Modeling semi-conductor thermal properties. The dispersion role

We study heat transport in semiconductor nanostructures by solving the Boltzmann Transport Equation (BTE) by means of the Discrete Ordinate Method (DOM). Relaxation time and phase and group velocitiy spectral dependencies are taken into account. The Holland model of phonon relaxation time is revisited and recalculated from dispersion relations (taken in litterature) in order to match bulk silicon and germanium values. This improved model is then used to predict silicon nanowire and nanofilm thermal properties in both ballistic and mesoscopic regimes

Transfert de chaleur à échelles de temps et d'espace ultra-courtes (simulation numérique pour des nanofils et nanofilms de semiconducteur)

Le développement des nouvelles technologies entraîne une réduction considérable de la taille des systèmes des composants. Afin de prédire leur comportement, il est nécessaire de connaître leurs propriétés physiques. Dans ce contexte, ce travail s attache à approfondir les connaissances des propriétés thermiques des semiconducteurs en effectuant des simulations numériques des transferts de chaleur dans des nanostructures. Les transferts de chaleur sont analysés grâce à l équation de Boltzmann en utilisant la me thode des ordonnées discrètes. Le comportement spectral des porteurs de chaleur, caractérisés par les phonons, est pris en compte à travers leurs vitesses de déplacement et leurs temps de relaxation. Des résultats sont exploités en régime stationnaire afin d établir les propriétés thermiques des composants. Il a été montré que la loi de Fourier décrit correctement les transferts de chaleur dans les nanofils. En revanche, pour que cette loi soit valable dans les films à température ambiante l épaisseur de ces structures doit être supérieure au micromètre. Pour des plus petites épaisseurs, les transferts de chaleur par conduction présente une forte composante balistique et ont un comportement analogue à celui du rayonnement en milieu faiblement absorbant. Enfin, la prise en compte de la dépendance spectrale a permis des études en régime instationnaire. Il est, ainsi, montré l évolution thermique dans les nanostructures aux échelles ultracourtes. On observe que la propagation de la chaleur par conduction dans les systèmes balistiques présente deux vagues, conséquence de la différence entre les vitesses propres aux polarisations des phonons.Since high technology progress decreases system dimensions, it is necessarily to understand their physical properties. Therefore, this work contributes in the thermal property knowledge. Numerical simulations are then done to predict heat transfer. To achieve this request, Boltzmann transfer equation is solved, using the discrete ordinate method. Since nanowires and nanofilms are frequently found in microelectronics, their geometries are studied. Furthermore, heat carrier spectral dependence is taken into account trough their velocities and relaxation times. In a first hand, steady state results are used to define thermal properties. It is shown that, in nanowires, diffusive regime is always observed whereas, in films, Fourier s law can only be used for thickness greater than 1 m, at ambient temperature. For lower temperatures or thicknesses, heat transfers are governed by ballistic phenomena. Finally, taken into account spectral dependences allow us to predict heat transfer at small time scales. It is then viewed that conduction heat transfers in ballistic regime have two temperature waves due to phonon polarizationsPOITIERS-BU Sciences (861942102) / SudocSudocFranceF

Monte Carlo simulation of phonon confinement in silicon nanostructures: Application to the determination of the thermal conductivity of silicon nanowires

International audienc

Étude numérique de la conduction thermique dans les nanostructures

International audienc

Pituitary Gonadotropins, Prolactin and Growth Hormone Differentially Regulate AQP1 Expression in the Porcine Ovarian Follicular Cells

The present in vitro study analyzed whether the hormones that affect the ovarian follicular steroidogenesis process also participate in the regulation of AQP1 mRNA and protein expression. Granulosa (Gc) and theca cells (Tc) of medium and large porcine ovarian follicles were exposed to follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin (PRL) and growth hormone (GH) for 24 h in separated cells and co-cultures of these cells. Real-time PCR, Western blotting, immunofluorescence and volumetric analysis were then performed. Gonadotropins, PRL and GH had a stimulatory impact on AQP1 mRNA and protein expression in Gc and Tc of medium and large ovarian cells. Moreover, swelling assays, in response to a hypotonic environment, demonstrated the functional presence of AQPs in porcine Gc and Tc. Immunofluorescence analysis showed that AQP1 protein was mainly localized in the perinuclear region of the cytoplasm, endosomes and cell membranes of Gc and Tc from medium and large follicles. It seems possible that AQP1 present in Gc and Tc cells may be implicated not only in the regulation of water homeostasis required for follicle development but also in cell proliferation and migration

Reference values for local arterial stiffness. Part A: carotid artery

Non-invasive measures of common carotid artery properties, such as diameter and distension, and pulse pressure, have been widely used to determine carotid artery distensibility coefficient - a measure of carotid stiffness (stiffness ∼1/distensibility coefficient). Carotid stiffness has been associated with incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) and may therefore be a useful intermediate marker for CVD. We aimed to establish age and sex-specific reference intervals of carotid stiffness

Reference values for local arterial stiffness. Part B: femoral artery

Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) is considered the gold standard measure of arterial stiffness, representing mainly aortic stiffness. As compared with the elastic carotid and aorta, the more muscular femoral artery may be differently associated with cardiovascular risk factors (CV-RFs), or, as shown in a recent study, provide additional predictive information beyond carotid-femoral PWV. Still, clinical application is hampered by the absence of reference values. Therefore, our aim was to establish age and sex-specific reference values for femoral stiffness in healthy individuals and to investigate the associations with CV-RFs

Reference intervals for common carotid intima-medi thickness measured with echotracking: Relation with risk factors

Aims Common carotid artery intima-media thickness (CCIMT) is widely used as a surrogate marker of atherosclerosis, given its predictive association with cardiovascular disease (CVD). The interpretation of CCIMT values has been hampered by the absence of reference values, however. We therefore aimed to establish reference intervals of CCIMT, obtained using the probably most accurate method at present (i.e. echotracking), to help interpretation of these measures. Methods and results We combined CCIMT data obtained by echotracking on 24 871 individuals (53% men; age range 15-101 years) from 24 research centres worldwide. Individuals without CVD, cardiovascular risk factors (CV-RFs), and BP-, lipid-, and/or glucose-lowering medication constituted a healthy sub-population (n 1/4 4234) used to establish sex-specific equations for percentiles of CCIMT across age. With these equations, we generated CCIMT Z-scores in different reference subpopulations, thereby allowing for a standardized comparison between observed and predicted ('normal') values from individuals of the same age and sex. In the sub-population without CVD and treatment (n 1/4 14 609), and in men and women, respectively, CCIMT Z-scores were independently associated with systolic blood pressure [standardized bs 0.19 (95% CI: 0.16-0.22) and 0.18 (0.15-0.21)], smoking [0.25 (0.19-0.31) and 0.11 (0.04-0.18)], diabetes [0.19 (0.05-0.33) and 0.19 (0.02-0.36)], total-to-HDL cholesterol ratio [0.07 (0.04-0.10) and 0.05 (0.02-0.09)], and body mass index [0.14 (0.12-0.17) and 0.07 (0.04-0.10)]. Conclusion We estimated age- and sex-specific percentiles of CCIMT in a healthy population and assessed the association of CVRFs with CCIMT Z-scores, which enables comparison of IMT values for (patient) groups with different cardiovascular risk profiles, helping interpretation of such measures obtained both in research and clinical settings. © 2012 The Author All rights reserved