This paper presents the early-stage simulation results of linear dark field control (LDFC) as a new approach to maintaining a stable dark hole within a stellar post-coronagraphic PSF. In practice, conventional speckle nulling is used to create a dark hole in the PSF, and LDFC is then employed to maintain the dark field by using information from the bright speckle field. The concept exploits the linear response of the bright speckle intensity to wavefront variations in the pupil, and therefore has many advantages over conventional speckle nulling as a method for stabilizing the dark hole. In theory, LDFC is faster, more sensitive, and more robust than using conventional speckle nulling techniques, like electric field conjugation, to maintain the dark hole. In this paper, LDFC theory, linear bright speckle characterization, and first results in simulation are presented as an initial step toward the deployment of LDFC on the UA Wavefront Control testbed in the coming year.

Content on CD can be found with print thesis held at Turitea library, Palmerston North. Content: Chapter 8 Appendix 8.1. PLC Code 8.2. Mean-Shift Code 8.3. Webcam Interface HTML Code 8.4. PIC18F4520 / In the rapid development of flexible automation and the broad application of computer technology, industrial monitor software has played an integral role in all kinds of industrial areas. It allows operators to monitor and control a plant in real-time with feedback from any number of processes. Traditionally industrial monitor software exhibits low efficiency, lack of reliability, non-reconfigurable and does not support multi-communication protocols, as is required for the exchange of data from outside of the factory. (Fan, 2006) Configuration software is basically type of the industrial automation and process monitor and control application. It supports Human Machine Interface (HMI), Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system, realizes interlink between low level device and upper management network. Nowadays, with the advent of Configuration Software, engineers can readily construct field control systems with minimal developmental time and cost while allowing the combination of a plethora of user requests and control. The primary objective of this thesis is to develop a web base application with surveillance ability to realize remote control of an ABB IRB 340 Flexpicker robot through Siemens Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) system. The communication between the application and robot system is to be built using configuration software to link a number of third party devices through the inclusion of OLE for Process Control (OPC) techniques, graphical design editors, web navigators, and tag management. The thesis also introduces a vision system with trig-board design for object recognition and tracking.

As a solution to mid-air haptic actuation with strong and continuous tactile force, Magnetic Rendering is presented as an intuitive haptic display method applying an electromagnet array to produce a magnetic field in mid-air where the force field can be felt as magnetic repulsive force exerted on the hand through the attached magnet discs. The magnetic field is generated by a specifically designed electromagnet array driven by direct current. By attaching small magnet discs on the hand, the tactile sensation can be perceived by the user. This method can provide a strong tactile force on multiple points covering user’s hand and avoid cumbersome attachments with wires, thus it is suitable for a co-located visual and haptic display. In my work, the detailed design of the electromagnet array for haptic rendering purposes is introduced, which is modelled and tested using Finite Element Method simulations. The model is characterized mathematically, and three methods for controlling the magnetic field are applied accordingly: direct control, system identification and adaptive control. The performance of the simulated model is evaluated in terms of magnetic field distribution, force strength, operation distance and force stiffness. The control algorithms are implemented and tested on a 3-by-3 and a 15-by-15 model, respectively. Simulations are performed on a 15-by-15 model to generate a haptic human face, which results in a smooth force field and accurate force exertion on the control points.

I nuläget används XLPE högspänningskablar vid överföring och distribution av elkraft och har en viktig roll i elsystemet. Kraftöverföring som sker över långa sträckor kopplas vidare från en punkt till en annan och sker med hjälp av kabelavslutningar. Dessa kabelavslutningar har en del sårbarheter ”felfunktion i kabelavslut” som påverkar hela elkraftsystemet. En analys och simulering av fältfördelning i kabelavslut genomfördes genom en teoretisk-respektive praktisk del i rapporten. Den teoretiska delen av rapporten genomfördes med hjälp av FEM programmet Comsol Multiphysics. Resultaten visade att den högsta fältkoncentrationen uppstår vid isolationen av kabeln och orsakade felfunktion och sårbarheter. Vid det linjära fallet för den elektriska delen resulterade en hög permittivitet till att potentialen och det elektriska fältet minskades vilket var densamma med låg konduktivitet. För det olinjära materialet ändrade sig konduktiviteten med elektriska fältet och tiden. Temperaturen vid det linjära fallet visade att vid en hög temperatur blev materialet mer ledande och gav ett högt elektriskt fält i halvledaren. I det olinjära fallet minskades materialets ledande. Detta kunde regleras med olika tröskelvärde (Eb) vilket inte kan i det linjära fallet. Den praktiska delen genomfördes i E.ON:s laboratorium för olika typer av kabelavslutningar som testades med 33 kV. Vissa av de provade kabelavslutningarna användes för  provningssyfte och andra plockades ur drift på grund av felfunktion i kabeln. Ett försök för att kontrollera fältkoncentrationen genomfördes i laboratorium och resulterade till en reducerad fältfördelning i kabelavslutning. Resultatet av den praktiska delen visade hur fältkoncentrationen fördelades i kabelavslutning och att fältfördelning ledde till sammanbrott i kabeln. / Nowadays XLPE high voltage cables are used in transmission and distribution of electrical power and has an important role in the electrical system. Power transmission that occurs over long distances is diverted from one point to another and is done with the help of cable terminations. These cable terminations have some vulnerabilities that affect the entire power system. The theoretical part of the report was carried out with the help of FEM software Comsol Multiphysics. Results showed that the highest field concentration occurs at the insulation of the cable and caused malfunction and vulnerabilities. In the linear case for the electrical part resulted a high permittivity that the potential and the electric field was reduced, which showed the same result for low conductivity. For the nonlinear material the conductivity changes with the electric field and time. The temperature of the linear case showed that at high temperatures the material became more conductive. In the nonlinear case the conductive material was reduced. This could be controlled with different threshold value (Eb) which cannot in the linear case. The practical part was done in E.ON:s laboratory for different type of cable terminations that were tested with 33kV. Some of the tested cable terminations were used for testing purposes and was picked out of operation because of a malfunction in the cable. An attempt to control field concentration was carried out in the laboratory and resulted to a reduced field  istribution in the cable termination. The result of the practical part showed how the field concentration was distributed in the cable termination and that the field distribution led to the collapse of the cable. / <p>QC 20160718</p>

In this dissertation, a design approach for medium voltage (MV) PCB-based components, such as the dc bus, is detailed. Key considerations, including electric field (E-field) grading near power terminals and PCB edges, cable feedthroughs, and the integration of components, are explored from the perspective of E-field management. A design example of a 3-level dc bus for a 6 kV-1 MW Power Electronics Building Block (PEBB) is presented. This PEBB was assembled using an array of low-voltage (LV) capacitors to create 3 kV PCB-based capacitor daughtercards, applying the same design principles as the dc bus. The scalability of this design approach is demonstrated with a 9-level dc bus rated for 24 kV. The insulation quality and MV performance of all PCBs have been assessed through partial discharge (PD) analysis using an Omicron MPD 600. The high-voltage (HV) design approach takes into account the mitigation of peak electric field intensity to minimize insulation degradation caused by electrical stress. In addition to electrical stress, the current carrying capacity (CCC) of these printed circuit boards (PCBs) was assessed concerning steady-state thermal performance and short-circuit (SC) robustness. Multiple configurations were examined to determine the current density, with the aim of reducing temperature. The insulation performance following repetitive fault events was monitored. Although the Partial Discharge Inception Voltage (PDIV) reduced by 50% after 140 SC faults, it remained higher than the operational voltage. This demonstrates the feasibility of utilizing HV PCBs in practical applications. Finally, the insulation performance of a complete 6 kV PEBB assembly was assessed. The PEBB was assembled component by component, with a focus on tracking the PDIV at each stage. This approach allowed for the qualification of the PEBB for use in a 24 kV PEBB-based converter with a common mode (CM) PDIV of 33.2 kV. Subsequently, multiple PEBBs underwent testing to simulate their operation within a 24 kV converter configuration, ensuring dependable performance when assembled. Custom support structures were also designed and tested to accommodate the 24 kV PCB bus and dc-link capacitors, serving as interconnections between multiple phase legs and the external voltage source. / Doctor of Philosophy / Power electronic converters are used in many applications ranging from low power to high. Some applications include cellphone chargers, electric vehicle chargers, and even power distribution systems on land and sea. The electronics devices that are at the heart of these converters are rapidly advancing. Newer devices are being fabricated using so-called wide bandgap (WBG) materials such as silicon carbide as opposed to their older silicon counterparts. These WBG devices allow power converters to shrink in size due to their enhanced performance. As these device technologies evolve, the need to completely redesign systems to fully leverage their benefit arise. In this dissertation, the work centers around computer based simulations, coupled with hardware experiments, to design custom components that will allow engineers to significantly reduce the size and weight of medium voltage (MV) power electronic converters while also increasing their power. The printed circuit board (PCB) is a standard component used in every day electronics. They are used to host electronic components while creating precise electrical connections between them. Although these are very useful in circuits operating at lower voltages, their use has not been widely explored for applications requiring higher voltage such those as where these advancing WBG devices would provide the most benefit. A design method is introduced which allows these boards to be used at relatively high voltage (HV). The robustness of these HV PCBs were evaluated to ensure the feasibility of their continued use after multiple fault events. The size of power converter can be largely affected by the cooling system. Although the WBG devices can withstand higher temperature operation, the temperature of the device can still be a limiting factor. It is preferred to extract heat from the devices, allowing them to process more power. A standard component of cooling systems using forced air is the heatsink. The standard heatsink has corners that create sharp corners which are not ideal in high voltage systems; spacing between components must be increases to mitigate the effects caused by these sharp corners. Computer simulations were used to aid in the design of a heatsink profile which eliminates these sharp corners and was shown to reduce the clearance between cooling system components by up to 50%. Each component was individually designed and tested to ensure its reliable operation. However, it's crucial to verify their performance when assembled with other components. In addition to designing components for high voltage operation, the insulation system for a complete converter assembly was evaluated. Once a full converter was successfully qualified, a similar approach was taken to evaluate multiple converters when assembled together, much like building blocks, to construct even larger converters. This rigorous testing and assembly process ensures the reliable operation of the entire system.

L'objectif de ce travail de thèse est la conception d'un système de haut-parleurs transportable, capable de générer un champ sonore prédéfini et focalisé avec un contraste spatial élevé. Ce système doit permettre à terme d'effectuer différents types d'études, par exemple des essais de transparence acoustique ou encore des essais vibratoires en conditions non-anéchoïques. La minimisation du nombre de canaux à piloter ainsi que du nombre des transducteurs est l'un des enjeux principaux du travail. Le choix du nombre de sources et la sélection de leurs positions optimales afin de générer un champ acoustique cible n'a pas de solution triviale. Pour répondre à cette question, la méthode proposée se base sur la décomposition du rayonnement d’une source en série de fonctions orthogonales indépendantes (les"modes de rayonnement"), construits numériquement via une décomposition en valeurs singulières de la matrice d'impédance. En filtrant les termes évanescents, le champ lointain peut être reconstruit à l'aide d'un faible nombre de termes. De plus, la méthode permet d'estimer une distribution de débit efficace pour générer le champ cible. La méthode proposée étant relativement peu étudiée dans la littérature, la première partie de la thèse a été consacrée au problème de la validation expérimentale de la méthode directe et à l'étude des principaux paramètres en influençant le résultat. La problématique du positionnement des sources permettant de synthétiser un champ sonore prédéfini et focalisé est abordée dans la deuxième partie du travail. / The goal of this thesis is the design of a transportable speaker system, able to generate a predefined and focused sound field with a high spatial contrast. This system has eventually to allow carrying out different types of studies, for example acoustic transmission loss tests or vibration tests in non-anechoic conditions. The minimization of the number of driven channels and the number of transducers is one of the main goals of the work. The choice of the number of sources and the selection of their optimal positions in order to generate a target acoustic field has no trivial solution. To answer this question, the proposed method is based on the decomposition of the source radiation into a series of independent orthogonal functions (the "radiation modes"), constructed numerically via a singular value decomposition of the impedance matrix. By filtering the evanescent terms, the far field can be reconstructed using a small number of terms. In addition, the method allows the estimation of an efficient flow distribution to generate the target field. With the proposed method having been scarcely studied in the literature, the first part of the thesis is devoted to the problem of the experimental validation of the direct method and the study of the main parameters that are influencing the result. The problem of sources positioning in order to synthesize a predefined and focused sound field is discussed in the second part of the thesis.

Le travail présenté dans cette thèse a pour objectif d'apporter une contribution aux méthodes de commande et d'observation des machines asynchrones destinées à la traction électrique. Dans ce contexte, plusieurs algorithmes ont été développés et implémentés. Après une présentation rapide de la commande vectorielle classique, de nouvelles approches de commande non linéaire sont proposées : il s'agit plus précisément de la commande backstepping classique et sa variante avec action intégrale. Une deuxième partie est consacrée à l'observation et à l'estimation des paramètres et des états de la machine, basée sur des structures MRAS-modes glissants d'une part et sur des structures de filtrage synchrone d'autre part. Une analyse détaillée du problème de fonctionnement à basse vitesse nous a conduit à proposer une solution originale dans le cadre d'une commande sans capteur mécanique. Le problème de la dégradation du couple en survitesse a été traité par un algorithme de défluxage basé sur la conception d'un contrôleur de tension. Enfin, nous avons proposé un algorithme d'optimisation afin de minimiser les pertes dans l'ensemble Onduleur-Machine / The work presented in this thesis aims to contribute to the control and observation of the induction machines for electric traction. Several algorithms have been developed and implemented. After a fast presentation of the classical vector control, new approaches of non-linear control are proposed : the classical backstepping and integral backstepping. A second part deals with the observation and the estimation of parameters and states of the machine, based on MRAS-Sliding Mode structures on one hand and on synchronous filtering structures on the other hand. A detailed analysis of the operation at low speed led us to propose an original solution for a Sensorless control. The torque degradation in field weakening zone was treated by a voltage regulation controller. Finally, we proposed losses minimization algorithm for the Inverter-Machine set

The work presented in this thesis encompasses the design, development, realization and testing of novel magnetoelectric thin film elements that do not rely on ferromagnets, but are based entirely on magnetoelectric antiferromagnets such as Cr2O3. Thin film spintronic elements, and in particular magnetoelectric transducers, are crucial building blocks of high efficiency data processing schemes that could complement conventional electronic data processing in the future. Recent developments in magnetoelectrics have revealed, that exchange biased systems are ill-suited to electric field induced switching of magnetization due to the strong coupling of their ferromagnetic layer to magnetic fields. Therefore, ferromagnet-free magnetoelectric elements are proposed here in an effort to mitigate the practical problems associated with existing exchange biased magnetoelectric elements. This goal is achieved by establishing an all-electric read-out method for the antiferromagnetic order parameter of thin films, which allows to omit the ferromagnet from conventional exchange biased magnetoelectric elements. The resulting ferromagnet-free magnetoelectric elements show greatly reduced writing thresholds, enabled operation at room temperature and do not require a pulsed magnetic field, all of which is in contrast to state-of-the-art exchange biased magnetoelectric systems. The novel all-electric read-out method of the magnetic field-invariant magnetization of antiferromagnets, so-called spinning-current anomalous Hall magnetometry, can be widely employed in other areas of thin film magnetism. Its high precision and its sensitivity to previously invisible phenomena make it a promising tool for various aspects of thin solid films. Based on this technique, a deep understanding could be generated as to what physical mechanisms drive the antiferromagnetic ordering in thin films of magnetoelectric antiferromagnets. As spinning-current anomalous Hall magnetometry is an integral probe of the magnetic properties in thin films, it offers no intrinsic scale sensitivity. In order to harness its great precision for scale related information, a statistical framework was developed, which links macroscopic measurements with microscopic properties such as the antiferromagnetic domain size.

The work presented in this thesis encompasses the design, development, realization and testing of novel magnetoelectric thin film elements that do not rely on ferromagnets, but are based entirely on magnetoelectric antiferromagnets such as Cr2O3. Thin film spintronic elements, and in particular magnetoelectric transducers, are crucial building blocks of high efficiency data processing schemes that could complement conventional electronic data processing in the future. Recent developments in magnetoelectrics have revealed, that exchange biased systems are ill-suited to electric field induced switching of magnetization due to the strong coupling of their ferromagnetic layer to magnetic fields. Therefore, ferromagnet-free magnetoelectric elements are proposed here in an effort to mitigate the practical problems associated with existing exchange biased magnetoelectric elements. This goal is achieved by establishing an all-electric read-out method for the antiferromagnetic order parameter of thin films, which allows to omit the ferromagnet from conventional exchange biased magnetoelectric elements. The resulting ferromagnet-free magnetoelectric elements show greatly reduced writing thresholds, enabled operation at room temperature and do not require a pulsed magnetic field, all of which is in contrast to state-of-the-art exchange biased magnetoelectric systems. The novel all-electric read-out method of the magnetic field-invariant magnetization of antiferromagnets, so-called spinning-current anomalous Hall magnetometry, can be widely employed in other areas of thin film magnetism. Its high precision and its sensitivity to previously invisible phenomena make it a promising tool for various aspects of thin solid films. Based on this technique, a deep understanding could be generated as to what physical mechanisms drive the antiferromagnetic ordering in thin films of magnetoelectric antiferromagnets. As spinning-current anomalous Hall magnetometry is an integral probe of the magnetic properties in thin films, it offers no intrinsic scale sensitivity. In order to harness its great precision for scale related information, a statistical framework was developed, which links macroscopic measurements with microscopic properties such as the antiferromagnetic domain size.:TABLE OF CONTENTS Abbreviations 9 1 Introduction 11 1.1 Motivation 11 1.2 Objectives 12 1.3 Organization of the thesis 13 2 Background 15 2.1 History of magnetoelectric coupling 15 2.2 Long range magnetic ordering 16 2.2.1 Magnetic order parameter and field susceptibility 17 2.2.2 Magnetic proximity effect 19 2.2.3 Exchange bias 20 2.3 Phenomenology of magnetoelectric coupling 21 2.3.1 The linear magnetoelectric effect 21 2.3.2 Magnetoelectric pressure on the antiferromagnetic order parameter 22 2.3.3 Switching the antiferromagnetic order parameter 23 2.4 Realized magnetoelectric thin film elements 24 2.4.1 BiFeO3/CoFe system 24 2.4.2 Cr2O3/Co/Pt system 25 3 Experimental methods 27 3.1 Development of ferromagnet free magnetoelectric elements 28 3.1.1 The substrate 29 3.1.2 The Cr2O3 bulk and top surface 31 3.1.3 The V2O3 or Pt bottom electrodes 33 3.1.4 Epitaxial relationships 34 3.1.5 The Cr2O3 bottom interface 39 3.1.6 Twinning of Cr2O3 39 3.1.7 Hall crosses and patterning processes 43 3.2 Magnetotransport measurements 44 3.2.1 Hall effects 45 3.2.2 Anomalous Hall effect 46 3.2.3 Magnetoelectric writing 47 3.2.4 All electric read out 49 3.3 The experimental setup 50 3.3.1 Temperature control 50 3.3.2 Magnetic field control 51 4 Spinning-current anomalous Hall magnetometry 53 4.1 Characteristics of the technique 53 4.1.1 Operational principle 53 4.1.2 Advantages 55 4.1.3 Magnetic hysteresis loops and field-invariant magnetization 55 4.1.4 Measurement of field-invariant magnetization 56 4.1.5 Limitations 58 4.2 Application of SCAHM to Cr2O3(0001) thin films 59 4.2.1 Criticality and distribution of the antiferromagnetic phase transition 61 4.2.2 Evaluation of the magnetic proximity effect 64 4.3 SCAHM with thin metallic antiferromagnetic IrMn films 65 4.3.1 [Pt/Co]4/IrMn exchange bias system 65 4.3.2 Isolated antiferromagnetic IrMn thin films 67 5 Magnetoelectric performance 69 5.1 Magnetoelectric field cooling 69 5.2 The gate bias voltage 71 5.3 Isothermal binary magnetoelectric writing in Cr2O3 72 6 Order parameter selection in magnetoelectric antiferromagnets 77 6.1 Uncompensated magnetic moment 77 6.2 Extrinsic causes for broken sublattice equivalence 81 6.3 The V2O3 gate electrode 83 7 Measurement of microscopic properties with an integral probe 87 7.1 Interentity magnetic exchange coupling 87 7.2 Ensemble formalism for the entity size determination 90 7.3 Estimation of the entity sizes 94 7.4 Microscopic confirmation of the ensemble model 97 8 Summary and Outlook 101 8.1 Goal-related achievements 101 8.1.1 All-electric read-out of the AF order parameter 101 8.1.2 Electric field induced writing of the AF order parameter 102 8.2 Further achievements 103 8.2.1 Foreseen impact of SCAHM on thin film magnetism 103 8.2.2 Practical optimization routes of magnetoelectric Cr2O3 systems 104 8.2.3 Theoretical work 105 8.3 Future directions 105 8.3.1 Development of Cr2O3-based magnetoelectric systems 105 8.3.2 Applications of SCAHM 106 References 107 Erklärung 113 Acknowledgements 115 Curriculum Vitae 117 Scientific publications, contributions, patents 119