Vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) are complex multi-layer structures whose operating characteristics are highly sensitive to variations in layer thickness and composition. They contain an active region of one or more quantum wells sandwiched between highly reflecting mirrors. Non-destructive optical characterisation techniques including reflectance spectroscopy, spectroscopic ellipsometry and photomodulated reflectance have been used to examine these structures and various components of them. In addition, the relatively novel technique of photomodulated spectroscopic ellipsometry has been examined in comparison with photomodulated reflectance in the characterisation of bulk, multi-layer and quantum well material. The distributed Bragg reflectors of VCSELs provide the high reflectance required over a selected wavelength range. Optical measurements were used to determine important information concerning layer thicknesses and compositions, which were confirmed with X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The techniques were also used to provide important information concerning growth and uniformity, which could be readily applied for feedback to growers or for device fabrication. Novel reflectance and photomodulated reflectance measurements made on a range of laser structures designed to operate over a range of wavelengths from 650 nm to 1 ?m were used to examine the characteristics of the reflectors and the active region of the lasers. The cavity mode observed clearly indicates the lasing wavelength, and the interaction of the cavity and quantum well has been interpreted using new lineshapes. The cavity mode and quantum well resonance observed in photomodulated reflectance has been shown to provide a clear indication of where devices can be fabricated successfully from non-uniform material. The identification of the cavity and quantum well features has also enabled important information concerning the changes in structure and therefore in device performance with temperature and pressure. Measurements have also been able to provide important information to explain the variation in performance of some devices.

Sverige är för tillfället operativa med Helikopter 16 - Black Hawk i Afghanistan. Uppgiften som löses i Afghanistan är främre och taktisk sjuktransport (MEDEVAC). Detta arbete handlar om hur befintliga VMS-system i helikoptrar kan kompletteras i syfte att möta ett föreliggande prickskyttehot vid lösande av främre MEDEVAC i ett insatsområde som miljömässigt liknar Afghanistan. I arbetet analyseras möjliga tekniker utifrån aspekter från ett konstruerat scenario där helikopterbesättningarnas uppgift, insatsmiljö samt hotbild beskrivs. Resultatet visar på att MEDEVAC-helikoptrar kan utrustas med sensor-gimbaler där olika sensorer kan kombineras, vilket möjliggör spaning i 360°. Detta bidrar till den militära nyttan då helikopterpersonalens lösande av uppgift effektiviseras, chansen till överlevnad ökar samtidigt som personal och patienter kan känna sig tryggare. / Currently, Sweden has operative Black Hawk helicopters in Afghanistan. The tasks they are solving in Afghanistan are forward and tactical Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC). This work is about how existing Electronic Warfare Systems in helicopters can be supplemented in order to face a present sniper-threat during forward MEDEVAC in a conflict area which environmentally reminds of Afghanistan. In this work, a few possible techniques will be analyzed. This analyze will be based on aspects from a constructed scenario where the task to be solved, the conflict area, and the known threat is described. The result shows that MEDEVAC-helicopters can be equipped with operator-controlled sensor-gimbals where different electro-optical sensors can be combined. Gimbals allow reconnaissance in 360°. This contributes to the military utility since the main task can be solved by the helicopter personnel more effectively. Also, the probability of survival will probably increase and the personnel and wounded soldiers might feel more secure than before.

Le contexte de cette thèse est celui des communications optiques sans fil pour des applications en environnements indoor. Pour discuter des performances d'une liaison optique sans fil, il est nécessaire d'établir une étude caractéristique du comportement du canal de propagation. Cette étude passe par l'étape de la mesure ou de l'estimation par la simulation de la réponse impulsionnelle. Après avoir décrit la composition d'une liaison et passé en revue les méthodes de simulation existantes, nous présentons nos algorithmes de simulation dans des environnements réalistes, en nous intéressant à leurs performances en termes de précision et de temps de calcul. Ces méthodes sont basées sur la résolution des équations de transport de la lumière par du lancer de rayons associées aux méthodes d'intégration stochastique de Monte Carlo. La version classique de ces méthodes est à la base de trois algorithmes de simulations proposés. En utilisant une optimisation par des chaînes de Markov, nous présentons ensuite deux autres algorithmes. Un bilan des performances de ces algorithmes est établi dans des scénarios mono et multi-antennes. Finalement, nous appliquons nos algorithmes pour caractériser l'impact de l'environnement de simulation sur les performances d'une liaison de communication par lumière visible, à savoir les modèles d'émetteurs, les matériaux des surfaces, l'obstruction du corps de l'utilisateur et sa mobilité, et la géométrie de la scène de simulation. / The context of this PhD thesis falls within the scope of optical wireless communications for applications in indoor environments. To discuss the performance of an optical wireless link, it is necessary to establish a characteristic study of the behavior of the optical wave propagation channel. This study can be realized by measurement or by the simulation of the channel impulse response. After describing the composition of an optical wireless link and reviewing existing simulation methods, we present our new simulation algorithms channel in realistic environments by focusing on their performances in terms of accuracy and their complexity in terms of computation time. These methods are based on solving the light transport equations by ray-tracing techniques associated with stochastic Monte Carlo integration methods. The classical version of these methods is the basis of three proposed simulation algorithms. By applying an optimization using Markov Chain, we present two new algorithms. A performance assessment of our simulation algorithms is established in mono and multi-antenna scenarios of our simulation algorithms. Finally, we present the application of these algorithms for characterizing the impact of the simulation environment on the performances of a visible light communication link. We particularly focus on the transmitter models, surface coating materials, obstruction of the user's body and its mobility, and the geometry of the simulation scene.