly with cooperativity and hysteresis. The reinforcement of cooperativity and the bistability observed in the second case have been accounted for by the effect of the mechanical stress exerted by the glassy matrix on the particle volume. In addition, it has been shown that a thermal treatment of matrices (quenching or annealing steps below or above the glass transition) results in the modulation of the matrix effects. Finally, in the last chapter, a few composites including compounds undergoing a spin transition close to room temperature have been shortly investigated in presence of dispersing matrices. The choice of the matrices characteristics (chemical nature, glass transition temperature) has allowed some of these effects to be observed.

<p>У раду је презентован нови хибридни алгоритам симулираног каљења (SA) и<br />мешовитог целобројног линеарног програмирања (MILP) за статичко планирање<br />радијалних дистрибутивних мрежа са дистрибутивним генераторима. Oвде је<br />развијен један нови статички алгоритам који уважава: инвестиционе трошкове,уважава<br />трошкове губитака, трошкове прекида напајања потрошача услед кварова на<br />гранама и дистрибутивним генераторима, као и трошкове губитака производње<br />дистрибутивних генератора услед кварова на гранама.<br />Проблем планирања развоја дистрибутивних мрежа је најпре моделован као<br />проблем целобројног мешовитог целобројног линеарног програмирања (MILP) са<br />циљем минимизације наведених трошкова. Да би се смањила комплексност<br />проблема планирања, предложена је декомпозиција проблема на низ мањих<br />подпроблема (локалних мрежа) које се решавају MILP моделом. Поступак SA<br />декомпозиције и решавања итератативно је вођен и контролисан са предложеним<br />алгоритмом који укључује механизам интензификације и диверзификације како<br />би се постигло крајње решење.<br />Применом алгоритма на реалним мрежама очекује се да нови хеуристичкичекује<br />алгоритам генерише квалитетније планове развоја од хеуристичких алгоритама и<br />алгоритама заснованих на вештачкој интелигенцији који су до сада развијени.<br />Решења добијена применом развијеног алгоритма ће бити упоређена са правим<br />глобалним оптимумом, и на основу тога ће се дефинисати његов квалитет.</p> / <p>U radu je prezentovan novi hibridni algoritam simuliranog kaljenja (SA) i<br />mešovitog celobrojnog linearnog programiranja (MILP) za statičko planiranje<br />radijalnih distributivnih mreža sa distributivnim generatorima. Ovde je<br />razvijen jedan novi statički algoritam koji uvažava: investicione troškove,uvažava<br />troškove gubitaka, troškove prekida napajanja potrošača usled kvarova na<br />granama i distributivnim generatorima, kao i troškove gubitaka proizvodnje<br />distributivnih generatora usled kvarova na granama.<br />Problem planiranja razvoja distributivnih mreža je najpre modelovan kao<br />problem celobrojnog mešovitog celobrojnog linearnog programiranja (MILP) sa<br />ciljem minimizacije navedenih troškova. Da bi se smanjila kompleksnost<br />problema planiranja, predložena je dekompozicija problema na niz manjih<br />podproblema (lokalnih mreža) koje se rešavaju MILP modelom. Postupak SA<br />dekompozicije i rešavanja iteratativno je vođen i kontrolisan sa predloženim<br />algoritmom koji uključuje mehanizam intenzifikacije i diverzifikacije kako<br />bi se postiglo krajnje rešenje.<br />Primenom algoritma na realnim mrežama očekuje se da novi heurističkičekuje<br />algoritam generiše kvalitetnije planove razvoja od heurističkih algoritama i<br />algoritama zasnovanih na veštačkoj inteligenciji koji su do sada razvijeni.<br />Rešenja dobijena primenom razvijenog algoritma će biti upoređena sa pravim<br />globalnim optimumom, i na osnovu toga će se definisati njegov kvalitet.</p> / <p>In this paper, we present a new hybrid algorithm of simulated annealing and mixed<br />integer linear programming for static planning radial distribution networks with<br />distribution generators. It was developed a new static algorithm that takes into<br />account: investment costs, losses, costs a power of consumers due to faults on theestment<br />branches and distribution generators, as well as the cost of loss of production of<br />distribution of generators due to faults on the branches.<br />The problem of planning the development of the distribution network is first modeled<br />as a mixed integer problem of integer linear programming with the goal of minimizing<br />those costs. To reduce the complexity of the planning problem, the proposed<br />decomposition problem in a number of smaller sub-probproblems (local network) which<br />are dealt model. The process of decomposition and solving iteratativno is managed<br />and controlled with the proposed algorithm, which includes a mechanism of<br />intensification and diversification to achieve a final solution.<br />By applying the algorithm on real networks, it is expected that new heuristic<br />algorithm generates better plans for the development of heuristic algorithms and<br />algorithms based on artificial intelligence that have been developed. Solutions<br />obtained using the developed heuristic algorithm will be compared with the real<br />global optimum, and on that basis will also define their quality.</p>

The Cold-Gas Dynamic-Spray process also known as Cold Spray (CS) has been researched for three decades. The CS process is a solid-state deposition technique via supersonic velocity of powder particles at a temperature significantly below the melting point of the spray material. This thesis presents background on the overall CS process parameters, and additional information on the microstructural and mechanical properties of typical Cold Sprayed materials.This Thesis primarily presents a study on the microstructural annealing response of CS Al 6061. It should be noted that for this study, the term “annealing” is used in the sense of the classical metallurgical definition of annealing, and not a specific temper designation for the 6061 alloy. Cross sections of CS Al 6061 were imaged with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) in secondary electron (SE), backscatter electron (BSE), and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) imaging mode for quantitative and qualitative information on the grain size and orientation of the CS microstructure. The detailed SE, BSE and EBSD mode images present the grain size and grain orientation of the original powder, as received (AR) state and after heat treating at 200°C for 1 hour, 10 hours, and 100 hours. Three different regions, characterized with distinctly differing microstructures, are labeled as low, medium, and high deformation regions, and their microstructures, and evolving features are discussed. Vickers microhardness testing are performed to examine the differences in hardness values between different heat treatments, and for correlation with the level of deformation and grain refinement in the microstructure. SEM imaging was used in BSE mode to correlate microhardness variation to the different regions within the CS microstructure.

L’imbibition est d’une importance fondamentale dans de nombreuses applications technologiques et intervient par ailleurs dans de nombreux phénomènes naturels (industrie textile, industrie pharmaceutique, érosion des sols ….). Malgré l’importance de ce phénomène, la description et la modélisation des mécanismes d’imbibition sont encore sujettes à discussion dans la littérature, en particulier, la prédiction des cinétiques d’imbibition à partir de la connaissance de la topographie du milieu poreux. L’objectif de ce travail de thèse a été de relier les cinétiques d’imbibition à la structure du milieu poreux imbibé. Pour cela, nous avons étudié l’imbibition capillaire (ou spontanée) en suivant une démarche expérimentale dans laquelle nous avons utilisé des substrats poreux modèles dont nous contrôlons le volume et la structure de pores. La configuration d’imbibition choisie dans ce travail est celle d’une goutte sessile (ou posée).Ces travaux ont permis de mettre en œuvre une technique de construction de pastilles macroscopiques, autosupportées et cohésives, par assemblage de microbilles de polymère. Ces systèmes modèles ont été utilisés pour étudier les cinétiques d’imbibition capillaire de liquides dans des supports tridimensionnels à structure de pores complexe en fonction de la taille des microbilles constituant la pastille poreuse, de la reconstruction thermique, de la perméabilité pour une structure poreuse bicouches et de la force capillaire. Ces études ont permis entre autres de mettre en évidence des régimes cinétiques et des transitions d’imbibition inattendues dans ces systèmes (régimes visqueux et inertiel). / Imbibition is of fundamental importance in many technological applications, and is also involved in many natural phenomena (textile industry, pharmaceutical industry, soil erosion ....). Despite the importance of this phenomenon, the description and modelling of imbibition mechanisms are still subject to discussion in the literature, in particular, the prediction of the kinetics of imbibition from the knowledge of the morphology of the porous medium.The aim of this thesis was to relate the imbibition kinetics with the structure of a model porous medium. For this, we studied the capillary imbibition (or spontaneous) following an experimental approach in which we used a model porous substrate with both a controlled porous volume and pore structure. The experimental configuration for studying this imbibition was that of a sessile drop. In this work we developed a technique for the fabrication of self-supported and cohesive macroscopic pellets of polymer microbeads. These model porous systems have been characterized for their internal structure and used to study the capillary imbibition kinetics as a function of i) the size of the microbeads, ii) the temperature of the thermal annealing, iii) the permeability in the case of bilayered porous structures and iv) the capillary force (concentration of ethanol in water, nature of the liquid). This approach allowed observing and discussing unexpected imbibition regimes and transitions (inertial and viscous regimes).

Les travaux présentés dans ce manuscrit traitent des mécanismes de croissance associés au dépôt de nanofils d’oxyde de zinc (ZnO) en bain chimique. Cette technique de croissance, attractive de par sa facilité de mise en œuvre et son coût limité, consiste à immerger un substrat dans une solution de précurseurs portée à basse température (typiquement 90°) pendant quelques heures. Le dépôt préalable d’une fine couche de ZnO fortement texturée est nécessaire à l’obtention de la morphologie nanofils et il est donc nécessaire de maîtriser le processus de croissance associé. Dans un souci de cohérence, la méthode sol-gel dite de trempage consistant à immerger le substrat dans une solution de précurseurs avant de recuire la couche ainsi déposée est ici adoptée. Le ZnO, sous sa morphologie nanofils, est actuellement fortement étudié du fait de son fort potentiel applicatif. Typiquement, il peut être utilisé en tant que brique de basse dans la réalisation de cellules solaires de types Grätzel ou à absorbeur extrêmement fin. Dans ce contexte, il est nécessaire que les nanostructures élaborées présentent des propriétés physiques attractives et ces dernières doivent donc être finement caractérisées. Dans un premier temps, l’influence des paramètres expérimentaux associés au processus de trempage sur les propriétés morphologiques et structurales de films minces de ZnO déposés via ce processus est quantifiée. Il est montré à cette occasion que dans des conditions extrêmes de recuits, les couches évoluent vers une morphologie de type fil. Fort des conclusions obtenues, les mécanismes régissant la croissance de nanofils de ZnO en bain chimique, et plus particulièrement l’influence de la surface de nucléation sur ces derniers, sont étudiés. La possibilité d’obtenir des nanofils localisés et parfaitement alignés à travers la réalisation de masques est démontrée. L’ensemble des nanostructures élaborées (couches et nanofils) sont caractérisées par photoluminescence afin de pouvoir estimer leur qualité structurelle et d’étudier les défauts en présence. Pour finir, une étude plus fondamentale consistant à suivre in situ l’évolution des nanofils au cours de la croissance par rayonnement synchrotron est proposée avec une attention toute particulière aux phénomènes de polarité. / ZnO nanowires are of strong interest in the realization of solar cells based on type-II band alignment. They can be grown by chemical bath deposition, a technique in which the substrate is seeded with ZnO nanoparticles by dip-coating and then placed in a precursor solution heated at 90°C for a couple of hours. In this document, we will discuss the nucleation and growth mechanisms associated with this low cost technique. In particular, we will see how the seed layer morphology can drive the one of the nanowires. Also, advanced characterization by photoluminescence and synchrotron radiation will be performed on the grown nanostructures.

<p>Mechanical property and thermal stability of Zr-Si-N films of varying silicon contents deposited on Al₂O₃ (0001) substrates are characterized. All films provided for characterization were deposited by reactive DC magnetron sputter deposition technique from elemental Zr and Si targets in a N₂/Ar plasma at 800 ^oC. The hardness and microstructures of the as deposited films and post-annealed films up to 1100 ^oC are evaluated by means of nanoindentation, X-ray diffractometry and transmission electron microscopy. The Zr-Si-N films with 9.4 at.% Si exhibit hardness as high as 34 GPa and a strong (002) texture within which vertically elongated ZrN crystallites are embedded in a Si₃N₄ matrix. The hardness of these two dimensional nanocomposite films remains stable up to 1000 ^oC annealing temperatures which is in contrast to ZrN films where hardness degradation occurs already above 800 ^oC. The enhanced thermal stability is attributed to the presence of Si₃N₄ grain boundaries which act as efficient barriers to hinder the oxygen diffusion. X-ray amorphous or nanocrystalline structures are observed in Zr-Si-N films with silicon contents > 13.4 at.%. After the annealing treatments, crystalline phases such as ZrSi₂, ZrO₂ and Zr₂O are formed above 1000 ^oC in the Si-containing films while only zirconia crystallites are observed at 800 ^oC in pure ZrN films because oxygen acts as artifacts in the vacuum furnace. The structural, compositional and hardness comparison of as-deposited and annealed films reveal that the addition of silicon enhances the thermal stability compared to pure ZrN films and the hardness degradation stems from the formation of oxides at elevated temperatures.</p>

<p>The objective of the thesis research is to design such vertical handoff decision algorithms in order for mobile field workers and other mobile users equipped with contemporary multimode mobile devices to communicate seamlessly in the NGWN. In order to tackle this research objective, we used fuzzy logic and fuzzy inference systems to design a suitable handoff initiation algorithm that can handle imprecision and uncertainties in data and process multiple vertical handoff initiation parameters (criteria) / used the fuzzy multiple attributes decision making method and context awareness to design a suitable access network selection function that can handle a tradeoff among many handoff metrics including quality of service requirements (such as network conditions and system performance), mobile terminal conditions, power requirements, application types, user preferences, and a price model / used genetic algorithms and simulated annealing to optimise the access network selection function in order to dynamically select the optimal available access network for handoff / and we focused in particular on an interesting use case: vertical handoff decision between mobile WiMAX and UMTS access networks. The implementation of our handoff decision algorithm will provide a network selection mechanism to help mobile users select the best wireless access network among all available wireless access networks, that is, one that provides always best connected services to users.</p>

This thesis focuses on transport properties and durability of liquid crystalline polymers (LCP)and fibre reinforced plastics (FRP) with regard to application in industrial process equipment.In the first part of the study the possibility of using a thermotropic LCP of type Vectra A950as lining material for FRP process equipment was investigated. Its performance wascompared to that of a fluorinated ethylene propylene copolymer (FEP) with respect tochemical and permeation resistance. Transport property and chemical resistance data wereestablished for different types of LCP film (compression molded, uniaxially and biaxiallyoriented film) exposed to selected chemicals chosen to represent typical industrial processenvironments. Annealing of the LCP, which may reduce the disclination density and henceimprove the barrier properties, induced a crystallinity increase, but did not significantlyimprove the barrier and chemical resistance properties. Different surface treatments toincrease the bonding between the LCP and FRP were explored. The conclusion was that LCPhas potential to serve as lining material for FRP in contact with water, organic solvents andnon-oxidizing acid environments, although certain issues, such as jointing techniques, stillhave to be evaluated. The second part of the study focused on transport and long-termproperties of commercial thermoset and FRP materials for industrial process equipment inaqueous environments (50 – 95 °C, water activity 0.78 – 1, exposure time ≤ 1000 days). Thewater transport properties in different thermosets were related to their chemical structureusing the solubility parameter concept. The transport of water in the thermosets with differentchemical structures could be predicted from the water activity, regardless of the actual type ofionic or non-ionic solute in the solution. An empirical relationship, independent of boththermoset chemistry and temperature, was established to describe the water concentration inthe thermoset as a function of water activity and the water concentration in pure water. Inlong-term, the water concentration in the thermosets increased with exposure time. Thisseemed to be primarily related to stress relaxation processes induced by water absorption andcertain leaching effects. The effects of hydrolysis seemed to be small. The glass fibrereinforcement may to various extents affect the water transport properties by capillarydiffusion and additional absorption around fibre bundles. The extent of such processesseemed to depend on temperature, water activity and the type of thermoset and reinforcement.The present work may be a useful contribution to an increased understanding of water effectsand durability of FRP process equipment. However, open questions still remain for a morecomprehensive durability analysis. / QC20100629

Esta tesis aborda el problema del diseño de sistemas multiantena, donde el caso más general corresponde a un canal multi-input-multi-output (MIMO) con un transmisor y un receptor con más de una antena. La ventaja de estos sistemas es que ofrecen un rendimiento mucho mejor que los de una única antena, tanto en términos de calidad en la transmisión como en capacidad entendida como número de usuarios a los que se les puede prestar servicio simultáneamente.El objetivo es diseñar conjuntamente el transmisor y el receptor, lo que depende directamente de la calidad y la cantidad de información del canal de la que se dispone. En esta tesis se analiza el impacto de dicha información en el diseño.Primero se ha estudiado un sistema MIMO de un único usuario usando la modulación orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) y asumiendo un conocimiento perfecto del canal en ambos extremos. La arquitectura propuesta se basa en conformación conjunta por portadora, calculándose los conformadores óptimos y proponiéndose diversas estrategias de distribución de potencia entre las portadoras con una baja complejidad. Se han analizado también las relaciones asintóticas de estas distribuciones de potencia con otras soluciones clásicas con mayor coste.El diseño anterior se ha extendido a sistemas MIMO multiusuario, donde todos los terminales en el escenario tienen más de una antena y la información del canal es perfecta. El objetivo es la minimización de la potencia total transmitida sujeto a restricciones de tasa de error máxima para cada enlace. El problema matemático obtenido es no convexo, por lo que estrategias clásicas basadas en algoritmos de gradiente o de optimización sucesiva pueden llevar a soluciones subóptimas. Como posible alternativa se ha propuesto la aplicación de simulated annealing, una potente herramienta heurística y estocástica que permite hallar el diseño global óptimo incluso cuando el problema es no convexo.Los errores en la información de canal disponible pueden empeorar el rendimiento del sistema si éstos no se tienen en cuenta explícitamente durante el diseño. La degradación del sistema MIMO-OFDM de un único usuario se ha estudiado en esta situación, obteniendo una expresión analítica de una cota superior de la máxima degradación relativa de la relación señal a ruido más interferencia.El rendimiento se puede mejorar usando técnicas robustas que tengan en cuenta la presencia de dichos errores. Existen dos aproximaciones clásicas: las Bayesianas y las maximin. En las soluciones Bayesianas el problema se formula estadísticamente, donde el objetivo es optimizar el valor medio de una función de rendimiento promediada sobre la estadística del canal real condicionado a su estimación. Por otro lado, los diseños maximin se caracterizan por optimizar el peor rendimiento para cualquier posible error en la información del canal dentro de una cierta región de incertidumbre que modela el conocimiento imperfecto del mismo.Se han mostrado dos ejemplos de diseños Bayesianos. Primero, una distribución de potencia en un sistema OFDM de una única antena que minimiza el valor medio de una cota superior de la tasa de error, y después un diseño de un transmisor multiantena con un banco de filtros que maximiza la relación señal a ruido media (SNR) o minimiza el error cuadrático medio.Finalmente, se ha obtenido el diseño robusto maximin de un sistema MIMO de un único usuario donde en el transmisor se combinan un código bloque ortogonal espacio-tiempo, una distribución de potencia y un banco de conformadores correspondientes a los modos espaciales del canal estimado. La distribución de potencia se ha diseñado acorde a una región de incertidumbre para el error en la estimación de canal de manera que se maximiza la peor SNR en dicha región. Posteriormente, este diseño se ha extendido al caso de modulaciones adaptativas y multiportadora, mostrando que el rendimiento es mejor que para los códigos bloque otrogonales y la conformación no robusta. / This Ph.D. dissertation addresses the design of multi-antenna systems, where the most general case corresponds to a transmitter and a receiver with more than one antenna, i.e., a multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) channel. The main advantage is that they can provide a much better performance than single-antenna systems, both in terms of transmission quality and system capacity, i.e., number of users that can be served simultaneously.The objective is to carry out a joint transmitter-receiver design, which depends directly on the quantity and the quality of the available channel state information (CSI). In this dissertation, the impact of the CSI on the design has been analyzed.First, a single-user MIMO communication system has been designed assuming the use of the orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) modulation and according to a perfect CSI at both sides. The proposed architecture is based on a joint beamforming approach per carrier. The optimum beamvectors have been calculated and several power allocation strategies among the subcarriers have been derived. These power allocation solutions have been shown to be asymptotically related to other classical designs but with a much lower computational load.The previous design has been extended to multi-user communications, where the multi-antenna terminals in the scenario have a perfect CSI. The objective is the minimization of the total transmit power subject to maximum bit error rate (BER) constraints for each link. The mathematical optimization problem is non-convex and, therefore, classical solutions based on gradient search or alternate & maximize schemes may find a local suboptimum design. As a possible solution, the application of the simulated annealing technique has been proposed, a powerful stochastic optimization tool able to find the global optimum design even when the problem is non-convex.The errors in the available CSI may decrease importantly the system performance if they are not taken into account explicitly in the design. This degradation has been studied for the single-user MIMO-OFDM system. An analytical expression of an upper-bound on the maximum relative signal to noise plus interference ratio degradation has been found.The system performance can be improved when exploiting an imperfect CSI by using adequate robustness strategies. Two robust approaches have been proposed: the Bayesian and the maximin solutions. The Bayesian approach is a full statistical solution that optimizes the mean value of the performance function averaged over the statistics of the actual channel and the errors in the CSI. On the other hand, the maximin approach provides a design that optimizes the worst system performance for any possible error in a predefined uncertainty region.Two simple examples of Bayesian designs have been provided. First, a power allocation has been derived for an OFDM system with one transmit and one receive antenna minimizing the mean value of an upper-bound on the BER. Afterwards, a design of a multi-antenna transmitter with a bank of filters and a single-antenna receiver has been proposed, whose objective is either the maximization of the mean signal to noise ratio (SNR) or the minimization of the mean square error.Finally, a robust maximin design has been proposed for a single-user MIMO system, in which the transmitter is based on the combination of an orthogonal space time block code (OSTBC), a power allocation stage, and a set of beamformers coupling the transmission through the estimated channel eigenmodes. The power allocation has been found according to a channel estimate and an uncertainty region for the error in this estimate, so that the worst SNR for any error in the uncertainty region is maximized. This design has been then extended and applied to adaptive modulation schemes and multicarrier modulations, showing that the performance is much better than that achieved by a pure OSTBC solution or a non-robust beamforming scheme.

Image segmentation is a critical step in building a computer vision algorithm that is able to distinguish between separate objects in an image scene. Image segmentation is based on two fundamentally intertwined components: pixel comparison and pixel grouping. In the pixel comparison step, pixels are determined to be similar or different from each other. In pixel grouping, those pixels which are similar are grouped together to form meaningful regions which can later be processed. This thesis makes original contributions to both of those areas. First, given a Markov Random Field framework, a Stochastic Nested Aggregation (SNA) framework for pixel and region grouping is presented and thoroughly analyzed using a Potts model. This framework is applicable in general to graph partitioning and discrete estimation problems where pairwise energy models are used. Nested aggregation reduces the computational complexity of stochastic algorithms such as Simulated Annealing to order O(N) while at the same time allowing local deterministic approaches such as Iterated Conditional Modes to escape most local minima in order to become a global deterministic optimization method. SNA is further enhanced by the introduction of a Graduated Models strategy which allows an optimization algorithm to converge to the model via several intermediary models. A well-known special case of Graduated Models is the Highest Confidence First algorithm which merges pixels or regions that give the highest global energy decrease. Finally, SNA allows us to use different models at different levels of coarseness. For coarser levels, a mean-based Potts model is introduced in order to compute region-to-region gradients based on the region mean and not edge gradients. Second, we develop a probabilistic framework based on hypothesis testing in order to achieve color constancy in image segmentation. We develop three new shading invariant semi-metrics based on the Dichromatic Reflection Model. An RGB image is transformed into an R'G'B' highlight invariant space to remove any highlight components, and only the component representing color hue is preserved to remove shading effects. This transformation is applied successfully to one of the proposed distance measures. The probabilistic semi-metrics show similar performance to vector angle on images without saturated highlight pixels; however, for saturated regions, as well as very low intensity pixels, the probabilistic distance measures outperform vector angle. Third, for interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar image processing we apply the Potts model using SNA to the phase unwrapping problem. We devise a new distance measure for identifying phase discontinuities based on the minimum coherence of two adjacent pixels and their phase difference. As a comparison we use the probabilistic cost function of Carballo as a distance measure for our experiments.