Multi-frequency imaging of perfectly conducting cracks via boundary measurements

Imaging of perfectly conducting crack(s) in a 2-D homogeneous medium using boundary data is studied. Based on the singular structure of the Multi-Static Response (MSR) matrix whose elements are normalized by an adequate test function at several frequencies, an imaging functional is introduced and analyzed. A non-iterative imaging procedure is proposed. Numerical experiments from noisy synthetic data show that acceptable images of single and multiple cracks are obtained.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

The topological ligament in shape optimization: a connection with thin tubular inhomogeneities

In this article, we propose a formal method for evaluating the asymptotic behavior of a shape functional when a thin tubular ligament is added between two distant regions of the boundary of a domain. In the contexts of the conductivity equation and the linear elasticity system, we relate this issue to a perhaps more classical problem of thin tubular inhomogeneities: we analyze the solutions to versions of the physical partial differential equations which are posed inside a fixed "background" medium, and whose material coefficients are altered inside a tube with vanishing thickness. Our main contribution from the theoretical point of view is to propose a heuristic energy argument to calculate the limiting behavior of these solutions with a minimum amount of effort. We retrieve known formulas when they are available, and we manage to treat situations which are, to the best of our knowledge, not reported in the literature (including the setting of the 3d linear elasticity system). From the numerical point of view, we propose three different applications of the formal "topological ligament" approach derived from these expansions. At first, it is an original way to account for variations of a domain, and it thereby provides a new type of sensitivity for a shape functional, to be used concurrently with more classical shape and topological derivatives in optimal design frameworks. Besides, it suggests new, interesting algorithms for the design of the scaffold structure sustaining a shape during its fabrication by a 3d printing technique, and for the design of truss-like structures. Several numerical examples are presented in two and three space dimensions to appraise the efficiency of these methods

Photonic Design: From Fundamental Solar Cell Physics to Computational Inverse Design

Photonic innovation is becoming ever more important in the modern world. Optical systems are dominating shorter and shorter communications distances, LED's are rapidly emerging for a variety of applications, and solar cells show potential to be a mainstream technology in the energy space. The need for novel, energy-efficient photonic and optoelectronic devices will only increase. This work unites fundamental physics and a novel computational inverse design approach towards such innovation. The first half of the dissertation is devoted to the physics of high-efficiency solar cells. As solar cells approach fundamental efficiency limits, their internal physics transforms. Photonic considerations, instead of electronic ones, are the key to reaching the highest voltages and efficiencies. Proper photon management led to Alta Device's recent dramatic increase of the solar cell efficiency record to 28.3%. Moreover, approaching the Shockley-Queisser limit for any solar cell technology will require light extraction to become a part of all future designs. The second half of the dissertation introduces inverse design as a new computational paradigm in photonics. An assortment of techniques (FDTD, FEM, etc.) have enabled quick and accurate simulation of the "forward problem" of finding fields for a given geometry. However, scientists and engineers are typically more interested in the inverse problem: for a desired functionality, what geometry is needed? Answering this question breaks from the emphasis on the forward problem and forges a new path in computational photonics. The framework of shape calculus enables one to quickly find superior, non-intuitive designs. Novel designs for optical cloaking and sub-wavelength solar cell applications are presented.Comment: 137 pages, 55 figures. PhD thesis, Electrical Engineering, Berkeley (2012