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Les nombreuses problématiques soulevées par la nanostructuration des électrodes pour batteries Li-Ion nécessitent de nouveaux développements théoriques. Ce travail propose une nouvelle méthodologie basée sur des calculs de type premiers principes (DFT) et prenant en compte explicitement les phénomènes électrochimiques à l'échelle du matériau massif, de ses surfaces et de ses interfaces. Développée dans le cadre des réactions de conversion, en particulier celle de l'oxyde de cobalt  CoO + 2 Li → Co + Li2O, cette méthodologie, simple et généralisable à tout type de réaction polyphasée, permet de dégager les facteurs mécaniques, chimiques et électriques responsables des phénomènes électrochimiques aux interfaces et d'interpréter les mécanismes réactionnels observés expérimentalement. / The numerous questions arising from the nanostructuration of Li-ion batteries require new developments in theoretical methods. This work proposes a new methodology based on first principles calculations (DFT) andallows explicit treatment of the electrochemical phenomena at the bulk compound level, and also at the surface and interface level.Developed in the context of the conversion reactions, in particular the conversion of the cobalt oxide CoO + 2 Li → Co + Li2O, this simple methodology can be extended to any polyphasic reaction. It sheds light on the mechanical, chemical and electrical factors responsible for the electrochemical phenomena at the interfaces and allows the interpretation of the mechanisms that are experimentally observed.

The growth and morphology of fibroblasts cultured on a physically and chemically modified surface was investigated. The need to understand cellular relationships with surface topography and chemistry is essential in the fields of biomedical engineering and biotechnology. It is well documented that mammalian cell behavior senses and responds to the surrounding micro- and nano- scale environment, but the research defining the chemistry, surface architecture, and material properties for control of this behavior is still in its infancy. The cell response to a substrate is complex, involving membrane proteins, extracellular matrix (ECM), cytoskeletal rearrangement, and changes in gene expression. Conventional cell culture is carried out on two-dimensional (2-D) cell culture platforms, such as polystyrene (PS) or glass, and forces cell behavior to adapt and adhere to an unnatural, planar environment. The biological behavior of these cells is used as a starting point for drug screening, implant design, and metabolic processes, but this is a misrepresentation of cells in their native environment. This discrepancy may be hampering biological research or initiating experimental efforts that are invalid. This body of work seeks to address these issues and contains established protocols for inexpensive, pseudo three-dimensional (3-D) culture scaffolds. The research described offers a multi-disciplinary approach for fabrication of biomaterials to achieve user defined or in vivo cell behavior using human fibroblasts. To provide insight into the design of alternative cell culture templates we have analyzed cell-surface interactions and characterized the surface properties. The substrates fabricated utilized micro-roughened surface topography with 2 – 6 µm wide features and surface chemistry as a method for controlling cell behavior. Surface roughness was templated onto polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and PS. The fabricated polymer surfaces have been characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM), contact angle goniometry, fluorescence microscopy, and infrared (IR) spectroscopy. Initial studies of the textured surface yielded a super-hydrophobic surface with a 154° contact angle and high surface adhesion that was investigated using surface free energy calculations. This was followed by modification of the micro-roughness with self-assembled monolayers (SAMs), proteins, or thin films of polymer for use as a culture platform for cells. Cell behavior on the modified polymers was compared and analyzed against unmodified surfaces and tissue culture PS dishes. Cell morphology on rough PDMS surface was altered by the surface topography decreasing the average cell area to 1760 µm2 compared to an average cell area of 3410 µm2 on smooth PDMS. Gene expression changes were also noted with a 2.3 fold increase in the matrix metalloproteinase, MMP14, in cells on the rough surface compared to cells cultured on Petri dishes. Surface roughness was also combined with other surface modification methods for cell culture, including cell alignment and cell sheet engineering. 50 µm wide lines of fibronectin (FN) patterned on the rough PDMS induced cell directionality while still maintaining a pseudo 3-D culture system creating the first cell culture surface of its kind. The micro-roughness was also templated onto PS and chemically modified with a thermo-responsive polymer. This novel surface produced confluent cell sheets that detached from the surface when cooled below 32°C. Cell sheets cultured on the modified PS surfaces had an increase in FN fibril formation stimulated by the surface roughness when compared to cell sheets detached from a smooth, control surface. The minor alterations to surface topology were proven to be effective in modifying cell biochemical response compared to cells cultured on flat substrates. Differences in surface topography and chemistry stimulated changes in cell adhesion, cytoskeletal arrangement, ECM composition, and gene expression. These cell properties were used as markers for comparison to native cell systems and other reports of 3 D culture scaffolds. The mechanism of altering cell response is discussed in each chapter with respect to the specific type of surface used and compared to cell response and behavior on planar culture systems. New fabrication procedures are described that include the incorporation of other surface modification techniques such as SAMs, surface patterning, and thermo-responsive polymer grafting with surface roughness for original cell culture platforms to mimic an in vivo environment. The research presented here demonstrates that micro- and nano- changes to surface topography have large impacts on the cell-surface relationship which have important implications for research and medical applications involving adherent cells.

Nous avons étudié les phénomènes de croissance des interfaces terres rares sur semi conducteur

This dissertation aims to further the understanding of the complex communication that occurs as cells interact with topographical and chemical patterns on a biomaterial interface. The research accomplishes this through two aims fabricating cell substrate surface topography and chemical patterns independently using non-cleanroom approaches, and analyzing higher order cellular response to surface features. The work will impact biomaterial surface modification and fabrication which will apply to biomedical implanted devices, tissue engineering scaffolds, and biological analysis devices. The first aim seeks to apply non-traditional topographical and chemical patterning methods in order to create independent topographical and chemical patterns on cell culture substrates. Experiments use the resulting patterned substrates to quantify cellular alignment to surface topography and compare the relative influence of topographical and chemical patterns on cellular response. The combined patterning methods of imprint lithography and micro-contact printing result in a high-throughput technique applicable to a variety of materials and a range of feature sizes from nanoscale through microscale, thereby enabling future analysis of cell response to surface features. The second aim evaluates the impact of topographical and chemical features on cellular differentiation. Experiments use patterned topography overlaid with a characterized chemical model layer to evaluate the effects of topography on myoblast differentiation and alignment. Chemical patterns that independently control available cell spreading area and modulate cell-cell contact are used to investigate the impact of cell-cell contact on differentiation.

The soil-structure interface is fundamental to the performance of many geotechnical engineering systems; including penetration test devices, deep foundations, and retaining structures. In geotechnical engineering structures, the counterface may range from a polymer in the case of a geosynthetically reinforced earth retaining structure to steel for cone penetration testing or pile foundations. Interface strength is affected by many factors, among which surface roughness is the most dominant. To date common practice has been to characterize counterface surface roughness by a roughness parameter based on only its spatial properties and soil roughness separately by various incompatible means resulting in two roughness values unrelated to each other. The vast number of analyzing methods and developed parameters reveal the general confusion regarding this concept. Rather than analyzing the particulate and continuum media separately, it is compulsory to coalesce the analysis and quantify the relative nature of interface behavior. This can be accomplished by examining the particulate and continuum media through the same powerful tools. The motive of this study is to develop a unified approach to determining the index properties of particles and surfaces in a particle-surface interface. This is accomplished by examining several particle shape and surface roughness parameters in terms of their ability to uniquely describe and distinguish particulate medium and continuum roughness, respectively. In this study, surfaces are analyzed as derived particles by wrapping surface profiles and particles are evaluated as derived surfaces via unrolling particle outlines. In addition, particle shape parameters are modified to allow surface roughness analysis and surface roughness parameters are modified to characterize particle shape. A unified approach for particulate shape and continuum roughness would ultimately lead to a better understanding of micro-scale interaction mechanism and better quantification of macro-scale mobilized resistance for soil and engineering surface interaction.

Selon la feuille de route des industriels de la microélectronique (ITRS), la dimension critiqueminimum des MOSFET en 2026 ne devrait être que de 6 nm [1]. La miniaturisation du CMOS reposeessentiellement sur deux approches, à savoir la réduction des dimensions géométriques physiques etdes dimensions équivalentes. La réduction géométrique des dimensions conduit à la diminution desdimensions critiques selon la « loi » de Moore, qui définit les tendances de l’industrie dessemiconducteurs. Comme la taille des dispositifs est réduite de façon importante, davantage d’effortssont consentis pour maintenir les performances des composants en dépit des effets de canaux courts,des fluctuations induites par le nombre de dopants…. [2-4]. D’autre part, la réduction des dimensionséquivalentes devient de plus en plus importante de nos jours et de nouvelles solutions pour laminiaturisation reposant sur la conception et les procédés technologiques sont nécessaires. Pour cela,des solutions nouvelles sont nécessaires, en termes de matériaux, d’architectures de composants et detechnologies, afin d’atteindre les critères requis pour la faible consommation et les nouvellesfonctionnalités pour les composants futurs (“More than Moore” et “Beyond CMOS”). A titred’exemple, les transistors à film mince (TFT) sont des dispositifs prometteurs pour les circuitsélectroniques flexibles et transparents. / Novel advanced metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) devices such as fully-depleted-silicon-on-insulator (FD-SOI) Tri-gate transistor, junctionless transistor, and amorphous-oxide-semiconductor thin film transistor were developed for continuing down-scaling trend and extending the functionality of CMOS technology, for example, the transparency and the flexibility. In this dissertation, the electrical characteristics and modeling of these advanced MOS devices are presented and they are analyzed. The sidewall mobility trends with temperature in multi-channel tri-gate MOSFET showed that the sidewall conduction is dominantly governed by surface roughness scattering. The degree of surface roughness scattering was evaluated with modified mobility degradation factor. With these extracted parameters, it was noted that the effect of surface roughness scattering can be higher in inversion-mode nanowire-like transistor than that of FinFET. The series resistance of multi-channel tri-gate MOSFET was also compared to planar device having same channel length and channel width of multi-channel device. The higher series resistance was observed in multi-channel tri-gate MOSFET. It was identified, through low temperature measurement and 2-D numerical simulation, that it could be attributed to the variation of doping concentration in the source/drain extension region in the device. The impact of channel width on back biasing effect in n-type tri-gate MOSFET on SOI material was also investigated. The suppressed back bias effects was shown in narrow device (Wtop_eff = 20 nm) due to higher control of front gate on overall channel, compared to the planar device (Wtop_eff = 170 nm). The variation of effective mobility in both devices was analyzed with different channel interface of the front channel and the back channel. In addition, 2-D numerical simulation of the the gate-to-channel capacitance and the effective mobility successfully reconstructed the experimental observation. The model for the effective mobility was inherited from two kinds of mobility degradations, i.e. different mobility attenuation along lateral and vertical directions of channel and additional mobility degradation in narrow device due to the effect of sidewall mobility. With comparison to inversion-mode (IM) transistors, the back bias effect on tri-gate junctionless transistors (JLTs) also has been investigated using experimental results and 2-D numerical simulations. Owing to the different conduction mechanisms, the planar JLT shows more sensitive variation on the performance by back biasing than that of planar IM transistors. However, the back biasing effect is significantly suppressed in nanowire-like JLTs, like in extremely narrow IM transistors, due to the small portion of bulk neutral channel and strong sidewall gate controls. Finally, the characterization method was comprehensively applied to a-InHfZnO (IHZO) thin film transistor (TFT). The series resistance and the variation of channel length were extracted from the transfer curve. And mobility values extracted with different methods such as split C-V method and modified Y-function were compared. The static characteristic evaluated as a function of temperature shows the degenerate behavior of a-IHZO TFT inversion layer. Using subthreshold slope and noise characteristics, the trap information in a-IHZO TFT was also obtained. Based on experimental results, a numerical model for a-IHZO TFT was proposed, including band-tail states conduction and interface traps. The simulated electrical characteristics were well-consistent to the experimental observations. For the practical applications of novel devices, the electrical characterization and proper modeling are essential. These attempts shown in the dissertation will provides physical understanding for conduction of these novel devices.

Η παρούσα εργασία εστιάζεται στη μελέτη και την αλγοριθμική υλοποίηση των κλασσικών θεωριών Ενεργού Μέσου που αναπτύχθηκαν από τους Maxwell-Garnett και Bruggeman, μεταγενέστερες επεκτάσεις τους καθώς επίσης και ενός μοντέλου βασισμένο στη «θεωρία Mie», με σκοπό να διερευνηθεί εάν και σε ποιόν βαθμό, μπορούν να συμβάλλουν στην προσομοίωση του φαινομένου της τραχύτητας των διεπιφανειών μιας πολυστρωματικής δομής. Στόχος ακόμα της εργασίας είναι η ανάπτυξη φιλικού προς το χρήστη λογισμικού σε περιβάλλον Matlab, το οποίο να ενσωματώνει όλες τις υλοποιήσεις των ανωτέρω θεωριών Ενεργού Μέσου αλλά και εν μέρει να αυτοματοποιεί μέσω αυτών, τη αντιμετώπιση του φαινομένου της τραχύτητας. Το λογισμικό που αναπτύχθηκε συνδυάστηκε με υφιστάμενο λογισμικό της θεωρίας Χαρακτηριστικού Πίνακα για την συνολική αποτίμηση των οπτικών ιδιοτήτων σύνθετων επιστρώσεων. Στο πειραματικό σκέλος της εργασίας, αναπτύχθηκαν με τις μεθόδους Doctor Blade και εξάχνωσης με πυροβόλο δέσμης ηλεκτρονίων, δείγματα μονής επίστρωσης (διηλεκτρικών 𝑇𝑇𝑇2,𝑍𝑛𝑇), διπλής επίστρωσης τύπου «διηλεκτρικό-μέταλλο» (𝑊𝑇3/𝐴𝑔) και τριπλής επίστρωσης τύπου «διηλεκτρικό–μέταλλο-διηλεκτρικό» (𝑊𝑇3/𝐴𝑔/𝑊𝑇3). Για την ασφαλή αξιολόγηση των διαφόρων θεωρητικών μοντέλων που αναπτύχθηκαν, διενεργήθηκαν πολλαπλές μετρήσεις μορφολογίας, πάχους, τραχύτητας και οπτικής συμπεριφοράς (AFM, SEM, XRR, Προφιλομετρία ακίδας, UV-Vis φασματομετρία) Έτσι, τα πεδία σύγκρισης των μοντέλων με τα πειραματικά δεδομένα ήταν τα διαγράμματα φασματικής διαπερατότητας/ανακλαστικότητας και τα επιμέρους πάχη των συμπαγών στρωμάτων και των διεπιφανειών. Από τις απόπειρες προσομοίωσης των παραπάνω επιστρώσεων προκύπτουν σημαντικά συμπεράσματα αναφορικά με την εγκυρότητα των θεωρητικών μοντέλων ως προς την ικανότητα περιγραφής της οπτικής συμπεριφοράς. Το μοντέλο “Mie” περιγράφει εξαιρετικά την οπτική συμπεριφορά απλών υμενίων με έντονη παρουσία αέρα στο εσωτερικό τους, ανεξάρτητα από τα χαρακτηριστικά τραχύτητας που παρουσιάζουν. Αντίθετα, η εγκυρότητα των θεωριών Ενεργού Μέσου σε αυτές τις περιπτώσεις εξαρτάται αυστηρά από τα χαρακτηριστικά τραχύτητας. Παρόλα αυτά οι θεωρίες Ενεργού Μέσου και ιδιαίτερα η περίπτωση Bruggeman, επιτυγχάνουν μια ιδιαίτερα σημαντική βελτίωση στην πρόβλεψη της οπτικής συμπεριφοράς πολυστρωματικών επιστρώσεων – όπου η θεωρία Mie αποτυγχάνει - με την ενσωμάτωσης της τραχύτητας επιφάνειας και διεπαφών. Τέλος δίνονται κατευθύνσεις για την περεταίρω βελτίωση των μοντέλων εξομοίωσης της τραχύτητας αλλά και για την ανάπτυξη ενός ολοκληρωμένου προγράμματος που θα αντιμετωπίζει συνολικά το θέμα της θεωρητικής σχεδίασης επιστρώσεων λεπτών υμενίων. Αποτελέσματα της παρούσας, χρησιμοποιήθηκαν στην δημοσιευθείσα εργασία: • E. Koubli, S. Tsakanikas, G. Leftheriotis*, G. Syrrokostas and P. Yianoulis, Optical properties and stability of near-optimum WO3/Ag/WO3, Solid State Ionics. / This work focuses on the study and algorithmic implementation of the classical Effective Medium theories developed by Maxwell-Garnett and Bruggeman, subsequently extended versions of them as well as a “Mie Theory” based model, in order to investigate whether - and to which extend - they can be exploited for the simulation of surface and interface roughness of a multilayer structure. It also aims in the development of user-friendly software (Matlab graphical user interface), which will integrate the implementations of all the above theories, in order to easily attain different approaches to the composite medium and to deal with the phenomenon of roughness. The overall assessment of the optical properties of composite, multilayer coatings was achieved by the combination of the software described above with an existing Transfer Matrix program. The experimental part of this work included the development, through Doctor Blade and E-gun Vapor Deposition techniques, of single-layer coatings (𝑇𝑇𝑇2, ZnO dielectrics), double-layer coatings of the "dielectric-metal" type (𝑊𝑇3/𝐴𝑔) and triple-layer coatings of the "dielectric-metal-dielectric" type (𝑊𝑇3/𝐴𝑔/𝑊𝑇3). For the safe evaluation of the developed theoretical models, multiple experimental techniques (AFM, SEM, XRR, Step Profilometry, and UV-Vis Spectrometry) were used for the measurement of the morphology, thickness, roughness and optical performance of the coatings. Thus, the evaluation of the theoretical models was based upon the comparison to the experimental data, using criteria such as the spectral transmittance/reflectance response and the thickness of the individual compact layers and interfaces of the coatings. The simulations of the above coatings yielded important conclusions regarding the validity of the theoretical models in the description of optical behavior. "Mie" model is found to describe extremely well the optical properties of simple thin-films containing significant amounts of air, regardless of the roughness characteristics that they present. On the contrary, the validity of Effective Medium theories in such cases is strongly dependent on the characteristics of roughness. Nevertheless Effective Medium theories and particularly the case of Bruggeman are proved to significantly contribute in the forecasting of multilayer coatings’ optical behavior - where Mie theory fails – by the incorporation of surface and interfaces roughness. Finally, directions are given for further improvement for the roughness simulation models as well as for the development of a complete program that would holistically account for the theoretical design/simulation of thin-film coatings. Results of the present work were used in the following published paper: • E. Koubli, S. Tsakanikas, G. Leftheriotis*, G. Syrrokostas and P. Yianoulis, Optical properties and stability of near-optimum WO3/Ag/WO3, Solid State Ionics.

Im Bereich der industriellen Metallurgie und Kristallzüchtung treten bei zahlreichen Anwendungen, wo magnetische Wechselfelder zur induktiven Beeinflussung von leitfähigen Werkstoffen eingesetzt werden, auch Strömungen mit freier Oberfläche auf. Das Anwendungsspektrum reicht dabei vom einfachen Aufschmelzen eines Metalls in einem offenen Tiegel bis hin zur vollständigen Levitation. Auch der sogenannte RGS-Prozess, ein substratbasiertes Kristallisationsverfahren zur Herstellung siliziumbasierter Dünnschichtmaterialien, ist dafür ein Beispiel. Um bei solchen Prozessen die Interaktion von Magnetfeld und Strömung zu untersuchen, ist die numerische Simulationen ein wertvolles Hilfsmittel. Für beliebige dreidimensionale Probleme werden entsprechende Berechnungen bisher durch eine externe Kopplung kommerzieller Programme realisiert, die für Magnetfeld und Strömung jeweils unterschiedliche numerische Techniken nutzen. Diese Vorgehensweise ist jedoch im Allgemeinen mit unnötigem Rechenaufwand verbunden. In dieser Arbeit wird ein neu entwickelter Methodenapparat auf Basis der FVM vorgestellt, mit welchem sich diese Art von Berechnungen effizient durchführen lassen. Mit der Implementierung dieser Methoden in foam-extend, einer erweiterten Version der quelloffenen Software OpenFOAM, ist daraus ein leistungsfähiges Werkzeug in Form einer freien Simulationsplattform entstanden, welches sich durch einen modularen Aufbau leicht erweitern lässt. Mit dieser Plattform wurden in foam-extend auch erstmalig dreidimensionale Induktionsprozesse im Frequenzraum gelöst.