Le développement de nanomatériaux à propriétés optiques et fonctionnalisés pour un marquage spécifique est en plein essor dans le domaine de l'imagerie biologique. Parmi les agents de contraste exogènes déjà utilisés, les marqueurs fluorescents tels que les nanocristaux semi-conducteurs (CdSe/ZnS,...) et les molécules organiques naturelles (GFP,...) ou synthétiques (fluorescéine,...) souffrent respectivement de clignotements (blinking) et de photo-blanchiment (bleaching) c'est-à-dire d'une faible tenue au rayonnement lumineux incident. Récemment, la microscopie de Génération de Second Harmonique (GSH) à partir de structures non-centrosymétriques de certains matériaux ou molécules optiquement non linéaires (ONL), s'est révélée un outil particulièrement prometteur. Les inconvénients du clignotement et du photo-blanchiment sont en effet absents pour le processus non linéaire de GSH. De plus, le principe de fonctionnement des marqueurs ONL repose sur un processus non résonant, contrairement aux marqueurs fluorescents, ce qui est un avantage décisif pour le choix de la longueur d'onde d'excitation des nanosondes. Pour des illuminations dans le proche infrarouge, cela permet de limiter l'énergie déposée dans le milieu biologique, d'augmenter la profondeur d'imagerie et enfin de bien séparer spectralement les signaux des marqueurs ONL de l'auto-fluorescence naturelle de certains échantillons. Notre objectif, dans ce contexte, était la synthèse et la caractérisation de nouvelles nanosondes ONL de forme sphérique et de taille inférieure à 100nm. Le matériau de structure cristalline non centrosymétrique retenu est l'iodate de fer (Fe(IO3)3) car ses éléments chimiques sont peu toxiques et que ses propriétés paramagnétiques peuvent également donner un contraste en imagerie par résonance magnétique (IRM) ce qui est potentiellement intéressant par rapport à d'autres cristaux ONL tels que ZnO, KNbO3, BaTiO3 et KTP. D'un point de vue synthèse, les microémulsions inverses sont bien référencées dans la littérature pour leur rôle de gabarit permettant un bon contrôle de la taille et de la morphologie des nanomatériaux obtenus par co-précipitation. Dans ce travail, les nano-réacteurs ont été préparés à partir des systèmes AOT/alcane/eau et Triton/1-hexanol/cyclohexane/eau. De manière très originale et pratique, le développement d'un banc optique de diffusion Hyper-Rayleigh (HRS) a permis de suivre in-situ et en temps réel les cinétiques de cristallisation des nanoparticules de Fe(IO3)3 en fonction de conditions expérimentales variables. Les mécanismes de croissance et de cristallisation des nano-bâtonnets de Fe(IO3)3 ont été élucidés en combinant d'autres techniques physico-chimiques usuelles comme la diffraction des rayons X, la diffusion dynamique de la lumière et la microscopie électronique en transmission. Nous avons démontré que la température et la nature du tensioactif influencent les forces d'interaction à l'interface organique-inorganique ce qui permet, pour certaines conditions expérimentales, de réduire la taille et la polydispersité des nanocristaux en fin de processus. Toutefois, avant d'envisager l'utilisation de ces derniers en tant que marqueurs optiques spécifiques, il est nécessaire d'encapsuler ces nanocristaux en raison de la faible stabilité du composé aux pH physiologiques. Les premiers essais de stabilisation en microémulsions par une couche de silice ont permis d'obtenir des nanoparticules de taille ~ 10 nm avec une forte réponse ONL. La caractérisation complète et la fonctionnalisation de ces nanostructures ainsi qu'une optimisation des interactions à l'interface particules - films de tensioactifs constituent les perspectives de ce travail.

This thesis deals with the investigation of the first hyperpolarizabilities (β) of a large number of molecules linked to other molecules either covalently or noncovalently. Chapter 1 gives a brief introduction to supramolecular chemistry and Nonlinear Optics (NLO). A survey of literature pertinent to noncovalently interacting supramolecular assembly and their NLO properties as well as NLO properties of oligomeric systems has been presented. The scope of the present investigation has been described at the end of the chapter. Chapter 2 discusses all the methods used in carrying out this thesis work. The first hyperpolarizabilities (β) of all the compounds have been measured by the hyper Rayleigh scattering (HRS) technique; the experimental details of which are written in this chapter. Various spectroscopic techniques such as NMR, IR, UV-Vis, etc. that were used in the investigation have been presented. The subsequent chapters 3-5 deal with the actual results obtained in this work. In chapter 3 first hyperpolarizabilities of o-, m-, and p-aminobenzoic acids and their oligomers viz., dimer, trimer and tetramer (covalently linked) have been studied. The compounds are synthesized and characterized by various spectroscopic methods and their β values have been measured by HRS. The hyperpolarizability increases in going from the monomer to the dimer but decreases subsequently from the dimer to the trimer to the tetramer. This unexpected trend in β has been attributed to the formation of molecular aggregates in the trimers and tetramers. Further evidences of aggregation come from the results of1H NMR spectroscopy and conductivity measurements. In chapter 4, synthesis, characterization and HRS investigation to probe the formation, dissociation and binding constants of hydrogen bonded supramolecular complexes (noncovalent interaction) formed in solution between 6-amino-2-(pivaloylamino)pyridine and ferrocene functionalized barbituric acid and 5-methoxy-N,N′-bis(6-amino-2-pyridinyl)-1,3-benzenedicarboxamide and ferrocenyl barbituric acid have been described. From the HRS data the stoichiometry of the supramolecular complexes has been determined and compared to that from the NMR data. Some of the complex stoichiometries that are measured by HRS have not been seen in the NMR data and vice versa. The results have been rationalized in terms of the strengths and weaknesses of various spectroscopic methods as applied to this problem. Many fold increase in the β value has been realized in the supramolecular complex formation process. Depolarized HRS experiments have been carried out to obtain structural information on the complexes. In the last chapter the synthesis, characterization and measurements on the first hyperpolarizabilities of unsubstituted tetraphenylporphyrin and its metallated complexes have been presented. Synthesis of supramolecular complexes of ferrocenyl barbituric acid with functionalized porphyrin compounds has been carried out although the amount of the final complex was insufficient for HRS measurements. This chapter ends with a perspective for the future work in the direction.

In recent years, coinage metal nanoparticles have emerged as materials with largest quadratic optical nonlinearity. Their first hyperpolarizabilities (β) are very high (105-106 x 10-30 esu) but such large values were quite unexpected because of their apparently centrosymmetric bulk structure. Only a small second harmonic generation (SHG) from coinage metal nanoparticles is expected through higher order multipolar (e.g., quadrupolar) polarization mechanisms. Various possible reasons have been attributed to the observation of large β values in coinage metal nanoparticles. They are: 1) Particles may not be overall centrosymmetric (as appears from the TEM pictures) which, in turn, can make SHG electric dipole allowed, 2) Several polarization mechanisms (dipolar, quadrupolar, retardation, etc.) may be operating simultaneously to render SHG very efficient, 3) SHG can be resonance enhanced if the incident or SH photons fall within the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) absorption bands or higher energy interband transitions in the metal particles, and 4) Surface capping agents used for stabilization of the nanoparticles in solution alter the SH response. It is, therefore, important to experimentally find out which of the above mentioned possibilities are dominant and under what conditions we can identify the contribution of various mechanisms to the overall SHG response of the coinage metal nanoparticles. In this thesis work, the origin of SHG from copper (one of the coinage metals) nanoparticles has been investigated using hyper-Rayleigh scattering (HRS). In chapter 1, an introduction to metal nanoparticles and their optical properties have been presented. A general introduction to second order nonlinear optics and various methods for the determination of first hyperpolarizability are provided. A literature survey on the second order NLO properties of metal nanoparticles is also done. At the end of the chapter, the motivation of the work done is outlined. In chapter 2, the experimental set-ups for unpolarized and polarization resolved hyper-Rayleigh scattering (HRS) measurements at different wavelengths are described. Generation of IR wavelength of 1543 and 1907 nm using stimulated Raman scattering in gases have been presented in this chapter. In chapter 3, synthesis and characterization of copper nanoparticles are described. Four different size copper nanoparticles (5, 9, 25, and 55 nm) were prepared by laser ablation. Size dependencies of first hyperpolarizability were investigated at different wavelengths and it was found that β increases with increasing size of the particle and that the SHG originates mainly from the surface of the particle. Dispersion in first hyperpolarizabilities of the copper nanoparticles has also been investigated and we find that at incident and SH wavelengths far from the SPR absorption band, the hyperpolarizability is large compared to molecular hyperpolarizabilities. In chapter 4, the results of polarization resolved HRS measurements on copper nanoparticles of five different sizes at four different wavelengths (738, 1064, 1543 and 1907 nm) are reported. Polarization analyses show that at small particle size to wavelength (d/λ) ratio the dipolar contribution to SHG is dominant whereas the quadrupolar and retardation effects become important at larger d/λ values. The “small particle limit” in the SHG from coinage metal nanoparticles has been assessed based on our results on copper and others’ results on silver and gold nanoparticles. In chapter 5, the effect of surface capping on the first hyperpolarizability of copper nanoparticles is investigated. Polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) has been used as a capping agent. The results obtained for bare and capped copper nanoparticles show that capping enhances the hyperpolarizability by a factor of 2. In the last chapter 6, general conclusions drawn on SHG from coinage metal nanoparticles based on this work are presented along with future perspectives.

Title from first page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 20-21).

SALT HRS (Southern African Large Telescope High Resolution Échelle Spectrograph) is a high-resolution, high-efficiency spectrograph for the 11m SALT telescope in Sutherland, South Africa. The initial optical design work was performed at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand. Revisions to the concept, the mechanical design, manufacture, assembly and testing have been handled by the Centre for Advanced Instrumentation, at Durham University in the United Kingdom. SALT HRS is a fibre-fed echelle grating spectrograph with four operational modes: low-, medium- and high-resolution and high-stability modes, having spectral resolutions of R ≈16000, 37000, 67000 and 67000 respectively over a wavelength range of 370-890nm. The instrument is of a dual channel, ‘white pupil’ design, in which the primary mirror acts to collimate light onto a single R4 echelle grating, and also to focus dispersed light to an intermediate focus. A dichroic beam-splitter separates the dispersed light into two separate spectral channels. Spherical pupil mirrors transfer the separated beams via a fold mirror to two wavelength-specific volume-phase holographic gratings (VPHGs) used as cross-dispersers. Cross-dispersed spectra are then imaged by two fully dioptric camera systems onto optimized CCD detectors. This thesis presents the results of the laboratory testing and specification of several critical sub-systems of SALT HRS, as well as the development of key software tools for the design verification and operation at the telescope. In Chapter 1 we first review the technical development of high-resolution spectroscopy and its specific implementation in SALT HRS. In Chapter 2 we develop a comprehensive throughput model of the entire system based on a combination of as-built performance and specific throughput measurements in the laboratory. This is used to make some specific predictions for the on-sky performance of SALT HRS and the magnitude limits for science targets. We also present a graphical exposure time calculator based on these measurements which can be used by an astronomer to plan their observations with SALT HRS. Chapter 3 contains a detailed treatise on the optical fibre system of SALT HRS. Considerations for the use of optical fibres in astronomy are provided, as are details of an optional double scrambler, and the various instrument fibre modes. Extensive measurements of focal ratio degradation (FRD) are also presented, with testing of input beam speed; wavelength; fibre bending; variable pupil mirror illumination; and vacuum tank pressure dependency. The systems for fibre management are reviewed, as is the fibre bundle assembly process. Testing of two further sub-systems is described in Chapter 4. Firstly the long-term stability of the mirror mounting mechanisms is determined. The advantages of cross-dispersion of echelle spectra using volume-phase holographic gratings are then discussed, and the results of diffraction efficiency measurements are given for both red and blue channel gratings. Modern CCD technologies are examined in Chapter 5, and the blue detector is experimentally characterized using photon transfer and quantum efficiency curves. It is also used for an investigation into cosmic ray events in CCDs. Results from shielding the detector using lead are described, as is an attempt to distinguish the source of the events based on their morphology. Finally, Chapter 6 deals with the handling of data produced by SALT HRS. Methods of wavelength calibration of the spectra are discussed, including the use of Thorium-Argon lamps and an iodine absorption cell. The implementation of a Python based quick-look data reduction pipeline is reviewed, with a description of the processes performed. A summary of the thesis is given in Chapter 7.

Norway has already an almost emission-free power production and its sales of zero-emission light-duty vehicles surpassed 30% in 2018; a natural next challenge is to identify ways to reduce emissions of heavyduty vehicles. In this work the possibilities to deploy Fuel Cell Electric Trucks (FCET) on the route Oslo-Trondheim are analyzed by doing a techno-economic analysis. The literature study identified that in average 932 kton goods where transported between the cities. The preferred road choice goes through Østerdalen and that an average load for a long-distance truck is 16 tons. The methodology used in the study is based on cost curves for both truck and infrastructure, and a case study with various scenarios is evaluated to find a profitable business case for both an FCET fleet and its infrastructure. The cost curves for trucks are based on total cost of ownership (TCO) as a function of hydrogen price, while the levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) is used to present the cost of infrastructure. An analysis was made to identify the trucks component sizes and a FCET for this route would require an onboard hydrogen storage of 46 kg, a fuel cell stack with a nominal power of 200 kW, a battery of 100 kWh (min SOC 22%), and an electric motor with a rated power of 402 kW. TCO was calculated both for an FCET based on the dimensioned components and a biodiesel truck. The results show that an FCET purchased in 2020 can be competitive with biodiesel with a hydrogen price of 38.6 NOK/kgH2. While the hydrogen price can increase to 71.8 NOK/ kgH2 if the FCET is purchased in 2030. To identify the most suitable infrastructure, four different designs of hydrogen refueling stations (HRS) were compared. Furthermore, hydrogen production units (HPUs) with both alkaline or PEM type water electrolyzer were compared. The analysis in this study showed that the most cost competitive option was a 350-bar HRS without cooling, which only can serve type III onboard storage tanks. A HPU with alkaline electrolyzer was the most price competitive alternative. In case each HRS is refueling more than 7 FCETs per day, an HPU in direct connection to HRS is the preferred infrastructure setup. Three HRS are required along the route to ensure a minimum service level for the FCETs. When the TCO of the fuel cell truck and LCOH of the hydrogen infrastructure were compared for a 2020 scenario, no feasible solution was identified. The cost of installing three HRS in 2020, serving a fleet of 14-24 trucks, would cost 16.0 – 17.6 million NOK/year more than a fleet based on biodiesel trucks. In a future scenario, where both the FCET and infrastructure costs decrease due to expected learning curves, a business case can be found if at least 5 FCETs were refueling at each HRS on daily basis, which corresponds to a total fleet of approx. 24 FCETs. Finally, a set of clear recommendations on how to improve the techno-economic analysis in future studies are provided. Both by identifying areas lacking sufficient documentation and by providing steps how the tecno-economic model could be enhanced. / Norge har redan en nästintill utsläppsfri elproduktion och nollutsläppsbilar stod för mer än 30% av nybilsförsäljningen under år 2018. En naturlig nästa utmaning är att finna sätt att minska utsläpp från lastbilar. I detta examensarbete analyseras möjligheterna att introducera bränslecellslastbilar (FCET) efter dess engelska förkortning) på sträckan Oslo - Trondheim genom att göra en teknisk-ekonomisk bedömning. Litteraturstudien visade att i genomsnitt 932 kton gods fraktas mellan städerna, att vägen genom Østerdalen är att föredra och att genomsnittlig last för en långtradare är 16 ton. Arbetets metod bygger på att identifiera kostnadskurvor för både lastbilar och infrastruktur. Dessa kurvor kombineras i olika scenarier för att finna omständigheter där både en FCET-flotta och dess infrastruktur är lönsamma. Kostnadskurvorna för lastbilar baseras på den totala ägandekostnaden (TCO) efter dess engelska förkortning) som en funktion av vätgaspriset, medan den utjämnade kostnaden för vätgas (LCOH) efter dess engelska förkortning) används för att presentera kostnaden för infrastruktur. En analys gjordes för att finna passande storlek på FCET drivlina. För den specifika sträckan krävs en hydrogentank på 46 kg, en bränslecellstack med nominell effekt på 200 kW, ett batteri på 100 kWh (min SOC 22%) och en elmotor med nominell effekt på 402 kW. TCO beräknades både för en FCET baserat på de dimensionerade komponenterna och en lastbil som går på biodiesel. En FCET som köps 2020 blir konkurrenskraftig om vätgaspriset är 38,6 NOK/kgH2, medan vätgaspriset kan öka till 71,8 NOK/kgH2 om FCET köps 2030. Skillnaden är baserad på en framtida prisnedgång för FCET. För att finna den mest lämpliga lösningen på infrastruktur; analyserades fyra olika utformningar av vätgaspåfyllningsstationer (HRS). I tillägg jämfördes vätgasproduktionsenheter (HPU) baserat på antingen alkalisk eller PEM-typ av elektrolysator. Resultaten visade at en 350 bar HRS utan kylning, som endast kan fylla typ III lagringstankar, som det billigaste alternativet. Den alkaliska elektrolysatorn kunde producera vätgas för något lägre kostnad. Det billigaste alternativet för infrastruktur av de olika framtagna scenarios var att placera HPU bredvid HRS om minst 7 FCET tankar dagligen på varje station. Minst 3 HRS krävs längs rutten för att tillhandahålla en minsta servicenivå för FCET. När TCO för bränslecellslastbil och LCOH för infrastruktur jämfördes för ett 2020-scenario så fanns det ingen lönsam lösning. Kostnaden för att installera 3 HRS år 2020 som betjänar en lastbilflotta mellan 14-24 lastbilar skulle kosta 16,0 - 17,6 miljoner NOK/år mer än en lastbilsflotta som går på biodiesel. I ett framtida scenario där både FCET- och infrastrukturkostnaderna minskar på grund av större produktionsvolymer så kan vätgassatsning bli lönsam om minst 5 FCET tankar dagligen på varje HRS. Det motsvarar en lastbilsflotta på omkring 24 lastbilar för hela rutten. Till slut finns en rad klara rekommendationer om hur den tekno-ekonomiska analysen kan förbättras. Det upptäcktes både områden med otillräcklig dokumentation och summerades hur den teknoekonomiska modellen kan förbättras.

Un modèle de commutation de mémoires résistives (ReRAM) est présenté. Celui-ci est basé sur deux hypothèses : (1) la commutation résistive est causée par des changements qui se produisent dans la zone étroite (région active) du filament conducteur sous l'influence du champ électrique et (2) la commutation résistive est un processus stochastique, donc régi par une probabilité. La région active est représentée par un réseau de connexions verticales, chacune composée de trois éléments électriques : deux d'entre eux sont de faible résistance tandis que le troisième agit comme un disjoncteur et peut être soit de résistance faible (LR) ou élevée (HR). Dans ce modèle, le changement d'état du disjoncteur est régi par une probabilité de commutation (P$_{s}$) qui est comparée à un nombre aléatoire « p ». P$_{s}$ dépend de la chute de tension le long du disjoncteur et de la tension de seuil, V$_{set}$ ou V$_{reset}$, pour définir les processus de « set » (HR à LR) et « reset » (LR à HR). Deux mécanismes de conduction ont été envisagés : ohmique pour un état LR et pour un état de résistance élevée l'effet tunnel facilité par un piège (TAT). Le modèle a été implémenté avec le langage de programmation Python et fonctionne avec une bibliothèque C externe qui optimise les calculs et le temps de traitement. Les résultats de la simulation ont été validés avec succès en les comparant avec des courbes courant-tension (IV) mesurées sur dispositifs ReRAM réels dont l'oxyde était fait de HfO$_{2}$ et pour neuf aires différentes. La flexibilité et la facilité de mise en œuvre de ce modèle de commutation résistive en font un outil puissant pour l'étude des ReRAM / A model for the switching of resistive random-access memories (ReRAM) is presented. This model is based on two hypotheses: (1) the resistive switching is caused by changes that occur in the narrow zone (active region) of the conductive filament under the influence of the electric field and (2) the resistive switching is a stochastic process governed by a switching probability. The active region is represented by a net of vertical connections, each one composed of three electrical elements: two of them are always low resistive (LR) while the third one acts as a breaker and can be low or high resistive (HR). In the model, the change of the breaker's state is governed by a switching probability (P$_{s}$) that is compared with a random number $p$. P$_{s}$ depend on the voltage drop along the breaker and the threshold voltage, V$_{set}$ or V$_{reset}$ for set (HR to LR) or reset (LR to HR) processes. Two conduction mechanism has been proposed: ohmic for the low resistive state and trap-assisted tunneling (TAT) for the high resistive state. The model has been implemented in Python and works with an external C-library that optimizes calculations and processing time. The simulation results have been successfully validated by comparing measured and modeled IV curves of HfO$_{2}$-based ReRAM devices of nine different areas. It is important to note that the flexibility and easy implementation of this resistive switching model allow it to be a powerful tool for the design and study of ReRAM memories

Chez les mammifères, l'ADN des cellules interphasiques s'organise en une fibre chromatinienne confinée à l'intérieur de « territoires chromosomiques ». Ce confinement autorise l'établissement d'interactions à longue distance permettant une régulation fine des fonctions génomiques. Toutefois, l'organisation et la dynamique de la chromatine à l'échelle dite supranucléosomale (10 à 500 kb) reste méconnue. Afin d'étudier la chromatine à cette échelle, nous avons utilisé la méthode dite de 3C-qPCR qui permet de mesurer les fréquences d'interactions entre deux portions génomiques. Dans un premier temps, nous avons analysé les collisions aléatoires afin de déterminer l'organisation intrinsèque de la chromatine à l'échelle supranucléosomale. Nos résultats indiquent que, en l'absence d'interactions spécifiques, les collisions aléatoires dans les régions riches en gènes présentent une modulation d'une périodicité d'environ 90kb. Cette modulation semble être sous-jacente à de nombreuses interactions spécifiques et avoir des répercutions sur leur positionnement génomique contribuant ainsi à l'évolution des génomes. Des modèles, dérivés de la physique des polymères, suggèrent que la chromatine s'organise dans ces régions en une hélice statistique. Dans un second temps, nous avons abordé l'organisation tridimensionnelle du locus murin Igf2/H19 soumis à l'empreinte génomique parentale. Les interactions spécifiques identifiées entre des « enhancers » endodermiques et certaines portions du locus ont confirmé l'existence d'une hiérarchie des interactions et ont permis la découverte d'un nouveau locus soumis à l'empreinte (PIHit). Ce locus produit un ARN non codant que nous avons caractérisé mais dont la fonction exacte reste à déterminer.Finalement, mes travaux de thèse ont aussi conduit à la mise au point d'une nouvelle technologie (HRS-SEQ) qui permettra d'aborder l'organisation génomique globale par le biais des séquences récupérées à haut-sel (HRS). / In mammal, the DNA of interphasic cells is organized into the chromatin fiber which is itself confined inside “chromosome territories”. This compact organization allows the establishment of long-range interactions involved in the fine regulation of genomic processes. However, the organization and the dynamic of the chromatin at the so-called supranucleosomal scale (10 to 500kb) remain unclear. In order to study the chromatin at this scale, we used the 3C-qPCR method that allows to measure interaction frequencies between two genomic regions. Firstly, we have analyzed random collisions in order to determine the intrinsic organization of the chromatin at the supranucleosomal scale. Our data indicates that, in the absence of specific interactions, random collisions in gene-rich regions show a periodic modulation of about 90kb. This modulation seems to be underlying numerous locus-specific interactions and have repercussions on their genomic location, thus contributing to genome evolution. Models, derived from polymers physics, suggest that, in these regions, the chromatin is shaped in a statistical helix. Secondly, we have investigated the tridimensional organization of the Igf2/H19 mouse locus which is subject to genomic imprinting. Specific interactions identified between endodermic enhancers and some regions of the locus have confirmed the existence of a hierarchy of interactions and allowed the discovery of a new imprinted locus (PIHit). This locus produces a non-coding RNA that we have characterized but for which the function remains to be determined.Finally, my work also led to the development of a new technology (HRS-SEQ) that allows to study global genome organization through mapping of high-salt recovered sequences (HRS).

Inledning: Omorganiseringstrenden har varit stark i Sverige under 2000-talet. Ett av motiven har varit att HR-funktionens strategiska personalarbete kan bidra till kostnadseffektivitet och värdeskapande som behövs i en konkurrenskraftig miljö. Kunskapsintensiva organisationer i tillväxt är helt beroende av sitt humankapital och bör definiera behoven att ha ett utstuderat sätt att arbeta med HR.     Syfte: Syftet med studien är att förstå de behov och förväntningar som föreligger att implementera en formaliserad HR-funktion för kunskapsintensiva företag i tillväxt. Vi vill genom studien undersöka HR-funktionens roll och betydelse samt nyansera bilden av organisationens drivkrafter till att implementera en formaliserad HR-funktion.   Metod: Uppsatsen består av en induktiv ansats med en kvalitativ metod. Vi har genomfört en fallstudie på ett medelstort företag i tillväxt i en kunskapsintensiv bransch. All empirisk data har insamlats genom kvalitativa intervjuer på ledningsgruppnivå samt en enkät till samtliga medarbetare på fallföretaget.     Slutsats: De slutsatser vi kommit fram till är att behovet av att implementera en HR-funktion inom kunskapsintensiva företag i tillväxt beror på medarbetarnas attityder, motivation och beteende, som i sin tur påverkar organisationens resultat. De mjuka värdena bör gå hand i hand med de hårda värdena. Humankapitalet är en av de största konkurrensfördelar som morgondagens organisationer kommer att stå inför där tyngdpunkten ligger i att arbeta systematiskt med HR samt att transformera mål och strategier till att bli mer effektiva, värdeskapande och strategiska. / Introduction: Reorganization trend has been strong in Sweden in the 2000s. One of the reasons has been that the HR function's strategic in HR-work can contribute to cost efficiency and creates value, well needed in a competitive environment. Knowledge-intensive organizations in growth are entirely dependent on its human capital, and should examine the need to maintain a studied approach to working with HR.   Purpose: The purpose of this study is to understand the needs and expectations that are in place to implement a formalized HR function for knowledge-intensive companies in growth. We want to study the HR function's role and importance and nuanced the picture of the organization's incentives to implement a formalized HR function.   Method: The paper consists of an inductive approach with a qualitative method. We conducted a case study of a medium sized company in growth in a knowledge-intensive industry. We have collected all the empirical data through qualitative interviews in the management-team and a questionnaire/survey to all employees in the company.   Conclusion: The conclusion we reached is that the need to implement an HR function in knowledge- intensive companies in growth is context, expertise, size and leadership. Human capital is one of the major competitive advantages that tomorrow's organizations will face and the focus is on working systematically with HR and transform goals and strategies to become more efficient, value creation and strategic.

No description available.