Le plongeur subit de nombreuses contraintes issues du milieu dans lequel il évolue. La narcose à l’azote par ses effets sur la performance cognitive en fait partie. Elle est impliquée dans de nombreux accidents de plongée sous-marine. Il est donc nécessaire de développer un outil fiable pour évaluer la performance cognitive sous l’eau de manière quantitative, reproductible et indépendante de la subjectivité du plongeur. Ensuite, après validation de cet outil (fréquence critique de fusion du scintillement - CFFF) préciser le rôle des facteurs modulateurs de la narcose en particulier celui de l’oxygène. Nos investigations sont réalisées chez des volontaires sains sélectionnés spécifiquement pour obtenir une population homogène (genre, âge, BMI, condition physique et expérience en plongée). L’analyse de la performance cérébrale est réalisée au moyen de tests psychométriques, d’échelles visuelles analogique et de la CFFF dans différentes conditions (normobarie, plongées simulées et réelles à 30 mètres de profondeur pendant 20 minutes) et avec différents gaz (air et Nitrox 40%). L’effet propre de l’oxygène est appréhendé par l’utilisation de la spectroscopie proche de l’infrarouge (NIRS).Nos mesures confirment d’une part la dégradation progressive de la performance cognitive tant par les tests psychométriques que par la CFFF avec un bon degré de corrélation (Pearson de 0,86 à 0,93) entre eux et d’autre part l’incapacité du plongeur à s’auto- évaluer. L’évolution de la performance cognitive est caractérisée par une amélioration lors de l’arrivée en profondeur d’autant plus marquée que la quantité d’oxygène dans le mélange respiré est importante, suivie par une dégradation qui persiste au moins jusqu’à 30 minutes après le retour en surface, surtout en respiration d’air. L’utilisation de l’imagerie fonctionnelle cérébrale (NIRS) permet d’associer l’amélioration des performances cognitives à une activation cérébrale dépendante de l’oxygène. L’oxygène semble donc être un élément important de la modulation des symptômes de la narcose à l’azote. De manière très cohérente avec la théorie neurochimique de la narcose nous suggérons que l’effet net sur la performance cérébrale dépend d’une balance entre les effets activateurs de l’oxygène et les effets inhibiteurs de l’azote. / During a dive subjects undergo many environmental stressors. Nitrogen narcosis through its effects on cognitive performance is one of them. Narcosis is indeed involved in many scuba diving accidents. It is therefore mandatory to develop a quantitative, reliable, reproducible tool to evaluate underwater diver’s cognitive performance. This tool should not be dependent on diver’s subjectivity. Once this tool (critical flicker fusion frequency - CFFF) is validated, we could then clarify the role of narcosis modulating factors in particular that of oxygen.Our investigations were performed in healthy volunteers specifically selected in a large group of recreational diver to obtain a standard population (gender, age, BMI, fitness and experience in diving). Cerebral performance analysis is carried out using psychometric tests, visual analogic scale and CFFF in different conditions (normobaria, simulated and open-water dives to a depth of 30 meters of fresh or salt water for 20 minutes) and with different gases (air and EANx 40%). The specific effect of oxygen is apprehended by use of near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS).On one hand, our measurements confirm the gradual deterioration of cognitive performance by both psychometric tests and CFFF, which share a good degree of correlation (Pearson from 0.86 to 0.93) and on the other hand diver’s inability to assess themselves.The evolution of cognitive performance is characterized by an improvement when arriving at depth followed by a progressive impairment that persists for at least 30 minutes after surfacing.The more oxygen in the breathing mixture, the better improvement in the early part of the dive and the less impairment in the following measurements are observed. Brain functional imaging (NIRS) allows us to pair the observed cognitive performance improvement with oxygen-dependent brain activation.It seems that Oxygen is an important modulator of the symptoms of nitrogen narcosis. In accordance with the neurochemical theory of narcosis we suggest that the net effect on cerebral performance depends on a balance between the activating effects of oxygen and the inhibitory effects of nitrogen.

O Ruído de Baixa Frequência (LFN), tais como o ruído flicker e o Random Telegraph Noise (RTN), são limitadores de performance em muitos circuitos analógicos e digitais. Para transistores diminutos, a densidade espectral de potência do ruído pode variar muitas ordens de grandeza, impondo uma séria limitação na performance do circuito e também em sua confiabilidade. Nesta tese, nós propomos um novo modelo de RTN estatístico para descrever o ruído de baixa frequência em MOSFETs. Utilizando o modelo proposto, pode-se explicar e calcular o valor esperado e a variabilidade do ruído em função das polarizações, geometrias e dos parâmetros físicos do transistor. O modelo é validado através de inúmeros resultados experimentais para dispositivos com canais tipo n e p, e para diferentes tecnologias CMOS. É demonstrado que a estatística do ruído LFN dos dispositivos de canal tipo n e p podem ser descritos através do mesmo mecanismo. Através dos nossos resultados e do nosso modelo, nós mostramos que a densidade de armadilhas dos transistores de canal tipo p é fortemente dependente do nível de Fermi, enquanto para o transistor de tipo n a densidade de armadilhas pode ser considerada constante na energia. Também é mostrado e explicado, através do nosso modelo, o impacto do implante de halo nas estatísticas do ruído. Utilizando o modelo demonstra-se porque a variabilidade, denotado por σ[log(SId)], do RTN/LFN não segue uma dependência 1/√área; e fica demonstrado que o ruído, e sua variabilidade, encontrado em nossas medidas pode ser modelado utilizando parâmetros físicos. Além disso, o modelo proposto pode ser utilizado para calcular o percentil do ruído, o qual pode ser utilizado para prever ou alcançar certo rendimento do circuito. / Low Frequency Noise (LFN) and Random Telegraph Noise (RTN) are performance limiters in many analog and digital circuits. For small area devices, the noise power spectral density can easily vary by many orders of magnitude, imposing serious threat on circuit performance and possibly reliability. In this thesis, we propose a new RTN model to describe the statistics of the low frequency noise in MOSFETs. Using the proposed model, we can explain and calculate the Expected value and Variability of the noise as function of devices’ biases, geometry and physical parameters. The model is validated through numerous experimental results for n-channel and p-channel devices from different CMOS technology nodes. We show that the LFN statistics of n-channel and p-channel MOSFETs can be described by the same mechanism. From our results and model, we show that the trap density of the p-channel device is a strongly varying function of the Fermi level, whereas for the n-channel the trap density can be considered constant. We also show and explain, using the proposed model, the impact of the halo-implanted regions on the statistics of the noise. Using this model, we clarify why the variability, denoted by σ[log(SId)], of RTN/LFN doesn't follow a 1/√area dependence; and we demonstrate that the noise, and its variability, found in our measurements can be modeled using reasonable physical quantities. Moreover, the proposed model can be used to calculate the percentile quantity of the noise, which can be used to predict or to achieve certain circuit yield.

O Ruído de Baixa Frequência (LFN), tais como o ruído flicker e o Random Telegraph Noise (RTN), são limitadores de performance em muitos circuitos analógicos e digitais. Para transistores diminutos, a densidade espectral de potência do ruído pode variar muitas ordens de grandeza, impondo uma séria limitação na performance do circuito e também em sua confiabilidade. Nesta tese, nós propomos um novo modelo de RTN estatístico para descrever o ruído de baixa frequência em MOSFETs. Utilizando o modelo proposto, pode-se explicar e calcular o valor esperado e a variabilidade do ruído em função das polarizações, geometrias e dos parâmetros físicos do transistor. O modelo é validado através de inúmeros resultados experimentais para dispositivos com canais tipo n e p, e para diferentes tecnologias CMOS. É demonstrado que a estatística do ruído LFN dos dispositivos de canal tipo n e p podem ser descritos através do mesmo mecanismo. Através dos nossos resultados e do nosso modelo, nós mostramos que a densidade de armadilhas dos transistores de canal tipo p é fortemente dependente do nível de Fermi, enquanto para o transistor de tipo n a densidade de armadilhas pode ser considerada constante na energia. Também é mostrado e explicado, através do nosso modelo, o impacto do implante de halo nas estatísticas do ruído. Utilizando o modelo demonstra-se porque a variabilidade, denotado por σ[log(SId)], do RTN/LFN não segue uma dependência 1/√área; e fica demonstrado que o ruído, e sua variabilidade, encontrado em nossas medidas pode ser modelado utilizando parâmetros físicos. Além disso, o modelo proposto pode ser utilizado para calcular o percentil do ruído, o qual pode ser utilizado para prever ou alcançar certo rendimento do circuito. / Low Frequency Noise (LFN) and Random Telegraph Noise (RTN) are performance limiters in many analog and digital circuits. For small area devices, the noise power spectral density can easily vary by many orders of magnitude, imposing serious threat on circuit performance and possibly reliability. In this thesis, we propose a new RTN model to describe the statistics of the low frequency noise in MOSFETs. Using the proposed model, we can explain and calculate the Expected value and Variability of the noise as function of devices’ biases, geometry and physical parameters. The model is validated through numerous experimental results for n-channel and p-channel devices from different CMOS technology nodes. We show that the LFN statistics of n-channel and p-channel MOSFETs can be described by the same mechanism. From our results and model, we show that the trap density of the p-channel device is a strongly varying function of the Fermi level, whereas for the n-channel the trap density can be considered constant. We also show and explain, using the proposed model, the impact of the halo-implanted regions on the statistics of the noise. Using this model, we clarify why the variability, denoted by σ[log(SId)], of RTN/LFN doesn't follow a 1/√area dependence; and we demonstrate that the noise, and its variability, found in our measurements can be modeled using reasonable physical quantities. Moreover, the proposed model can be used to calculate the percentile quantity of the noise, which can be used to predict or to achieve certain circuit yield.

Denna studie har genomförts i form av en undersökning med 25 respondenter. Arbetet harsyftat till att fackmän inom belysningsbranschen samt privatpersoner och intressenter ska fåen indikation på hur människan uppfattar ljuset från fasdimrade LED-ljuskällor i privata hem.Studien har studerat två frågeställningar gällande människans upplevelse av flimmer blandannat hur känslig människan är för flimmer hos en ljusreglerad LED-ljuskälla innan detuppfattas som obekvämt. Vetenskaplig litteratur har använts för att få en förståelse och djuparekunskap kring problematiken gällande människans hälsopåverkan vid exponering av flimmer,samt vilka riktlinjer och möjliga tillvägagångssätt som finns för att lösa denna problematik. Föratt ta reda på hur väl människan uppfattar flimmer samt hur upplevelsen av obekvämlighetenpåverkas har en enkät tagits fram till studien. Undersökningen konstaterar att människoruppfattar flimmer i olika mängd, trots frekvenser över 90Hertz (Hz). Genom data från digitalamätningar och inhämtad empiri från arbetets undersökningsstudie kan man konstatera att detinte enbart är frekvensnivån som påverkar människans uppfattning av flimmer, utan ävenljuskällans andel flimmerprocent. Ett samband mellan upplevd obekvämlighet och flimmer kananas, men inte fastslås som ett tydligt resultat. Arbetet avgränsades genom att undersökningenenbart utfördes under en kortare period med ett färre antal respondenter. / This study has been carried out in the form of a survey with 25 respondents. The work has aimedto give professionals and individuals an indication of how people perceive the light from phasedimmedLED light sources in private homes. The study has investigated two issues regardingthe human experience of flicker, and how sensitive human beings are to flicker from a phasedimmedLED light source before it will be perceived as inconvenient. Scientific literature hasbeen reviewed to gain an understanding and deeper knowledge about the impact of flicker onhuman health, and which guidelines and possible approaches there are to solve the problem. Asurvey has been developed to find out if flicker is perceived by humans, and how the perceptionof inconvenience is experienced. The study found out that people perceive flicker differently,despite measured frequencies above 90 Hertz (Hz). Through data from digital measurementsand acquired empirical evidence from the study’s results, it is not only the frequency level thataffects humans perception of flicker, but also the percentage of light emitted from the lightsource. A correlation between perceived inconvenience and flicker can be noted, but notdetermined as a clear result. The work was limited by only investigating a small population ofrespondents over a short period of time.

Elkvalitet beror på flera olika faktorer, exempelvis kortvarig spänningshöjning, kortvarig spänningssänkning, snabba spänningsvariationer (flimmer), spänningssprång, transienter, övertoner eller spänningsosymmetri. Den vanligaste åtgärden för att förbättra elkvaliteten i ett industrinät med ljusbågsugn och höga nivåer av snabba spänningsvariationer är att använda sig av reaktiv effektkompensering.  Denna studie undersöker snabba spänningsvariationers eventuella påverkan på elektrisk utrustning, både gällande användning och livslängd. Vidare undersöks även elkvaliteten i Sandviks industrinät där elektrisk utrustning upplevs ha blivit defekt tidigt under dess livslängd. Detta för att finna åtgärder som kan förbättra elkvaliteten för industrinätet, där en ljusbågsugn används i produktionen. I studien har mätdata gällande elkvalitet från Sandvik jämförts med mätdata från andra industrier vilket sedan analyserat utifrån gällande elkvalitetsnormer. Data om vilken typ av utrustning som kan ha påverkats och information om hur elnätsföretag upplever industriers påverkan på elkvalitet har samlats in genom intervjuer med personal på Sandvik och Vattenfall. Även tidigare forskning behandlas i denna studie. Resultatet visar att Sandviks elkvalitet påverkas av när ljusbågsugnen körs. Flimmernivån är den elkvalitetsstörning som återkommande överstiger normen vid anslutningspunkten av utrustning som tidigt blivit defekt. Tidigare forskning visar att användandet av utrustning kan påverkas av snabba spänningsvariationer till exempel i form av mindre hastighetsförändringar i motorer. I jämförelsen mellan Sandvik och de andra industriernas mätdata framkommer bland annat att höga flimmernivåer är vanligt förekommande i industrinät med ljusbågsugn. För att åtgärda Sandviks flimmernivåer och förbättra deras elkvalitet kan en reaktiv effektkompensering i form av en STATCOM installeras. Det finns inte forskning i tillräcklig stor grad för att kunna dra säkra slutsatser gällande hur snabba spänningsvariationer påverkar elektrisk utrustnings livslängd. Det finns dock forskning som indikerar att så är fallet. Denna studies insamlade data leder inte heller till några säkra slutsatser gällande detta men tydliggör att nuvarande testprocedurer om utrustnings immunitet mot snabba spänningsvariationer inte går att jämföra med de verkliga förhållandena i ett industrinät. Slutsatsen är även att fler studier i ämnet krävs. / Power quality depends on several different factors, such as voltage sags, voltage dips, voltage fluctuation (flicker), rapid voltage changes, transients, harmonics or voltage asymmetry. To improve the power quality in an industrial network one common mitigation is reactive power compensation.     This study examines the possible effects of voltage fluctuations on electronic equipment, both in terms of use and service life. Furthermore, Sandvik's power quality in their industrial network is also examined, where electronic equipment is perceived to have become defective early in its service life. To improve the power quality the goal is to find suitable mitigation for the arc furnace in the industrial network. In this study, the power quality at Sandvik was compared with the power quality from similar industries and analyzed based on current power quality standards. Through interviews with staff at Sandvik and Vattenfall data was provided regarding which type of equipment that may have been affected and information on how electricity network companies experience the impact from industries on power quality. Previous research is also covered in this study. The result shows that the power quality at Sandvik is affected when the arc furnace is active. The flicker level is the power quality disturbance that repeatedly exceeds the norm at the connection point of equipment that has become defective at an early stage. Previous research shows that the use of equipment can be affected by voltage fluctuations, for example in the form of minor speed changes in motors. The comparison between Sandvik and the similar industries reveals that industrials networks with an arc furnace often is affected by high flicker levels. By installing a reactive power compensator, in form of a STATCOM, the high flicker level of Sandvik’s industrial network can be mitigated. There is not enough research to be able to draw definite conclusions if voltage fluctuation affects the lifespan of electronic equipment. However, there is research that indicates that this is the case. The data collected in this study also do not lead to any definite conclusions regarding this but clarifies that current test procedures on equipment immunity to voltage fluctuations cannot be compared with the actual conditions in an industrial network. The conclusion is also that more studies on the subject are required.

The master's thesis deals with the design and time optimization of the method designed to determine the classification of LED lamps due to their resistance to power supply fluctuations. Classification of LED lamps in the classification scale and their labelling by the classification index is the task of informing in a simple way those interested in the ability of a concrete light source to function properly, without disturbing flickering, in conditions of electromagnetic interference.

Cavity-nesting communities are structured by the creation of and competition for cavities as nest-sites. Viewing these communities as interconnected webs can help identify species interactions that influence community structure. This study examines cavity-nesting bird community interactions within the fire-maintained longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) ecosystem at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. In chapter 1, I provide a background review of the ecology of my study system. In chapter 2, I use nest webs to depict the flow of cavity-creation and use at Eglin. I identified 2 webs into which most species could be placed. One web contained 6 species associated with pines. The second web contained 5 species associated with hardwoods. Red-cockaded woodpeckers (Picoides borealis) and northern flickers (Colaptes auratus) created most cavities used by other species within this community. In chapter 3, I describe snag densities and nest-site selection of the cavity-nesting bird community at Eglin. Large, mature pine snags were abundant, exceeding other reported densities for southern pine forests. Pine snags were heavily-used, despite the abundance of available red-cockaded woodpecker cavities in living pine. Hardwood snags accounted for 10% of nests found, and were used by 12 of 14 species. Diameters of nest-trees and available snags were below the range of optimal nest-snag diameters reported in other studies, indicating the need for site-specific snag management guidelines. In chapter 4, I combine a study of basic ecological principles with endangered species management to examine interactions within the cavity-nesting bird community at Eglin. I used a nest web to identify a potential indirect interaction between the red-cockaded woodpecker and large secondary cavity-nesters, mediated by the northern flicker. I used structural equation modeling to test a path model of this interaction. By experimentally manipulating cavity availability, I blocked links described in the model, confirming cavity creation and enlargement as mechanisms that influence this indirect relationship. I demonstrated that a red-cockaded woodpecker cavity-management technique could disrupt this indirect relationship by affecting northern flicker behavior, and provided an empirical example of how, in interactive ecological communities, single-species management can have indirect effects on non-target species. / Ph. D.

This dissertation focuses on design and implementation of a highly linear and low flicker-noise receiver front-end based on the direct conversion architecture for multiband applications in a CMOS technology. The dissertation consists of two parts: One, implementation of a highly linear RF receiver front-end and, two, implementation of a low flicker-noise RF receiver front-end based for direct conversion architecture. For multiband applications, key active components, highly linear LNAs and mixers, in the RF front-end receiver have been implemented in a 0.18um CMOS process. Theoretical approaches are analyzed from the perspective of implementation issues for highly linear receiver system and are also compared with measured results. Highly linear LNAs and mixers have been analyzed in terms of noise, linearity and power consumption, etc. For a low flicker-noise receiver front-end based on direct conversion architecture, the design of differential LNA and various low flicker-noise mixers are investigated in a standard 0.18um CMOS process. A differential LNA which shows high linearity was fabricated with a low flicker-noise mixer. Three low flicker-noise mixers were designed, measured and compared to the-state-of-the-arts published by other research institutes and companies.

Les générateurs de nombres aléatoires sont des blocs destinés à produire des quantités numériques qui doivent être indépendantes et uniformément distribuées. Ces RNG sont utilisés dans des contextes sécuritaires où l'utilisation de nombres aléatoires est requise (génération de clefs cryptographiques, nonces des protocoles cryptographiques, marqueurs anti-rejeu, contre-mesures face aux attaques par canaux cachés) et où leur qualité est primordiale. Tous les composants électroniques ayant une fonction sécuritaire, comme par exemple les cartes à puces, incluent un ou plusieurs générateurs aléatoires (basés sur des principes physiques). En conséquence, le RNG est une brique centrale des applications sécuritaires et sa défaillance, totale ou partielle met donc en péril la fonctionnalité dans son ensemble. Ce travail de thèse porte sur l'étude des RNG physiques (PTRNG) et la modélisation de l'aléa à partir des caractérisations électroniques et mathématiques du circuit. Cette étude se place essentiellement dans le contexte de la norme AIS 31 du BSI* qui fait référence dans de nombreux pays européens. Cette norme est l‘une des rares qui impose des caractérisations sur les PTRNG, incluant notamment un modèle stochastique de ce dernier. Dans ce contexte, il est crucial de pouvoir valider la méthodologie d'évaluation proposée par ces normes et c'est sur ce point que j'ai focalisé mon travail de thèse.*Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik, agence fédérale allemande chargée de la sécurité des technologies de l'information / Random number generators (RNG) are primitives that produce independent and uniformly distributed digital values, RNG are used in secure environments where the use of random numbers is required (generation of cryptographic keys, nonces in cryptographic protocols, padding values, countermeasures against side-channel attacks) and where the quality of the randomness is essential. All electronic components with a security function, such as smart cards, include one or more random generators (based on physical principles). Consequently, the RNG is an essential primitive for security applications. A flaw in security of the random number generation process directly impacts the security of the cryptographic system. This thesis focuses on the study of physical RNG (PTRNG), the modeling of its randomness and an electronic characterizations of the circuit. This study is in the context of the AIS-31 standard which is published by the BSI* and followed by many European countries. This standard is one of the few that require a characterizations of the PTRNG and a stochastic model. In this context, it is crucial to validate the evaluation methodology proposed by these standards and l focused on them during my thesis.*Bundesamt fiir Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik, federal agency German responsible for the security of information technology

This thesis deals with the issue of power flow analysis in a medium voltage (22kV) distribution network with a focus on the influence of distributed energy generation recources. At first the issue of operation of distributed energy resources and their reverse effects on the distribution system is presented in the thesis. Furtherly there are described their operational conditions from the legislation point of view. The part dealing with calculation compares two network configurations in terms of power quality and how the power quality is impacted by distributed energy resources. The attention is given to voltage conditions, short-circuit power, power conditions, losses and flicker. The first configuration corresponds to the real situation in the network, the other one is describing the changes after the new 110/22 kV substation implementation to the power supply area and the overal change of network configuration. The network model and run simulation is done using the E-Vlivy program.