Disentangling electron- and electric field-induced ring-closing reactions in a diarylethene derivative on Ag(111)

Using scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy we investigate the adsorption properties and ring-closing reaction of a diarylethene derivative (C5F-4Py) on a Ag(111) surface. We identify an electron-induced reaction mechanism, with a quantum yield varying from $10^{-14}-10^{-9}$ per electron upon variation of the bias voltage from $1-2$ V. We ascribe the drastic increase in switching efficiency to a resonant enhancement upon tunneling through molecular orbitals. Additionally, we resolve the ring-closing reaction even in the absence of a current passing through the molecule. In this case the electric-field can modify the reaction barrier, leading to a finite switching probability at 4.8 K. A detailed analysis of the switching events shows that a simple plate-capacitor model for the tip-surface junction is insufficient to explain the distance dependence of the switching voltage. Instead, describing the tip as a sphere is in agreement with the findings. We resolve small differences in the adsorption configuration of the closed isomer, when comparing the electron- and field-induced switching product

Geophysical investigation of the Pb-Zn deposit of Lontzen-Poppelsberg, Belgium

The drillhole information from the Lontzen-Poppelsberg site has demonstrated three orebodies and has allowed the estimation of the extension of the lodes, their dip, and the location at the ground surface. The localisation of the lodes makes them excellent targets for further exploration with geophysics. This deposit is classified as a Mississippi Valley Type (MVT) deposit. It consists mainly of Pb-Zn-Fe sulphides that display contrasting values in resistivity, chargeability, density, and magnetic susceptibility, with regards to the sedimentary host rocks. The dipole-dipole direct current (DC) resistivity and induce polarization (IP) profiles have been collected and inverted to successfully delineate the Pb-Zn mineralization and the geological structures. Short-spacing EM34 electromagnetic conductivity data were collected mainly on the top of Poppelsberg East lode and have revealed a conductive body matching with the geologically modelled mineralization. Gravity profiles have been carried out perpendicularly to the lode orientation; they show a strong structural anomaly. High resolution ground magnetic data were collected over the study area, but they showed no anomaly over the ore deposits. The geophysical inversion results are complementary to the model based on drill information, and allow us to refine the delineation of the mineralization. The identification of the geophysical signatures of this deposit permits targeting new possible mineralization in the area

Design et Analyse de sécurité pour les constructions en cryptographie symétrique

The work done during this Ph.D. lies at the crossroads of symmetric cryptography and constraints environments. The goal of such cryptography, called lightweight cryptography, is to propose and evaluate symmetric algorithms that can be implemented on very ressource limited devices. The contributions of this thesis are first on the security evaluations of feedback with carry shift registers (FCSR) to some new attacks and second on a unified vision of generalized Feistel networks (GFNs) that allows to better understand their cryptographic properties. These studies gave rise to two new lightweight algorithms: first GLUON a hash function based upon FCSRs and second the cipher LILLIPUT based on a family further extanding the notion of generalized Feistel network. Finally, a generic method for carrying out a differential fault attack on GFNs is outlined.Les travaux réalisés au cours de cette thèse se situent au carrefour de la cryptographie symétrique et du monde des environnements contraints. Le but de cette cryptographie, dite cryptographie à bas coût, est de fournir et d'évaluer des algorithmes symétriques pouvant être implémentés sur des systèmes très limités en ressources. Les contributions de cette thèse portent d'une part sur l'évaluation de la sécurité des registres à décalage à rétroaction avec retenue (FCSR) face à de nouvelles attaques et d'autre part sur une vision unifiée des différents schémas de Feistel généralisés (GFN) qui permet de mieux cerner leurs propriétés cryptographiques. Ces études ont donné lieu à deux nouveaux algorithmes à bas coût~; d'une part GLUON une fonction de hachage à base de FCSR et d'autre part le chiffrement LILLIPUT basé sur une famille étendant plus avant la notion de GFN. Enfin, une méthode générique permettant de réaliser des attaques différentielles en fautes sur des GFN est esquissée

Emissions from pre-Hispanic metallurgy in the South American atmosphere

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Taxation and Customs Reforms in Fragile States: Between Bargaining and Enforcement

In the last decade, African authorities and the international community have called for support to increase taxation capacity in order to reduce reliance on aid flows. This commitment to support tax administrations was reflected in the 2015 Addis Tax Initiative (ATI), which advocated ‘to double assistance to developing countries in order to strengthen their tax systems and administrations’ by the year 2020 (IMF 2017: 6). Increasing domestic resource mobilisation is even more salient for state-building in fragile states, in terms of providing costly services to citizens, including security, across national territory. There is a rich literature (Acemoglu and Robinson 2012; Besley and Persson 2009) arguing that robust and inclusive fiscal institutions are essential for state-building and economic growth. This is not the situation in fragile states