Printed Circuit Board (PCB) design process and fabrication

This module describes main characteristics of Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs). A brief history of PCBs is introduced in the first chapter. Then, the design processes and the fabrication of PCBs are addressed and finally a study case is presented in the last chapter of the module.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Laser-assisted deposition of thin films from photoexcited vapour phases

Laser-assisted chemical vapour deposition (LCVD) has been extensively studied in the last two decades. A vast range of applications encompass various areas such as microelectronics, micromechanics, microelectromechanics and integrated optics, and a variety of metals, semiconductors and insulators have been grown by LCVD. In this article, we review briefly the LCVD process and present two case studies of thin film deposition related to laser thermal excitation (e.g., boron carbide) and non-thermal excitation (e.g., CrO(2)) of the gas phase

Determinants of CEO compensation : the portuguese case study

A compensação dos CEOs é um tema de interesse global. Os escândalos empresariais, para além de terem trazido um interesse acrescido a este tema, trouxeram também uma série de requerimentos com os quais as empresas devem cooperar, e divulgações que as empresas devem fazer. Esta tese tem como objectivo verificar quais são as variáveis que definem, e determinam, o nível de compensação dos CEOs das empresas portuguesas cotadas para o período entre 2011 e 2017. Realizámos duas anaálises complementares, uma análise cross-section, e uma análise em painel. As variáveis testadas como determinantes incluem performance, dimensão, anos como CEO, propriedade, conselho de administração, consultores da comissão de remunerações, dualidade e TSR. Os resultados deste estudo revelaram que a compensação dos CEOs é determinada pela performance e pelos anos em que desempenham a função de CEO na empresa. Também foi detetada a existência de impacto, da dimensão e do número de consultores da comissão de remuneração, na determinação do nível de compensação.CEO compensation is a topic of interest throughout the world. Corporate scandals brought an increased interest in the topic, but also compliance requirements that companies must disclose, such as CEO compensation. This thesis aims to assess what defines and determines the level of CEO compensation in Portuguese listed companies, for the period between 2011 and 2017. We have performed two complementary analysis, a cross section analysis and a panel analysis. The determinants tested included company performance and size, tenure, ownership, Board of Directors, compensation consultants, duality and TSR. Our results show that CEO compensation is determined by company performance, as well as by CEO tenure. It was also found an impact of company size, and number of compensation consultants, on CEO compensation

New microbial inocula for bioaugmentation : novel product design and valorization

Biological processes as bioremediation hold a promising alternative to overcome pollution accumulation worldwide. There are commercial products available for bioremediation, most based on strains from few species of Bacillus and Pseudomonas. In the present work, both direct isolation and adaptive evolution experiments (AEx) were set-up to screen new and improved microbial biodegraders towards fat, oils and grease (FOG) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contaminants. By the direct isolation, 196 microorganisms were screened and fingerprinted by PCR with primers csM13 and PH, allowing the selection of two bacterial strains, identified as Aeromonas sp. and Staphylococcus sp., with good biodegradation capacity for FOG residues. The AEx focused on PAH pollution and insoluble triglycerides, and were conducted for 110 cycles, creating a collection of 455 microorganisms (bacteria and yeast) by selective solid media isolation. All isolates were analysed by PCR-fingerprint with multiple primers (csM13, PH and [GTG]5), to assess genomic diversity and detect indistinguishable isolates. The microbial population changes during AEx were also followed by third generation sequencing, to assess limitations and bias of the isolation strategy. A total of 19 microorganisms were selected and identified as belonging to Acinetobacter, Brevundimonas, Paraburkholderia, Pigmentiphaga, Pseudomonas, Sphingobacterium and Yarrowia, genera with known biodegradative ability. Methods were developed for effective pollutant removal quantification to compare the selected isolates. Concerning FOG residues, a gravimetric approach showed that the two best isolates removed 90% and 55% of FOG, after 5 days assay. For PAH, a HPLC quantification method revealed that the two best isolates were capable to remove 40% of anthracene and 60% phenanthrene, after 5 days assay. These results pave the way for the integration of the selected strains into new products, with high added value and effectiveness as an ecological bioremediation alternative, to deal with recalcitrant pollutants as FOG and PAH

Internet vecí

V súcasnosti architektúra založená na Internete dovoluje výmenu služieb a tovarov medzi prvkami, zariadeniami a objektami pripojenými do siete. IoT sa odvoláva na sietové pripojenie každodenných objektov, ktoré sú casto vybavené urcitým druhom inteligencie. V tomto kontexte môže byt Internet taktiež platforma pre zariadenia na elektronickú komunikáciu, zdielanie informácií a špecifických dát so svetom okolo nich. Takže IoT môže byt vnímaný ako reálna evolúcia toho, co rozumieme pod slovom Internet. Internet bol z väcšej casti využívaný na spojovo orientované aplikacné protokoly ako HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) a SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol). Napriek tomu v dnešnej dobe velké množstvo inteligentných zariadení komunikuje medzi sebou a dalšími riadiacimi systémami. Tento koncept je známy ako M2M (Machine-to-Machine communications).Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Internet de las cosas

Este es un curso de introducción a la IoT (Internet de las cosas). En los capítulos primeros capítulos se introducen los conceptos básicos sobre la IoT. Seguidamente se presentan nociones básicas sobre el protocolo de internet IPv6 que es el más utilizado en el entorno de la IoT y se describen las principales aplicaciones, el estado actual del mercado y las tecnologías que permiten la existencia de la IoT. Finalmente se analizan los retos de futuro que se consideran más importantes.Postprint (published version

Internet of things

This is an introductory course to the IoT (Internet of things). In the early chapters the basics about the IoT are introduced. Then basics of IPv6 internet protocol that is the most used in IoT environment as well as main applications, the current state of the market and the technologies that enable the existence of the IoT are described. Finally the future challenges that are considered most important are discussed.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Surprises of the transformer as a coupled oscillator system

We study a system of two RLC oscillators coupled through a variable mutual inductance. The system is interesting because it exhibits some peculiar features of coupled oscillators: (i) there are two natural frequencies; (ii) in general, the resonant frequencies do not coincide with the natural frequencies; (iii) the resonant frequencies of both oscillators differ; (iv) for certain choices of parameters, there is only one resonant frequency, instead of the two expected

Green energy

This book descrives main characteristics and applications of most relevant sources of renewable energies as hydroelectric, wind and geothermal energies, biomass, and photovoltaic solar energy.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Internet der Dinge

Dieser Kurs bietet die Einführung zum Thema Internet der Dinge (engl. IoT, Internet of Things). In den ersten Kapiteln werden grundlegende Informationen über IoT präsentiert. Danach folgt die Beschreibung des im IoT am häufigsten eingesetzten Internetprotokolls IPv6, der wichtigsten Anwendungen, des jetzigen Zustands auf dem Markt und der Technologien, welche die Existenz von IoT an sich erlauben. Schließlich werden die wesentlichsten künftigen Herausforderungen behandelt.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version