<p>Vertical-cavity lasers (VCLs) are of great interest as lightsources for fiber-optic communication systems. Such deviceshave a number of advantages over traditional in-plane laserdiodes, including low power consumption, efficient fibercoupling, on-chip testability, as well as potential low-costfabrication and packaging. To date, GaAs-based VCLs operatingat 850 nm are the technology of choice for short-distance,high-speed data transmission over multimode fiber. Forlong-distance communication networks, long-wavelength (LW) VCLsoperating in the 1.3 and 1.55-&#956m transmission windowsof standard singlemode fibers are desired. However, despiteconsiderable worldwide development efforts, the commercialbreakthrough of such devices has still to be achieved. This ismainly due to shortcomings of the intrinsic material propertiesof InP-based material systems, traditionally employed in LWlaser diodes. While LW quantum well (QW) active regions basedon InP are well established, efficient distributed Braggreflectors (DBRs) are better built up in the AlGaAs/GaAsmaterial system. Therefore, earlier work on LW VCLs has focusedon hybrid techniques such as bonding between InP-based QWs andAlGaAs/GaAs DBRs using waferfusion. More recently, however, themain interest in this field has shifted towards all-epitaxialGaAs-based devices employing novel 1.3-&#956m activematerials with strained GaInNAs QWs as one of the mostpromising candidates.</p><p>The main focus of this thesis is on the characterization andanalysis of LW VCLs and building blocks thereof, based on bothInP and GaAs substrates. This includes a theoretical study on1.3-&#956m InGaAsP/InP multiple QW active regions, as wellas an experimental investigation of novel, highly strained1.2-&#956m InGaAs/GaAs single QWs. Two high-accuracyabsolute reflectance measurement setups were built for thecharacterization of various DBRs. Reflectance measurementsrevealed that n-type doping is much more detrimental to theperformance of AlGaAs/GaAs DBRs than previously anticipated.Near-room temperature operation of a single-fused1.55-&#956m VCL with an InP/InGaAsP bottom DBR wasobtained. A thermal analysis of this device structure clearlyindicated its limited capabilities in terms of high-temperatureoperation. As a result, further efforts were directed towardsall-epitaxial GaAs-based VCLs. Record-long emission wavelengthsto above 1260 nm were obtained from InGaAs VCLs based on anextensive gain–cavity detuning. These devices showed verypromising performance characteristics in terms of thresholdcurrent and light output power, indicating good potential forbeing a viable alternative to GaInNAs-based VCLs.</p>

Les nanofils (NFs) semiconducteurs suscitent un intérêt croissant depuis ces dix dernières années, aussi bien pour leurs propriétés fondamentales que pour leurs applications potentielles dans de nombreux domaines (électronique, optoélectronique, photonique, photovoltaïque, ...). Par exemple, grâce à leur aptitude à relaxer des contraintes, ils présentent une nouvelle voie pour l'intégration monolithique des matériaux semiconducteurs III-V sur le substrat de Silicium. C'est dans ce contexte que s'est déroulée cette thèse axée sur la croissance de NFs d'InP sur Silicium par la technique d'épitaxie EJM en mode VLS (pour Vapeur-Liquide-Solide). Nous avons étudié les mécanismes de croissance VLS de ces NFs et comparé nos résultats expérimentaux à des modèles théoriques. Nous avons plus particulièrement décrit la forme, la direction de croissance, la nature des facettes et les propriétés structurales des NFs d'InP, en fonction des conditions de croissance, en particulier du rapport V/III. Nous avons aussi étudié la croissance de NFs d'InP sur une surface de SrTiO3 qui vise à l'obtention de NFs verticaux sur Si(001). Nous avons enfin abordé d'autres aspects nécessaires pour l'intégration de tels NFs dans des composants actifs, comme la croissance d'héterostructures axiale, le dopage ou encore la localisation spatiale de ces NFs.

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / A study of InP nanowires with an oxide layer, as well as the initial steps of the oxidation process is pursued through first principles calculations and molecular dynamics simulations within the Density Functional Theory. An InP nanowire in the wurtzite phase in an environment containing a O2 molecular gas is used to simulate the initial steps of the nanowire oxidation process. The molecular dynamics simulations reveal that the O2 molecules dissociate preferentially in reactions with the P atoms and that that they are incorporated into the nanowire, mainly at the superficial layers. The molecular dynamics simulation of the already oxidated InP nanowire reveals a pair distribution function very close to that of the pure nanowire, although there is a disarrangement of the local crystalline phase. The defects generated by the atoms lead to the closure of the energy gap, due mainly to the contribuition coming rom the In atoms bond to oxygen. / Um estudo de nanofios de InP oxidados, assim como das etapas iniciais do processo de oxidação é realizado usando cálculos de primeiros princípios e dinâmica molecular a 300K, dentro da Teoria do Funcional da Densidade. Um nanofio de InP na fase wurtzita num ambiente contendo um gás de moléculas O2 é usado para simular as etapas iniciais do processo de oxidação do nanofio. A dinâmica molecular revela que as moléculas de O2 se dissociam preferencialmente em reações com átomos de P, com os átomos de oxigênio sendo incorporados em suas camadas superficiais. A simulação de dinâmica molecular do nanofio de InP já oxidado revela uma função distribuição de pares muito próxima à do fio puro, embora haja desestruturação da fase cristalina local. Os defeitos gerados pela presença dos átomos de oxigênio levam a um fechamento do gap de energia, devido principalmente à contribuições vindas dos átomos de In ligados ao oxigênio.

The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) is known to be the most powerful radio telescope of its type. In support of its high observational power, it is estimated that thousands of antenna unit equipped with millions of LNA (low noise amplifier) will be deployed over a large area (radius>3000km). The stringent requirements for high performance and low cost LNA design bring about many challenges in terms of material growth, device fabrication and low noise circuit designs. For the past decade, the Manchester group has been wholeheartedly committed to the research and development of high performance, low cost Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit (MMIC) LNA with high breakdown (15V) and low noise characteristics (1.2dB to 1.5dB) for the SKA mid-frequency application (0.4GHz to 1.4GHz). The on-going optimisation of current design is hindered by the restriction of standard i-line 1µm gate lithography. The primary focus of this work is on the design and fabrication of new, submicron gate InGaAs/InAlAs/InP pHEMTs for high frequency applications and future SKA high frequency bands. The study starts with the design and fabrication of InGaAs-InAlAs pHEMT sub-100nm gate structure using E-Beam lithography. To address the problems of short channel effect and parasitic components, devices with 128nm T-gate structure, and with optimised device geometries and enhanced material growth, having fT of 162GHz and fmax of 183GHz are demonstrated, outlining the importance of device scaling for high speed operation. In addition, a gate-sinking technique using Pd/Ti/Au metallisation scheme was investigated to meet the requirement for single voltage supply in circuit design. Device with Pd-buried gate exhibits enhanced DC and RF characteristics and showed no degradation over 5 hours’ annealing at 230˚C. The implementation of this highly thermal stable Pd Schottky gate is key to improving the device’s long-term reliability at high-temperature operation. To solve the problem of low productivity in E-Beam lithography, a simple, low cost, technique termed soft reflow was introduced by utilising the principle of solvent vaporisation in a closed chamber. It provides a hybrid solution for the fabrication of submicron device using low cost i-line lithography. The integration of this new soft reflow process with the Pd-gate sinking technique has enabled the large-scale fabrication of 250nm T-gate pHEMTs, with excellent fT of 108GHz and a fmax of 119GHz and with device yields exceeding 80%. This novel soft reflow technique provides a high yield, fast throughput, solution for the fabrication of submicron gate pHEMT and other ultra-high frequency nanoscale devices.

Cette thèse s'inscrit dans le cadre de l'optique micro-onde. Nous avons mis en oeuvre différentes solutions opto-électroniques dans le but de réaliser un synthétiseur hyperfréquence monolithiquement intégré, faiblement bruité et largement accordable jusqu'au domaine millimétrique. Le synthétiseur est basé sur l'intégration sur InP de deux lasers DFB, d'un coupleur optique et d'une photodiode rapide. En outre, un modulateur électro-optique est également implémenté sur la puce afin de transmettre un signal de données sur la porteuse générée. Les performances obtenues en terme de gamme d'accord et de transmission de données sans fil se sont révélées conformes aux objectifs. Ainsi, une gamme d'accord de 0 à 110 GHz et un débit de transmission de donnée sans fil à courte distance de 1 Gbit/s ont pu être démontrés, établissant notre système à l'état de l'art mondial pour ce type de composant totalement intégré. Les performances en terme de bruit de phase se sont en revanche révélées décevantes. Pour remédier à ce problème nuisant à la montée en débit supérieurs, nous avons investigué deux solutions de stabilisation de la fréquence porteuse. La première, basée sur un asservissement électronique (OPLL) de la puce, s'est pour le moment révélé infructueuse, mais a permis d'étudier plus avant les problématiques qui lui sont liées. La seconde solution, basée sur un système inédit de rétroinjection optique mutuelle et une stabilisation sur un oscillateur électronique externe a quant à elle répondu à nos souhaits. En effet, la stabilisation de la fréquence porteuse par cette technique a permis de démontré des largeurs de raies inférieure à 30 Hz et un bruit de phase réduit à -90 dBc/Hz à 10 kHz d'une porteuse accordée à 90 GHz. A la suite de ces travaux sur une première génération de composants, une deuxième génération a été développée afin d'améliorer les performances intrinsèques de la puce en remédiant aux limitations observées jusqu'alors. Ainsi, une nouvelle configuration de cavité a été conçue intégrant notamment des lasers plus longs ainsi que des miroirs haute réflectivité. Par ailleurs, une optimisation de la structure de la photodiode a été réalisée afin d'améliorer encore sa bande passante. Une telle source permet d’envisager la génération et la modulation de signaux microonde faible bruit de phase et largement accordables sur des composants monolithiquement intégrés répondant aux exigences de compacité, de reproductibilité et de performances haut débit requises par les industries des télécommunications, de la défense ou encore du domaine spatial. / This thesis deals with the microwave photonics context. We have implemented various opto- electronic solutions in order to realize a monolithically integrated microwave synthesizer which has a low noise and a wide tunability until millimeter-wave frequencies. The synthesizer is based on the integration of two InP DFB lasers, an optical coupler and a fast photodiode. In addition, an electro-optic modulator is also implemented on the chip in order to transmit data on the generated carrier. The performances obtained in terms of tunability and wireless data transmission proved consistent with the objectives. Thus, a tuning range of 0-110 GHz and a short distance wireless data transmission rate of 1 Gbit /s have been demonstrated, establishing our system to the state of the art for this type of fully integrated component. Phase noise and linewidth performances have however been disappointing. To solve this problem affecting the data rate we have investigated two ways of stabilizing the carrier frequency. The first, based on an electronic feedback loop (OPLL) has yet proved unsuccessful but allowed us to further explore the related issues. However, the second solution, based on a new system of optical cross injection and stabilization to an external electronic oscillator has filled our wishes. Indeed, the stabilization of the carrier frequency by this technique has demonstrated linewidth less than 30 Hz and a reduced phase noise to -90 dBc / Hz at 10 kHz for a given carrier at 90 GHz. Next to the first generation components, a second generation was developed to improve the intrinsic performances of the chip by remedying the limitations previously observed. Thus, a new cavity configuration was designed including longer lasers and high reflectivity integrated mirrors made by materials deep etching. Moreover, optimization of the photodiode structure was carried out to further improve the bandwidth. Such a source allows to consider the generation and modulation of low phase noise and widely tunable microwave signals on monolithically integrated components matching the compactness, reproducibility and high speed performances required by the telecom, defense and space industries.

Aerosol particles acting as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) or ice nucleating parti- cles (INP) play a major role in the formation and glaciation of clouds. Thereby they exert a strong impact on the radiation budget of the Earth. Data on abundance and properties of both particle types are sparse, especially for remote areas of the world, such as the Southern Ocean (SO). In this work, unique results from ship-borne aerosol-particle-related in situ measurements and filter sampling in the summertime SO region are presented. An overview of CCN and INP number concentrations on the Southern Ocean is provided and, using additional analyses on particle chemical composition and air-mass origin, insights regarding possible CCN and INP sources and origins are presented, with the help of a correlation analysis. CCN number concentrations spanned 2 orders of magnitude, e.g. for a supersaturation of 0.3 % values ranged roughly from 3 to 590 cm⁻³. CCN showed variable contributions of organic and inorganic material. No distinct size-dependence of the CCN hygroscopicity parameter was apparent, indicating homogeneous composition across sizes (critical dry diameter on average between 30 nm and 110 nm). The relative contribution of sea spray aerosol (SSA) to the CCN number concentration was on average small (below 35 %). Ambient INP number concentrations were measured in the temperature range from −4 to −27 °C using an immersion freezing method. Concentrations spanned up to 3 orders of magnitude, e.g. at −16 °C from 0.2 to 100 m⁻³. Elevated values (above 10 m⁻³ at −16 °C) were measured when the research vessel was in the vicinity of land (excluding Antarctica). Lower, more constant concentrations were measured on the open ocean. This, along with results of backward-trajectory analyses, hints towards terrestrial and/or coastal INP sources being dominant close to ice-free (non-Antarctic) land. In pristine marine areas INP may originate from both oceanic sources and/or long range transport. A correlation analysis yielded strong correlations between sodium mass concentration and particle number concentration in the coarse mode (larger 1 µm), unsurprisingly indicating a significant contribution of SSA to that mode. CCN number concentration was highly correlated with the number concentrations of Aitken (10 to 100 nm) and accumulation mode particles (100 to 1000 nm). This, together with a lack of correlation between sodium mass and Aitken and accumulation mode number concentrations, underlines the important contribution of non-SSA, probably secondarily formed particles, to the CCN population.:1 Introduction 2 Fundamentals 2.1 Aerosol particle activation 2.1.1 Köhler theory 2.1.2 κ-Köhler theory 2.2 Ice nucleation 2.2.1 Homogeneous Freezing 2.2.2 Heterogeneous Freezing 3 Campaign, instrumentation, and data handling 3.1 Antarctic Circum-navigation Expedition 3.2 In situ aerosol measurements 3.2.1 Aerosol number size distribution 3.2.2 Cloud condensation nuclei 3.3 Off-line aerosol characterisation 3.3.1 High-volume sampling 3.3.2 Low-volume sampling 3.3.3 Ice nucleation droplet array (INDA) 3.3.4 Analysis of chemical composition 3.4 Further resources 3.4.1 In-water organic compound measurements 3.4.2 Wind measurements 3.4.3 Air-mass origin analysis 3.4.4 Fluorescent particles 3.4.5 Correlation analysis 4 Results and Discussion 4.1 Aerosol particles and cloud condensation nuclei 4.1.1 Particle number size distributions 4.1.2 CCN number concentrations 4.1.3 CCN hygroscopicity 4.1.4 Air-mass origin for aerosol particle and CCN measurements 4.2 Ice nucleating particles 4.2.1 INP abundance 4.2.2 Air-mass origin for INP measurements 4.3 Chemical composition of sampled aerosol particles 4.4 Correlation analysis 5 Summary and Conclusions / Aerosolpartikel, die als Wolkennukleations- oder Eiskeime fungieren, spielen eine Schlüsselrolle in den Entstehungs- und Vereisungsprozessen von Wolken. Mit ihren wolkenrelevanten Eigenschaften haben diese beiden Arten von Aerosolpartikeln einen starken Einfluss auf den Strahlungshaushalt der Erde. Messungen ihrer Häufigkeit und Eigenschaften sind selten, inbesondere in den entlegenen Regionen der Erde wie beispielsweise dem Südlichen Ozean. In dieser Arbeit werden die Ergebnisse von in situ und filterbasierten Partikelmessungen einer Forschungsfahrt auf dem Südlichen Ozean in den Sommermonaten der Südhalbkugel gezeigt. Ein erstmaliger Überblick über die Anzahlkonzentrationen der Wolkennukleations- und Eiskeime über dem Südlichen Ozean wird gegeben. Unter Berücksichtigung weiterer Messergebnisse zur chemischen Zusammensetzung der Partikel und Betrachtungen zur Herkunft der Luftmassen werden Rückschlüsse auf die Herkunft und Quellen der gesammelten, wolkenrelevanten Aerosolpartikel gezogen, auch mit Hilfe einer Korrelationsanalyse. Die Anzahlkonzentration der Wolkennukleationskeime schwankte innerhalb von zwei Größenordnungen, beispielsweise zwischen 3 und 590 cm⁻³ bei 0.3 % Übersättigung. Die chemische Zusammensetzung der Wolkennukleationskeime variierte dabei stark, zwischen organischem und inorganischem Material. Der Hygroskopizitätsparameter zeigte keine Größenabhängigkeit, was für eine intern gemischte Population von Wolkennukleationskeimen spricht (kritische Partikeldurchmesser lagen im Mittel zwischen 30 und 110 nm). Der prozentuale Anteil von Seesalzpartikeln zur Anzahlkonzentration der Wolkennukleationskeime war im Mittel gering (kleiner 35 %). Die Anzahlkonzentration der Eiskeime wurden im Temperaturbereich −4 bis −27 °C mittels einer filterbasierten Immersionsgefriermethode bestimmt. Die Anzahlkonzentrationen schwankten dabei im Bereich von bis zu drei Größenordnungen, beispielsweise zwischen 0.2 und 100 m⁻³ bei einer Temperatur von −16 °C. In Küstennähe, mit Ausnahme von Antarktika, wurden erhöhte Anzahlkonzen- trationen (über 10 m⁻³ bei −16 °C) gemessen. Niedrigere, weniger variable Anzahlkonzentrationen wurden hingegen auf offener See gemessen. Diese Beobachtungen, zusammen mit den Ergebnissen zur Luftmassenherkunft, sprechen für eine Dominanz von terrestrischen und/oder küstennahen Quellen der Eiskeime in der Nähe von eisfreiem (nicht-Antarktischem) Festland. Dabei können in den unbe- rührten, marinen Regionen die Eiskeime aus dem Meer selbst und/oder Ferntransport stammen. Eine Korrelationsanalyse zeigte einen starken Zusammenhang zwischen der Massenkonzentration von Natrium und der Anzahlkonzentration an groben Aerosolpartikeln (größer 1 µm). Daraus folgt ein signifikanter Anteil an Seesalzpartikeln in dieser Partikelgröße. Die Anzahlkonzentration der Wolkennukleationskeime korrelierte stark mit den Anzahlkonzentrationen der Aitken- (10 bis 100 nm) bzw. Akkumulationskerne (100 bis 1000 nm). Diese Beobachtung, zusammen mit dem Fehlen einer Korrelation zwischen Natriummasse und Aitken- oder Akkumulationskernanzahl, unterstreicht die Relevanz von Partikeln die nicht Seesalz sind (vermutlich sekundär geformten Aerosolpartikel) für die Population der Wolkennukleationskeime.:1 Introduction 2 Fundamentals 2.1 Aerosol particle activation 2.1.1 Köhler theory 2.1.2 κ-Köhler theory 2.2 Ice nucleation 2.2.1 Homogeneous Freezing 2.2.2 Heterogeneous Freezing 3 Campaign, instrumentation, and data handling 3.1 Antarctic Circum-navigation Expedition 3.2 In situ aerosol measurements 3.2.1 Aerosol number size distribution 3.2.2 Cloud condensation nuclei 3.3 Off-line aerosol characterisation 3.3.1 High-volume sampling 3.3.2 Low-volume sampling 3.3.3 Ice nucleation droplet array (INDA) 3.3.4 Analysis of chemical composition 3.4 Further resources 3.4.1 In-water organic compound measurements 3.4.2 Wind measurements 3.4.3 Air-mass origin analysis 3.4.4 Fluorescent particles 3.4.5 Correlation analysis 4 Results and Discussion 4.1 Aerosol particles and cloud condensation nuclei 4.1.1 Particle number size distributions 4.1.2 CCN number concentrations 4.1.3 CCN hygroscopicity 4.1.4 Air-mass origin for aerosol particle and CCN measurements 4.2 Ice nucleating particles 4.2.1 INP abundance 4.2.2 Air-mass origin for INP measurements 4.3 Chemical composition of sampled aerosol particles 4.4 Correlation analysis 5 Summary and Conclusions

III-V semiconductors are compounds made of elements from groups III and V of the periodic table. Most of these materials exhibit a direct bandgap, which makes them suitable for light emission and detection. Furthermore, ternary and quaternary III-V semiconductors offer some freedom in adjusting their material compositions, which also allows one to modify their bandgap energies, refractive indices, and other optical properties. This quality makes such materials suitable for the monolithic integration of laser sources with passive optical devices and detectors on a single chip. For example, such integration is used in indium phosphide (InP) technology for large-scale photonic integration in optical communication networks. Commercial integrated photonic circuits' functionality can be augmented by the implementation of nonlinear optical devices, enabling all-optical signal processing, frequency conversion, and on-chip sources of quantum light. This doctoral thesis focuses on design, fabrication, and testing of passive optical components based on III-V semiconductors. We explored various fabrication approaches for III-V nonlinear photonic devices. Among the III-V semiconductor platforms used in nonlinear photonics, we focused on AlGaAs as the most studied nonlinear optical platform, and InP and its quaternary derivatives as the most commercially developed platform. The fabrication processes for III-V photonic devices usually require the deposition of silica and chromium layers, and then three etch steps to etch the chromium, silica, and, finally, the III-V layer. In the thesis, we demonstrate a process which allows one to eliminate the chromium deposition and the associated etch step, thereby reducing the process complexity. We implemented this newly developed hard-mask process for etching numerous AlGaAs and InP photonic devices. This work was not only an important contribution to the University of Ottawa's cleanroom facility. The shared recipe can be used to recreate etch recipes for silica using soft masks like ZEP520a, PMMA, etc., at other similar university and research facilities around the world. The silica mask created using this process was later used to fabricate InP/InGaAsP-based half-core-etched and nanowire waveguides, which were used to perform the first reliable measurement of the nonlinear refractive index coefficient n₂ of InGaAsP/InP waveguides. We explored improved fabrication processes for AlGaAs waveguides, photonic crystals, and ring resonators. InP-based integrated optical devices are relatively difficult to fabricate because the etch byproducts are only volatile at elevated temperatures. Using a silica mask, we developed a very smooth etching process for InP waveguides with aspect ratios greater than 1:10. Suspended waveguide structures, where the guiding layer is surrounded by the air, are of great interest as they can exhibit large refractive index contrast for superior compactness and for achieving high intensity at low optical powers. We demonstrated fabrication process flows for creating suspended air-bridge structures in a 500-nm AlGaAs slab, which can be used in mid-IR sensing applications. The processes developed as part of this project cover a wide range of AlGaAs passive photonic devices such as waveguides, photonic crystals and ring resonators. Additionally, we demonstrated plasma etching selectivity improvements for AlGaAs etching using only a soft ZEP mask and were able to achieve a selectivity of 1:2.9. All these developments can be beneficial to other researchers working on III-V photonic devices. We also completed the first theoretical study of third-harmonic generation in dispersion-engineered AlGaAs suspended photonic crystal waveguide. Most importantly, we introduced a reliable and efficient method for modelling higher-order modes in photonic crystal waveguides that is less computationally intensive and far more accurate compared to the 3D FDTD method. We also experimentally demonstrate guided modes lying above the light line in AlGaAs photonic crystal waveguides. In one of the addition projects, we experimentally demonstrate third-harmonic generation (THG) in Silicon Nitride waveguides. In summary, this thesis presents details of the design and testing of different passive nonlinear III-V semiconductor photonic devices. In addition, this thesis presents the fabrication processes which can be used to reliably and repeatably fabricate photonic devices in these materials.

The performance of III-V heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) has improved significantly over the past two decades. Today’s state of the art Indium Phosphide (InP) HBTs have a maximum frequency of oscillation greater than 800 GHz and have been used to realize an amplifier operating above 600 GHz . In comparison to silicon (Si) based devices, III-V HBTs have superior transport properties that enables a higher gain, higher speed, and noise performance, and much higher Johnson figure- of-merit . From this perspective, the InP HBT is one of the most promising candidates for high performance mixed signal electronic systems.

L’optique non linéaire traite les modifications des propriétés optiques d'un matériau induites par la propagation de la lumière. Depuis ses débuts, il y a cinquante ans, des nombreuses applications ont été démontrées dans presque tous les domaines de la science. Dans le domaine de la micro et nano-photonique, les phénomènes non linéaires sont à la fois au cœur d’une physique fondamentale fascinante et des applications intéressantes: ils permettent d'adapter et de contrôler le flux de lumière à une échelle spatiale inferieure à la longueur d'onde. En effet, les effets non linéaires peuvent être amplifiés dans des systèmes qui confinent la lumière dans des espaces restreints et avec de faibles pertes optiques. Des bons candidats pour ce confinement sont les nanocavités à cristaux photoniques (CPs), qui ont été largement étudiées ces dernières années. Parmi la grande diversité des processus non linéaires en optique, les phénomènes dynamiques tels que la bistabilité et l'excitabilité font l’objet de nombreuses études. La bistabilité est bien connue pour ces applications potentielles pour les mémoires et les commutateurs optiques et pour les portes logiques. Une réponse excitable typique est celle subjacente dans le déclanchement du potentiel d'action dans les neurones. En optique, l'excitabilité a été observée il y a une quinzaine d’années. Dans ce travail, nous avons étudié les régimes bistables, auto-oscillants et excitables dans des nanocavités semiconductrices III-V à CP. Afin de coupler efficacement la lumière dans les nanocavités, nous avons développé une technique de couplage par onde évanescente en utilisant une microfibre optique étirée. Grâce à cette technique, nous avons démontré pour la première fois l’excitabilité dans une nanocavité à CP. En parallèle, nous avons accompli la première étape vers la dynamique non linéaire dans un réseau de cavités couplées en démontrant le couplage optique linéaire entre nanocavitités adjacentes. Ceci a été réalisé en utilisant de mesures de photoluminescence en champ lointain. Un ensemble de résonateurs non linéaires couplés ouvre la voie à une famille de phénomènes dynamiques non linéaires très riches, basés sur la rupture spontanée de symétrie. Nous avons démontré théoriquement ce phénomène dans deux cavités couplées par onde évanescente. Les premières études expérimentales de ce régime ont été menées, établissant ainsi les bases pour une future démonstration de la rupture spontanée de symétrie dans un réseau de nanocavités non linéaires couplées. / Nonlinear optics concerns the modifications of the optical properties of a material induced by the propagation of light. Since its beginnings, fifty years ago, it has already found applications in almost any field of science. In micro and nano-photonics, nonlinear phenomena are at the heart of both fascinating fundamental physics and interesting potential applications: they give a handle to tailor and control the flow of light within a sub-wavelength spatial scale. Indeed, the nonlinear effects can be enhanced in systems allowing tight light confinement and low optical loses. Good candidates for this are the Photonic Crystal (PhC) nanocavities, which have been extensively studied in recent years. Among the great diversity of nonlinear processes in optics, nonlinear dynamical phenomena such as bistability and excitability have recently received considerable attention. While bistability is well known as a building block for all-optical memories, switching and logic gates, excitability has been demonstrated in optics about fifteen years ago: coming from neuroscience, it is the mechanism underlying action potential firing in neurons. In this work, we have studied bistable, self-pulsing and excitable regimes in InP-based PhC nanocavities. In order to achieve efficient light coupling into the nanocavities, we have developed an evanescent coupling technique using tapered optical microfibers. As a result, we have demonstrated for the first time excitability in a PhC nanocavity. In addition, we have accomplished the first step towards nonlinear dynamics in arrays of coupled cavities by demonstrating optical linear coupling between adjacent nanocavitites. This was achieved using far field measurements of photoluminescence. A set of coupled nonlinear resonators opens the door to a rich family of nonlinear dynamical phenomena based on spontaneous symmetry breaking. We have theoretically demonstrated this phenomenon in two evanescently coupled cavities. The first experimental studies on this regime were carried out, which establish a basis for a future demonstration of spontaneous symmetry breaking in arrays of nonlinear coupled PhC nanocavities.

Le siècle dernier a vu l'accomplissement de la mécanique quantique, du traitement de l'information etde l'optique intégrée. Aujourd'hui, ces trois domaines se rencontrent pour donner naissance à l'optiqueintégrée pour les communications quantiques. Un des enjeux aujourd'hui dans ce domaine est ledéveloppement de sources de photons unique aux longueurs d’onde des télécommunications fibrés.Durant ce travail de thèse les émetteurs étudiés sont des boîtes quantiques d’InAsP épitaxiés parEPVOM (Epitaxie en Phase Vapeur aux OrganoMétalliques). On démontrera que ces objets uniquessont capables d’émettre des états quantiques de la lumière grâce à une expérience de dégroupement dephotons. De plus la spectroscopie de ces objets sera déduite des études résolues en temps. Lapossibilité d’intégrer ces objets au sein de nanocavité de taille ultime permet de modifier leur tauxd’émission spontanée, ainsi les résultats obtenus grâce aux cavités métalliques permettent d’observerune accélération de l’émission spontanée sur une large bande spectrale. Finalement il a été mis enévidence une forte modification de l’émission d’un ensemble de boîtes quantiques entre 4K et 300K,en utilisant une technique originale basé sur l’effet laser. / The last century saw the advent of quantum mechanics, information processing and integrated optics.These fields lead to the integrated optics for quantum communication. One of the challenges is thedevelopment of single photon sources operating at fiber’s telecommunication wavelength. In this workwe use quantum dots growth by MOVPE (MetalOrganic Vapour Phase Epitaxy). We demonstratethese emitters can generate some quantum state of light thanks to the antibunching experiment.Moreover the spectroscopy of these objects will be deducted by the time resolved spectroscopy. Thepossibility to integrate these sources in ultimate’s size cavity permits to modify the spontaneous rateemission, so the result obtain with metallic cavity permit to observe an acceleration of the spontaneousemission on a wide spectral band. Finally a strong emission modification of the quantum dot’sensemble between 4K and 300K will be presented by using an original way based on the laser effect.