Power system harmonics and interharmonics are power quality concerns that have received a great deal of attention in recent years. These phenomena can have several adverse effects on power system operation. The main harmonic and interharmonic sources are devices based on power electronics. An emerging class of harmonic sources is comprised of power electronic-based home appliances. These appliances are dispersed throughout the low-voltage distribution system, and their collective impact can result in unacceptable levels of voltage distortion. The characterization of home appliances based on their harmonic currents is an important step toward understanding the impact of these devices. This thesis presents an evaluation of the relative severity of the harmonic currents from these devices, and the impact of the disparity of the harmonic current phase angles. Typically, the voltage supplied to each harmonic source is already distorted. This distortion causes a change of the harmonic current magnitudes (traditionally referred to as the attenuation effect). Common harmonic analysis methods cannot take this variation into account because they use a typical harmonic current source model specified by a supply voltage having little or no distortion. This thesis characterizes the harmonic attenuation effect of power electronic-based appliances. One of the findings is that harmonic amplification, rather than attenuation, can occur under credible voltage conditions. This finding had not been made previously. In order to include the harmonic attenuation/amplification in appliance modeling, a measurement-based harmonic modeling technique is proposed. One of the most economic and effective ways to mitigate harmonics in power systems is through the use of harmonic shunt passive filters. These filters can be of many topologies. Selecting these topologies is a task that, today, depends on the experience and judgment of the filter designer. An investigation is carried out on the common filter topologies, and the most cost-effective topologies for mitigating harmonics are identified. As many of the larger harmonic loads also generate interharmonics, interharmonics have become prevalent in today’s medium-voltage distribution system. Mitigation cannot be carried out until the interharmonic-source location is known. A method for interharmonic source determination is proposed and then verified through simulation and field measurement studies.

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The multi-order response of the tuned secondary circuit of a Tesla transformer, following impulse excitation from its tuned primary circuit, is presented and analysed at the fundamental resonant frequency and at higher-order mode frequencies. A novel way of modifying the frequency response of the secondary coil is then investigated by utilising a technique normally applied to the design of a certain type of filter known as a helical filter. In general, these are used in radio and microwave frequency circuits in order to pass certain frequencies with little attenuation whilst significantly attenuating other frequencies. Design techniques, developed over several decades, modify and optimise the performance of such filters. The frequency response of the helical filter is modified by altering the geometry of the helical resonator component therein, which is typically in the form of an air-cored single-layer solenoid. A Tesla transformer whose secondary is constructed to be some form of single-layer solenoidal winding resonates at its designed frequency - its fundamental mode - but also at non-integer harmonics (higher-order anharmonic frequencies, also known as overtones). Those multi-order oscillatory voltages and currents energised in the secondary circuit have been identified and measured and research has determined the fundamental and higher-order mode frequencies and amplitudes for various experimental secondary winding configurations derived from helical filter design techniques. Applied to the Tesla transformer secondary winding, such techniques lead to a new design with a performance that is improved by the suppression of higher- order anharmonic frequencies whilst imparting little change to the fundamental response. It is anticipated that this feature will lead to Tesla transformers which exhibit enhanced spectral purity and which will be better suited to use in certain pulsed power applications than conventionally wound designs.

As systems/structures get smaller we need to take into account noise and quantum effects and so, we need to develop some quantum devices. Quantum devices work using quantum principles like qubits that have already been developed, i.e., superconducting qubits that are going to be discussed in chapter 1. Initially, scientists wanted to use qubits to do quantum computations, this is not easy so scientists developed methods to do something different, e.g. quantum metamaterials. Here in this thesis we describe two examples of quantum devices. Our first device is the parametric quantum amplifier. Used when we need to amplify very weak signals. Amplifying a weak signal on the nanoscale is a very big challenge, this is due to classical and quantum noise, and so, we need to employ quantum physics to resolve this issue. The proposed two-qubit system amplifies weak signals at very small scales. We have shown that we can construct a multitude of novel devices on the nano-scale with the use of qubits Our second device uses harmonic mixing. It can be used where rectification is needed, for example, when we need to rectify some fluctuations and in principle some quantum fluctuations in order to pump either an excited or ground state of the two qubit device. In this thesis we propose how to do this. Firstly, we propose that if we apply harmonic mixing of two signals for two qubits, using the structure of the equation and basically the structure of quantum mechanics we can pump a desirable quantum state. We can pump either the upper or ground state by changing the signal.

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The work presented in this thesis describes an investigation into the properties and behaviour of nonlinear optical guest molecules doped into polymeric matrices. The interactions of the guest molecule 2-(N, N dimethylamino)-5-nitroacetanilide (DAN) with a polycarbonate and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) host are compared. A detailed characterisation of the two systems is described employing infra red spectroscopy and analysis of the chromophore alignment during electric field poling. The study reveals that hydrogen bond formation between the guest and the polar polycarbonate backbone accounts for the unusually good alignment stability previously reported in the polycarbonate system. The molecular hyperpolarisibility of DAN in PMMA is also measured and the apparent enhancement compared with solution measurements is accounted for by the more polar nature of the polymer environment. A new technique allowing the measurement of the dipole moment of polar molecules doped into thin polymer films is also presented. The technique is demonstrated on a series of zwitterionic chromophores whose measured dipole moments range from 30 to 40 D. Electrochroism measurements are performed to account for aggregation of the monomer species which then permits the first hyperpolarisibility of the molecules to be calculated. The values of dipole moment and hyperpolarisibility are found to be very sensitive to the choice of dielectric cavity shape used when deriving the local field correction factors. The measured values are therefore compared with theoretical calculations and a preferred cavity shape is proposed.

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