Access profile

Given the multidisciplinary nature of the scientific field of the programme, there are a wide range of degrees that qualify applicants for admission. The most suitable applicants to the doctoral programme in Computational and Applied Physics will, in the near future, be those with scientific and technological profiles who have completed the master’s programme in Computational and Applied Physics or a master’s-level programme in a similar scientific field. In addition to this academic background, certain personal characteristics are also considered important, such as interest in the research projects being carried out in the programme, critical and analytical capacities, having initiative, being consistent and persistent with work, being able to work in a team and being able to communicate properly both in writing and orally.

Output profile

Doctoral candidates who complete a doctoral degree will have acquired the following competencies, which are needed to carry out quality research (Royal Decree 99/2011, of 28 January, which regulates official doctoral studies):

a) A systematic understanding of the field of study and a mastery of the research skills and methods related to the field.
b) An ability to conceive, design or create, put into practice and adopt a substantial process of research or creation.
c) An ability to contribute to pushing back the frontiers of knowledge through original research.
d) A capacity for critical analysis and an ability to assess and summarise new and complex ideas.
e) An ability to communicate with the academic and scientific community and with society in general as regards their fields of knowledge in the manner and languages that are typical of the international scientific community to which they belong.
f) An ability to foster scientific, technological, social, artistic and cultural progress in academic and professional contexts within a knowledge-based society.

The award of a doctoral degree must equip the graduate for work in a variety of settings, especially those requiring creativity and innovation. Doctoral graduates must have at least acquired the personal skills needed to:

a) Develop in contexts in which there is little specific information.
b) Find the key questions that must be answered to solve a complex problem.
c) Design, create, develop and undertake original, innovative projects in their field.
d) Work as part of a team and independently in an international or multidisciplinary context.
e) Integrate knowledge, deal with complexity and make judgements with limited information.
f) Offer criticism on and intellectually defend solutions.

Finally, with respect to competencies, doctoral students must:
a) have acquired advanced knowledge at the frontier of their discipline and demonstrated, in the context of internationally recognised scientific research, a deep, detailed and well-grounded understanding of theoretical and practical issues and scientific methodology in one or more research fields;
b) have made an original and significant contribution to scientific research in their field of expertise that has been recognised as such by the international scientific community;
c) have demonstrated that they are capable of designing a research project that serves as a framework for carrying out a critical analysis and assessment of imprecise situations, in which they are able to apply their contributions, expertise and working method to synthesise new and complex ideas that yield a deeper knowledge of the research context in which they work;
d) have developed sufficient autonomy to set up, manage and lead innovative research teams and projects and scientific collaborations (both national and international) within their subject area, in multidisciplinary contexts and, where appropriate, with a substantial element of knowledge transfer;
e) have demonstrated that they are able to carry out their research activity in a socially responsible manner and with scientific integrity;
f) have demonstrated, within their specific scientific context, that they are able to make cultural, social or technological advances and promote innovation in all areas within a knowledge-based society;
g) have demonstrated that they are able to participate in scientific discussions at the international level in their field of expertise and disseminate the results of their research activity to audiences of all kinds.

Number of places

15

Duration of studies and dedication regime

Duration
The maximum period of study for full-time doctoral studies is three years, counted from the date of admission to the programme to the date of submission of the doctoral thesis. The academic committee of the doctoral programme may authorise a doctoral candidate to pursue doctoral studies on a part-time basis. In this case, the maximum period of study is five years, counting from the date of admission to the programme to the date of submission of the doctoral thesis. For calculating these periods, the date of admission is considered to be the date of the first enrolment for tutorials, and the date of submission the moment in which the Doctoral School officially deposits the doctoral thesis.

For full-time doctoral candidates, the minimum period of study is two years, counted from the date of an applicant's admission to the programme until the date on which the doctoral thesis is deposited; for part-time doctoral candidates it is four years. When there are justified grounds for doing so, and the thesis supervisor and academic tutor have given their authorisation, doctoral candidates may request that the academic committee of their doctoral programme exempt them from the minimum period of study requirement.

The calculation of periods of study will not include periods of absence due to illness, pregnancy or any other reason provided for in the regulations in force. Students who find themselves in any of these circumstances must notify the academic committee of the doctoral programme, which, where appropriate, must inform the Doctoral School. Doctoral candidates may also temporarily withdraw from the programme for up to one year, and this period may be extended for an additional year. Doctoral candidates who wish to interrupt their studies must submit a justified request to the academic committee of the doctoral programme, which will decide whether or not to approve the request. Each programme will establish conditions for readmission to doctoral studies.

Extension
If full-time doctoral candidates have not applied to deposit their thesis by the end of the three-year period of study, the academic committee of the programme may authorise an extension of up to one year. In exceptional circumstances, a further one-year extension may be granted, subject to the conditions established by the corresponding doctoral programme. In the case of part-time doctoral candidates, an extension of two years may be authorised. In both cases, in exceptional circumstances a further one-year extension may be granted by the Doctoral School's Standing Committee, upon the submission of a reasoned application by the academic committee of the doctoral programme.

Dismissal from the doctoral programme
A doctoral candidate may be dismissed from a doctoral programme for the following reasons:

• The doctoral candidate submitting a justified application to withdraw from the programme.
• The maximum period of study and of extensions thereof ending.
• The doctoral candidate not having enrolled every academic year (unless he or she has been authorised to temporarily withdraw).
• The doctoral candidate failing two consecutive assessments.
• The doctoral candidate having disciplinary proceedings filed against him or her that rule that he or she must be dismissed from the UPC.

Dismissal from the programme implies that doctoral candidates cannot continue studying at the UPC and the closing of their academic record. This notwithstanding, they may apply to the academic committee of the programme for readmission and the committee must reevaluate them in accordance with the criteria established in the regulations.

Organization

• Mazzanti Castrillejo, Ferran

• Batiste Boleda, Oriol
• Guardia Manuel, Elvira
• Lopez Codina, Daniel
• Masoller, Cristina
• Mazzanti Castrillejo, Ferran
• Ortega Fernandez, Ana Maria
• Pineda Soler, Eloi
• Sánchez Baena, Juan
• Torres Gil, Santiago
• Vazquez Arenas, Beni

• Department of Physics (PROMOTORA)

doctorat.fa@upc.edu

Access profile

Given the multidisciplinary nature of the scientific field of the programme, there are a wide range of degrees that qualify applicants for admission. The most suitable applicants to the doctoral programme in Computational and Applied Physics will, in the near future, be those with scientific and technological profiles who have completed the master’s programme in Computational and Applied Physics or a master’s-level programme in a similar scientific field. In addition to this academic background, certain personal characteristics are also considered important, such as interest in the research projects being carried out in the programme, critical and analytical capacities, having initiative, being consistent and persistent with work, being able to work in a team and being able to communicate properly both in writing and orally.

Access requirements

Applicants must hold a Spanish bachelor’s degree or equivalent and a Spanish master’s degree or equivalent, provided they have completed a minimum of 300 ECTS credits on the two degrees (Royal Decree 43/2015, of 2 February)

In addition, the following may apply:

• Holders of an official degree awarded by a university in Spain or any other country in the European Higher Education Area, pursuant to the provisions of Article 16 of Royal Decree 1393/2007, of 29 October, which establishes official university course regulations, who have completed a minimum of 300 ECTS credits on official university degrees, of which at least 60 must be at the master's degree level.
• Holders of an official Spanish bachelor’s degree comprising at least 300 credits, as provided for by EU regulations. Holder of degrees of this kind must complete bridging courses unless the curriculum of the bachelor’s degree in question included research training credits equivalent in value to those which would be earned on a master's degree.
• Holders of an official university qualification who, having passed the entrance examination for specialised medical training, have completed at least two years of a training course leading to an official degree in a health-sciences specialisation.
• Holders of a degree issued under a foreign education system. In these cases, homologation is not required, but the UPC must verify that the degree certifies a level of training equivalent to an official Spanish master's degree and qualifies the holder for admission to doctoral studies in the country where it was issued. Admission on this basis does not imply homologation of the foreign degree or its recognition for any purpose other than admission to doctoral studies.
• Holders of a Spanish doctoral qualification issued under previous university regulations.

Note 1: Doctoral studies entrance regulations for holders of an undergraduate degree awarded before the introduction of the EHEA (CG 47/02 2014)

Note 2: Governing Council Decision 64/2014, which approves the procedure and criteria for assessing the fulfilment of academic admission requirements for doctoral studies by holders of non-homologated foreign degrees (CG 25/03 2014)

Admission criteria and merits assessment

Training complements

The academic committee for the programme may require that doctoral students pass specific bridging courses. In this case, the committee will monitor the bridging courses and set up appropriate criteria to limit their length.

The courses could involve training in research or transversal education, but in no case will candidates be required to enrol in 60 or more ECTS credits (according to the academic regulations for doctoral studies, bridging courses could include transversal education, but there are plans to change to this so that these bridging courses exclusively provide research credits, especially in cases involving 300-ECTS-credit doctoral programmes).

Depending on the activities completed by the candidates, the programme’s Academic Committee may propose measures, in addition to those established by current regulations, that would disassociate candidates who do not meet the established requisites.

The doctoral programme may require potential candidates to complete certain bridging courses in order to better adapt their profiles to the programme’s requirements regarding the knowledge necessary to properly complete the doctoral studies.

The quantity of bridging courses required will depend on the education and training that students accredit having achieved, but candidates could be required to complete 10 to 30 additional ECTS credits at the master’s level. The decision regarding which master’s courses students will have to take to complete the bridging courses will be made jointly by the programme’s Academic Committee and the student’s tutor. In any case, the aim of the courses will always be to fill in the gaps that students are seen to have in their academic transcripts.

Enrolment period for new doctoral students

Students enrolling in the doctoral programme for the first time must do so by the deadline specified in the admission decision.
Unless otherwise expressly indicated, enrolments corresponding to admission decisions issued from the second half of April on must be completed within the ordinary enrolment period for the current academic year.

More information at the registration section for new doctoral students

Enrolment period

Ordinary period for second and successive enrolments: first half of October.

More information at the general registration section

Procedure for the preparation and defense of the research plan

Doctoral candidates must submit a research plan, which will be included in their doctoral student activity report, before the end of the first year. The plan may be improved over the course of the doctoral degree. It must be endorsed by the tutor and the supervisor, and it must include the method that is to be followed and the aims of the research.

At least one of these annual assessments will include a public presentation and defence of the research plan and work done before a committee composed of three doctoral degree holders, which will be conducted in the manner determined by each academic committee. The examination committee awards a Pass or Fail mark. A Pass mark is a prerequisite for continuing on the doctoral programme. Doctoral candidates awarded a Fail mark must submit a new research plan for assessment by the academic committee of the doctoral programme within six months.

The committee assesses the research plan every year, in addition to all of the other activities in the doctoral student activity report. Doctoral candidates who are awarded two consecutive Fail marks for the research plan will be obliged to definitely withdraw from the programme.

If they change the subject of their thesis, they must submit a new research plan.

Formation activities

1. Activity: Tutorial.

Description: Counselling, assistance, supervision and follow-up regarding the candidate’s activities.

Type of activity: compulsory.

Number of hours: 288.

2. Activity: Mobility.

Description: Stays in foreign centres to carry out research activities and/or participate in conferences directly related with the candidate’s thesis or with another topic of interest to the candidate’s education.

Type of activity: optional.

Number of hours: 480.

3. Activity: Assessment based on follow-up with the Doctoral Student Activity Report and the research plan.

Description: Annual assessment report on the candidates by the Academic Committee.

Type of activity: compulsory.

Number of hours: 4.

4. Activity: Training in information skills.

Description: Learn to identify when and why information is needed, where to find it and how to ethically evaluate, use and communicate that information.

Type of activity: optional.

Number of hours: 1,5.

5. Activity: Research methodologies.

Description:Provide conceptual and methodological research tools for qualitative and quantitative research.

Type of activity: optional.

Number of hours: 12.

6. Activity: Innovation and creativity.

Description: Introduction to models of creativity that have been developed in a wide range of disciplines, including marketing, advertising and neurolinguistic programming, all applied to the development of personal and professional projects.

Type of activity: optional.

Number of hours: 8.

7. Activity: Language and communication skills.

Description: Acquire a set of knowledge, capacities and attitudes needed to interpret and produce messages and communicate effectively in a wide range of contexts.

Type of activity: optional.

Number of hours: 18.

8. Activity: Courses and seminars.

Description: Attend courses, conferences and seminars.

Type of activity: optional.

Number of hours: 30.

9. Activity: Publications.

Description: Prepare publications and go through the revision process.

Type of activity: optional.

Number of hours: 250.

Procedure for assignment of tutor and thesis director

The academic committee of the doctoral programme assigns a thesis supervisor to each doctoral candidate when they are admitted or enrol for the first time, taking account of the thesis supervision commitment referred to in the admission decision.

The thesis supervisor will ensure that training activities carried out by the doctoral candidate are coherent and suitable, and that the topic of the candidate’s doctoral thesis will have an impact and make a novel contribution to knowledge in the relevant field. The thesis supervisor will also guide the doctoral candidate in planning the thesis and, if necessary, tailoring it to any other projects or activities undertaken. The thesis supervisor will generally be a UPC professor or researcher who holds a doctoral degree and has documented research experience. This includes PhD-holding staff at associated schools (as determined by the Governing Council) and UPC-affiliated research institutes (in accordance with corresponding collaboration and affiliation agreements). When thesis supervisors are UPC staff members, they also act as the doctoral candidate’s tutor.

PhD holders who do not meet these criteria (as a result of their contractual relationship or the nature of the institution to which they are attached) must be approved by the UPC Doctoral School's Standing Committee in order to participate in a doctoral programme as researchers with documented research experience.

The academic committee of the doctoral programme may approve the appointment of a PhD-holding expert who is not a UPC staff member as a candidate’s thesis supervisor. In such cases, the prior authorisation of the UPC Doctoral School's Standing Committee is required. A UPC staff member who holds a doctoral degree and has documented research experience must also be proposed to act as a co-supervisor, or as the doctoral candidate’s tutor if one has not been assigned.

A thesis supervisor may step down from this role if there are justified reasons (recognised as valid by the committee) for doing so. If this occurs, the academic committee of the doctoral programme will assign the doctoral candidate a new thesis supervisor.

Provided there are justified reasons for doing so, and after hearing any relevant input from the doctoral candidate, the academic committee of the doctoral programme may assign a new thesis supervisor at any time during the period of doctoral study.

If there are academic reasons for doing so (an interdisciplinary topic, joint or international programmes, etc.) and the academic committee of the programme gives its approval, an additional thesis supervisor may be assigned. Supervisors and co-supervisors have the same responsibilities and academic recognition.

The maximum number of supervisors of a doctoral thesis is two: a supervisor and a co-supervisor.

For theses carried out under a cotutelle agreement or as part of an Industrial Doctorate, if necessary and if the agreement foresees it this maximum number of supervisors may not apply. This notwithstanding, the maximum number of supervisors belonging to the UPC is two.

More information at the PhD theses section

Permanence

The academic committee of the programme may authorise an extension of up to one year for full-time doctoral candidates who have not applied to deposit their thesis by the end of the three-year period of study, in the terms outlined in the Academic Regulations for Doctoral Studies of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. In the case of part-time candidates, an extension of two years may be authorised. In both cases, in exceptional circumstances a further one-year extension may be granted by the Doctoral School's Standing Committee, upon the submission of a reasoned application by the academic committee of the doctoral programme.

A doctoral candidate may be dismissed from a doctoral programme for the following reasons:

• The doctoral candidate submitting a justified application to withdraw from the programme.
• The maximum period of study and of extensions thereof ending.
• The doctoral candidate not having enrolled every academic year (unless he or she has been authorised to temporarily withdraw).
• The doctoral candidate failing two consecutive assessments.
• The doctoral candidate having disciplinary proceedings filed against him or her that rule that he or she must be dismissed from the UPC.

Dismissal from the programme implies that doctoral candidates cannot continue studying at the UPC and the closing of their academic record. This notwithstanding, they may apply to the academic committee of the programme for readmission and the committee must reevaluate them in accordance with the criteria established in the regulations.

International Mention

The doctoral degree certificate may include International Doctorate mention. In this case, the doctoral candidate must meet the following requirements:

a) During the period of study leading to the award of the doctoral degree, the doctoral candidate must have spent at least three months at a respected higher education institution or research centre outside Spain to complete courses or do research work. The stays and activities carried out must be endorsed by the thesis supervisor and authorised by the academic committee of the programme. The candidate must provide a certifying document issued by the person responsible for the research group of the body or bodies where the stay or activity was completed. This information will be added to the doctoral student’s activity report.
b) Part of the thesis (at least the summary and conclusions) must be written and presented in one of the languages commonly used for science communication in the relevant field of knowledge, which must not be an official language of Spain. This rule does not apply to stays and reports in Spanish or to experts from Spanish-speaking countries.
c) At least two PhD-holding experts belonging to a higher education institution or research centre outside Spain must have issued officially certified reports on the thesis.
d) The thesis examination committee must have included at least one PhD-holding expert from a higher education or research institution outside Spain who was not responsible for the candidate’s stay abroad (point a) above).
e) The thesis defence must have taken place on UPC premises or, in the case of joint programmes, at the location specified in the collaboration agreement.

List of authorized thesis for defense

• YUAN, MINGYUE: Historical copper and iron coloured glazes and glasses
  
  Author: YUAN, MINGYUE
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN COMPUTATIONAL AND APPLIED PHYSICS
  Department: Department of Applied Physics (FA)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 18/09/2023
  Reading date: pending
  Reading time: pending
  Reading place: pending
  Thesis director: PRADELL CARA, TRINITAT
  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: GARCIA ARANDA, MIGUEL ANGEL
       SECRETARI: MOLERA I MARIMÓN, JUDIT
       VOCAL: VILARIGUES, MARCIA
  Thesis abstract: Coloured glazes and glasses have attracted human interest since antiquity for their aesthetic appeal and multiple functionalities. Asindicators of technological progress, artistic expression, and social stratification in different historical periods, copper and iron haveemerged as the predominant colourants in historic glazes and glasses, offering a remarkable spectrum of hues influenced byvarying contents, ratios, and atmospheric conditions in their production. In order to explore the intricacies of copper red formation, toaddress the limited research on iron yellow in high-lead glazes, and to understand the interaction of both cations in glaze colour, weinvestigated four representative cases, high-lead imperial iron yellow glazes from the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1616-1912)dynasties, North Song (960-1127) dynasty copper and iron blue and red Jun ware glazes, late Tang (9th-10th century) dynastycopper green and red Changsha ware glazes, and 13th to the 20th century European copper red window glasses. Using acomplementary set of analytical techniques, including ultraviolet-visible-near infrared (UV-VIS-NIR) spectroscopy, optical microscopy(OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron microprobe analysis (EMPA), laser ablation inductively coupled plasma massspectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), micro X-ray diffraction (µ-XRD) and X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS), we investigated the opticalproperties, micro/nanostructures, glaze and glass compositions, valence state, and coordination structures. Our results revealeddistinct variations in glaze and body composition for the high-lead yellow glazes of the Ming and Qing dynasties, while demonstratingthe influence of factors such as glaze thickness, firing temperature, substrate composition, and firing atmosphere on glaze colour.The study of Jun ware glazes elucidated the glass nanostructure and the oxidation-reduction dynamics of iron and copper,explaining the sky-like appearance of the glazes. Similarly, our study of Changsha ware glazes revealed the role of phase separationand copper oxidation state in glaze opacity and colour, and the influence of sulphur in the formation of copper nanoparticles. Finally,our study of European red window glass identified three distinct technologies, highlighting the role of copper nanoparticles in the redcolouring and the role of iron, sulphur and tin in copper reduction. In summary, this comprehensive investigation has improved ourunderstanding of the colouring mechanisms and compositional differences in historic glazes and glasses, and provides valuableinsights into ancient glassmaking technologies.Key words: Historical glaze; Red window glass; Iron; Copper; Sulphur; Tin; XAFS; Micro-XRD
  

Last update: 04/10/2023 04:45:29.

List of lodged theses

Last update: 04/10/2023 04:30:30.

List of defended theses by year

• CAMPOS COSTA MARREIROS FIGUEIRA, JOANA: Three-dimensional SPH simulations of the interaction between the nova ejecta and the companion star
  
  Author: CAMPOS COSTA MARREIROS FIGUEIRA, JOANA
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN COMPUTATIONAL AND APPLIED PHYSICS
  Department: Department of Physics (FIS)
  Mode: Normal
  Reading date: 31/05/2023
  Thesis director: JOSE PONT, JORDI
  

  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: HERNANZ CARBÓ, MARGARITA
       SECRETARI: SALA CLADELLAS, GLÒRIA
       VOCAL: ABIA LADRÓN DE GUEVARA, CARLOS
  Thesis abstract: Classical and Recurrent novae are thermonuclear explosions hosted by accreting white dwarfs in stellar binary systems. Material piles up on top of the white dwarf star under mildly degenerate conditions, driving a thermonuclear runaway. The energy released by the suite of nuclear processes operating at the envelope heats the material up to peak temperatures ranging from 100 to 400 MK. In these events, about 10^-3 - 10^-7 M¿, enriched in CNO and, sometimes, other intermediate-mass elements (e.g., Ne, Na, Mg, Al), are ejected into the interstellar medium.To date, most of the e¿orts undertaken in the modeling of classical nova outbursts have focused on the early stages of the explosion and ejection, ignoring the interaction of the ejecta, ¿rst with the accretion disk orbiting the white dwarf, and ultimately with the secondary star.In this thesis, a suite of three-dimensional, SPH (Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics) simulations of the interaction between the nova ejecta, the accretion disk, and the stellar companion have been performed to ¿ll this gap, aimed at testing the in¿uence of the di¿erent parameters (e.g., mass and velocity of the ejecta, mass and geometry of the accretion disk, mass of the white dwarf, orbital period...) on the dynamical (and chemical) properties of di¿erent classical and recurrent nova systems.
  

• MARTIN RODRIGUEZ, JOSE DAVID: Hydrodynamic models of accretion onto rotating compact stars
  
  Author: MARTIN RODRIGUEZ, JOSE DAVID
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN COMPUTATIONAL AND APPLIED PHYSICS
  Department: Department of Physics (FIS)
  Mode: Normal
  Reading date: 07/07/2023
  Thesis director: JOSE PONT, JORDI
  

  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: SERENELLI, ALDO M
       SECRETARI: GARCÍA SENZ, DOMINGO
       VOCAL: ISERN I VILABOY, JORDI
  Thesis abstract: Hydrodynamic models are essential for our understanding of the physics of stellar explosions, and specifically, for their potential contribution to the Galactic chemical abundances.In this Work, a one-dimensional (spherically symmetric), hydrodynamic code, in Lagrangian formulation (SHIVA code), built originally to model classical nova outbursts (José and Hernanz 1998; Jose 2016), has been improved both computationally, with its parallelization (Martin, Jose, and Longland 2018 and Appendix A), and physically with the addition of rotation. These improvements allow us to present here the first models of X-ray bursts that include accretion, convection, nucleosynthesis, and rotation simultaneously and self-consistently.Rotation is traditionally implemented in 1D codes by adopting three reasonable assumptions: 1) Shellular rotation (angular velocity ¿ and chemical composition constant on an isobar); 2) Roche approximation (i.e. mass strongly centrally concentrated); and 3) Equivalent volumes (the rotating ellipsoid is approximated by a sphere of the same volume). The instabilities induced by rotation are treated by the equation of transport of angular momentum by meridional circulation, turbulent horizontal diffusivity, and gradients of the mean molecular weight µ. This equation has been extended to also account for expansion and contraction in non-stationary models.In this PhD Thesis, we investigate the effects of rotation on the properties of Xray bursts. Our calculations confirmed the pressure-lifting effect caused by rotation as well as the significant photospheric expansion growth with the increase of the angular velocity. Moreover, rotation has also an effect on several observables of type I X-ray bursts: the lightcurves and the associated nucleosynthesis. Models with larger rotational velocities result in larger duration lightcurves, with notoriously different shape. Rotation also reduces the recurrence times between bursts. With respected to the nucleosynthesis produced in type I X-ray bursts, all models reported on this thesis show a similar abundance pattern after each burst, dominated by the presence of intermediate-mass elements (i.e., 32S, 60Ni, 64Zn). The most noticeable difference seen is the amount of unburned fuel (1H and 4He), leftover after the bursting sequence, which depends on the specific rotational velocity adopted.
  

• MÚGICA GALLART, JULIA: Collective motion and collective decision-making in animal groups: From scholling fish to swaming robots
  
  Author: MÚGICA GALLART, JULIA
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN COMPUTATIONAL AND APPLIED PHYSICS
  Department: Department of Physics (FIS)
  Mode: Normal
  Reading date: 07/06/2023
  Thesis director: PASTOR SATORRAS, ROMUALDO | MIGUEL LOPEZ, M. DEL CARMEN
  

  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: SALVADOR I BELTRÁN, FRANCESC
       SECRETARI: CAMPOS MORENO, DANIEL
       VOCAL: BARONCHELLI, ANDREA
  Thesis abstract: Collective behavior in animals is ubiquitous in nature. It emerges from the self-organization of interacting individuals within a group. What makes collective behavior so interesting is that the behavior of the group as a whole cannot be predicted from the actions of its individual members alone. In recent decades, there has been a growing interest in understanding how collective behavior emerges from individual interactions. This research has revealed that self-organization in biological systems share common functional properties that can trigger behavioral transitions that endow collectives with adaptive capabilities.The main objective of this work is to explore the underlying mechanisms from which complex collective behavior can emerge and adapt. We concentrate our analysis in the collective motion of schooling fish and consensus reaching in swarming robots in a model of honeybees nest site selection. We study the collective motion of black neon tetra (Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi) by recording their movements in an experimental tank and using a custom tracking software to extract individual trajectories. Our analysis of the data reveals a strong correlation between swimming speed and collective ordering. We explore this correlation in the Vicsek model, a self-propelled particles model, and discover that the system undergoes a disorder-to-order phase transition with an increase in particles' speed. By modifying the Vicsek model to include periodically oscillating speed, we are able to replicate the black neon tetra's type of locomotion. This suggests that fish can reduce the effect of noise by increasing their speed and favoring alignment forces. Modulating directional synchronization through speed has adaptive benefits, enabling faster and more efficient transfer of information. We also investigate the presence and characteristics of avalanches in our fish school, which occur when fish abruptly rearrange their direction of motion. We observe that the size and duration of these avalanches follow a scale-free pattern similar to self-organized critical systems. Additionally, certain fish are more likely to initiate avalanches, acting as effective leaders. By incorporating a global leader that periodically changes direction, we replicate in the Vicsek model the intermittent scale-free behavior observed in fish schools. Our findings highlight the importance of individual variability in triggering behavioral cascades. To analyze collective decision-making we study a decentralized model that simulates honeybees' nest site selection process. The model integrates independent site discovery and communication to reach consensus on the best site. We thoroughly characterize the model's parameters in a mean-field approximation and test its feasibility by adding space, locality, and situatedness to the dynamics by using kilobots, small swarming robots capable of exchanging information with neighboring robots. Remarkably, the level of stationary consensus in our results from kilobots closely matches the consensus stationary values predicted by the mean-field approximation. To explain this result, we examine the connectivity of the kilobots system in our experimental arena, and demonstrate that, from local interactions and mobility, kilobots form a percolating communication network from which they transmit information as efficiently as in the mean-field approximation. The kilobots' movement effectively induces an extension of the interaction radius in respect to the static scenario, which is especially important in the high communication regime. Our results demonstrate that this model can explain honeybees consensus reaching on the best available site by local dynamical interactions. Our findings inspire further exploration in individuals variability in self-organizing systems, with the aim of developing more comprehensive models and expanding knowledge of the universality of collective behavior.
  

• ORDOÑEZ PIMENTEL, JONATHAN: Theoretical and experimental investigation on the visible-light controlled functional properties in charged domain wall ferroelectrics
  
  Author: ORDOÑEZ PIMENTEL, JONATHAN
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN COMPUTATIONAL AND APPLIED PHYSICS
  Department: Department of Physics (FIS)
  Mode: Change of supervisor
  Reading date: 24/03/2023
  Thesis director: GARCIA GARCIA, JOSE EDUARDO | VENET ZAMBRANO, MICHEL
  

  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: GARCÍA GARCÍA-TUÑON, MIGUEL ÁNGEL
       SECRETARI: CAZORLA SILVA, CLAUDIO
       VOCAL: AMORÍN GONZÁLEZ, HARVEY
  Thesis abstract: Optical control of ferroelectric properties has been attracted a growing interest as an alternative to the conventional control by applied electric fields. However, the major drawback for achieving an effective reversible optical control of domain rearrangement in conventional ferroelectrics lies in their wide optical band gap. Recent researches has reported a new form to optically control of electric polarization and its related properties by using visible light. Specifically, a light-induced local movement of domain walls was achieved, whose effects shown that the photoresponse at both local and macroscopic scales is wavelength-independent. This new phenomenon of light-matter coupling has a non-negligible time response and no light power threshold was observed. Such characteristics are observed through the crystal lattice structure, photo-induced strain and dielectric permittivity. In addition, experimental evidences suggest that the light-activated phenomenon seems to be correlated with the existence of atypical ferroelectric interfaces, known as charged domain walls, whose principal signature is to host free and bound electric charge. Undoubtedly, this phenomenon offers new possibilities for technological applications that are as yet unexplored.This thesis focuses in overcome some questions that remains to be solved concerning to this light-activated phenomenon. That is: What is the physical insight about the photo-ferroelectric response? Is the extension towards polycrystalline materials feasible? Are there other physical properties different from those already controlled enable to be modified? To answer these question, the thesis divides into two parts: one theoretical and another one experimental. In the first part, a phenomenology model describing the visible light-induced photoresponse is developed, which assumes that visible light modifies charged domain wall compensation so that the built-in electric fields in the system changes, thereby triggering the domain wall motion. As a result, a rearrangement of the domain structure occurs, leading to a macroscopic polarization variation and, consequently, the related properties. Regarding to extension towards polycrystalline materials, it is successfully proved that photoresponse can be observed by the optical control of the photo-induced strain. Furthermore, it is proved the hypothesis that the existence of charged domain walls is a requirement for the photoresponse to manifest. Finally, the thesis reports for first time that the mechanical response of a ferrolectric ceramics can be modulated by visible light, highlighting the role of the charged domain walls.In a broader perspective, this work contributes to extending the fundamental knowledge based on light-ferroelectric coupling, opening new opportunities to speed up the development of a new generation of contact-less photoelectronic devices.
  

• PANAHI, SEYEDEH LEILA: Study of relaxation phenomena and local structure evolution in metallic glasses by means of mossbauer and mechanical spectroscopy
  
  Author: PANAHI, SEYEDEH LEILA
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN COMPUTATIONAL AND APPLIED PHYSICS
  Department: Department of Physics (FIS)
  Mode: Normal
  Reading date: 08/05/2023
  Thesis director: BRUNA ESCUER, PERE | PINEDA SOLER, ELOY
  

  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: SUÑOL MARTÍNEZ, JUAN JOSÉ
       SECRETARI: ROJAS GREGORIO, JOSE IGNACIO
       VOCAL: XIE, CHENYANG
  Thesis abstract: New research shows that global demand for alloys with unique properties for various applications increased drastically, and among all them the demand for high entropy and metallic glasses in the industry is increasing at a rate of 8.4% until 2024. High entropy and metallic glass alloys are two different classes of materials with unique properties. High entropy alloys (HEAs) are multicomponent solid-solutions of several elements, all of them in equal or near-equal atomic percent, this leading to a high entropy of mixing. Metallic glasses (MGs) are obtained by fast-quenching of metallic melt, avoiding crystallization and obtaining a metallic solid with a liquid-like atomic-scale structure. According to previous studies, the relative simplicity of the metallic bonding makes these materials adequate for fundamental studies on the glassy state and glass transition-related phenomena. On the other hand, metallic glasses show some superior properties with respect conventional crystalline alloys; metallic glasses have exceptionally high elastic limit and resilience, and an extremely low loss coefficient. These properties combined with the lack of microstructural defects and grain boundaries make metallic glasses good candidates for manufacturing small components and micro-electro-mechanical devices. Moreover, the use of these systems in real applications requires good corrosion resistance, and together with their outstanding mechanical properties, such as excellent wear resistance, high strength and exceptional ductility, make them an excellent choice for industrial applications.In this Ph.D. thesis, we report the production of new HEMGs within the (FeCoCrNi)100-x-yBxSiy compositional system. The role of B and Si in the formation of (FeCoCrNi)100-x-yBxSiy high-entropy metallic glasses and their thermal properties are studied. The microstructural evolution has been studied by X-ray diffraction and Transmission Mössbauer Spectroscopy, Also, the mechanical properties of the samples have been studied by Nanoindentation and give us an excellent view of hardness, elastic modulus, and wear resistance of each sample. Eventually, the electrochemical behaviour of these alloys was studied by means of linear polarization resistance (LPR) measurements and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in a 3 wt.% NaCl solution. The effect of corrosion was characterized by using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and the surface morphology was checked using a scanning electron microscope (SEM).
  

• RODRÍGUEZ SUÑÉ, LAURA: Nonlinear optics at nanoscale: frequency conversion at interraces
  
  Author: RODRÍGUEZ SUÑÉ, LAURA
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN COMPUTATIONAL AND APPLIED PHYSICS
  Department: Department of Physics (FIS)
  Mode: Normal
  Reading date: 19/06/2023
  Thesis director: COJOCARU, CRINA MARIA | TRULL SILVESTRE, JOSE FRANCISCO
  

  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: ROSO FRANCO, LUIS
       SECRETARI: ARTIGAS GARCIA, DAVID
       VOCAL: GALLO, KATIA
  Thesis abstract: The use of semiconductors, metals, or ordinary dielectrics in the process of fabrication of nanodevices is at the front edge of nowadays technology. In the last decade an impressive technological progress has been made towards the miniaturization process, giving birth to the field of nanotechnology. Currently, nanostructures are routinely fabricated and integrated in different photonic devices for a variety of purposes and applications. At the nanoscale, light-matter interaction can display new phenomena, different from those occurring in homogeneous materials or even micrometer-scale optical structures and devices. This scenario makes conventional approximations to the dynamics of light-matter interactions to break down and new strategies must be sought in order to study, understand, and ultimately harness the performance of subwavelength nonlinear optical materials. This is the case of nonlinear interactions and in particular, of nonlinear frequency conversion, a fundamental physical process that lies on the basis of many modern disciplines, from bioimaging in nanomedicine to material characterization in material science and nanotechnology. Nonlinear photonics also holds great promise in laser physics with applications in information technology for optical signal processing and in the development of novel coherent light sources. Thus, a deep understanding of the specific aspects of light-matter interaction at the nanoscale is crucial if one is to properly engineer nanodevices. In this thesis we report comparative experimental and theoretical studies of nonlinear frequency conversion in different strategic materials for photonics having nanoscale dimensions. We start our study with homogeneous layers and project our results to nanostructures, where second and third harmonic conversion efficiencies drastically decrease compared to typical nonlinear optics working conditions. We have developed novel experimental set-ups capable of measuring second and third harmonic generation efficiencies arising from semicondutors, conductive oxides and metal nanolayers and nanostructures. Our experimental approach allows us to estimate very low conversion efficiencies, and it is designed to perform an exhaustive study of harmonic generation by analyzing the nonlinear signals as a function of incident angle, wavelength and polarization, important parameters that determine and distinguish the origin of the nonlinear process. At the nanoscale phase matching conditions and even absorption no longer play a primary or significant role, and new linear and nonlinear sources become relevant, including magnetic dipole and electric quadrupole (surface) nonlinearities arising from both free and bound electrons, as well as nonlocal effects, convection, and hot electrons nonlinearities, associated with free electron dynamics, pump depletion, and phase-locking. We have performed numerical simulations based on a unique microscopic hydrodynamic model that considers all these contributions to the nonlinear polarization. By comparing experimental results with numerical simulations we are able to identify and distinguish the different mechanisms that trigger the harmonic generated signals at visible and UV wavelengths, while extracting basic physical properties of the material. With this knowledge we are able to make a step forward and predict conversion efficiencies in complex structures which are specifically designed to enhance harmonic generation. The capability to efficiently generate harmonics at the nanoscale will have an enormous impact in the fields of nanomedicine and nanotechnology, since it would allow one to realize much more compact devices and to interrogate matter in extremely confined volumes.
  

• WANG, BAOYING: Transitional coherent structures in shear and centrifugally driven flows
  
  Author: WANG, BAOYING
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN COMPUTATIONAL AND APPLIED PHYSICS
  Department: Department of Physics (FIS)
  Mode: Article-based thesis
  Reading date: 21/09/2023
  Thesis director: MESEGUER SERRANO, ALVARO | MELLIBOVSKY ELSTEIN, FERNANDO PABLO
  

  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: HERRERO SANZ, HENAR
       SECRETARI: ALONSO MALETA, MARIA ARANZAZU
       VOCAL: DEL PINO PEÑAS, CARLOS MANUEL
  Thesis abstract: Turbulence is not only omnipresent in our daily lives but also in engineering applications. However, not until the middle of the XXth century researchers began to realize that simple, relatively large-scale coherent structures are embedded, and play their part, in the seemingly totally random motion. These structures are recurrently visited in turbulent dynamics and play a key role in the transition to turbulence and in its sustenance. This thesis aims at identifying exact coherent structures in shear and centrifugal flows, studying their behavior and analyzing the corresponding dynamical relevance in turbulence, as well as their role in transition and in the phenomenon of intermittency (i.e., coexistence of laminar and turbulent flows).In this research, direct numerical simulations are used to explore the rich dynamics of the Navier-Stokes equations. As a high dimensional dynamical system, turbulence can be regarded deterministically as a strange attractor embedded within the Navier-Stokes phase space, where exact coherent structures may be treated as invariant sets, and transitions can be explained in terms of bifurcation theory. The canonical flows chosen for this work are the Taylor-Couette system (flow between two coaxial cylinders counter-rotating with respect to their common axis), which embraces both centrifugal and shear instabilities, and the self-similar flows that arise between orthogonally stretching plates.In the first part, we explore the mean structure of the spiral turbulence intermittent regime arising in the Taylor-Couette system. We manage to reduce drastically the computational cost by replacing the classical orthogonal domain by parallelogram-annular domains aligned in the direction of the turbulent spiral. In the second part, a series of drifting rotating wave solutions are tracked from the subcritical region, where the self-sustained process is proved to be at work, to the supercritical regime, where the spiral turbulence appears. The dynamical relevance of these wave solutions within spiral turbulence is studied in detail. The third part explores time-dependent flows arising between orthogonally stretching plates. In this case, many periodic and quasi-periodic flows are reported. In particular, phase-locking seems to be a quite generic phenomenon that inhibits the existence of chaotic dynamics. A strong resonance (1:4) is studied in detail and the results are consistent with the theoretical scenarios predicted by bifurcation theory.
  

Last update: 04/10/2023 05:01:11.

Research groups

• (MC)2-UPC-Computational continuum mechanics
• AIEM-Architecture, energy and environment
• ANCORA-Analisi i control del ritme cardiac
• ANT-Advanced Nuclear Technologies Research Group
• BIOCOM-SC-Computational Biology and Complex Systems Group
• CEBIM-Molecular Biotechnology Centre
• CEMAD-Electrical Characterisation of Materials and Devices
• CPSV-Centre of Land Policy and Valuations
• CREB-Biomedical Engineering Research Centre
• CRnE-Barcelona Research Center in Multiscale Science and Engineering
• CTE-CRAE-Space Science and Technology Research Group
• CTTC - UPC-Heat and Mass Transfer Technological Center
• DF-Dinamica de Fluids: formacio d'estructures i aplicacions geofisiques
• DILAB-Dielectrics materials physic laboratory
• DONLL-Nonlinear dynamics, nonlinear optics and lasers
• DRM-Dosimetry and Medical Radiation Physics
• GAA-Astronomy and Astrophysics Group
• gAGE-Research Group of Astronomy and Geomatics
• GCM-Group of Characterization of Materials
• GICITED-Interdisciplinary Group on Building Scienceand and Technology
• GIES-Geophysics and Earthquake Engineering
• GMNE-Numerical Methods in Engineering Group
• ICARUS-Intelligent Communications and Avionics for Robust Unmanned Aerial Systems
• INSIDE-Innovation in Systems for Engineering Design and Training
• InSup-Surface Interaction in Bioengineering and Materials Science Research Group
• L'AIRE-Laboratory of Aeronautical and Industrial Research and Studies
• LAB-Laboratory of Applied Bioacoustics
• LACAN - UPC-Numerical Methods for Applied Sciences and Engineering
• LiTA-Architectural Innovation and Technology Laboratory
• NEMEN-Nanoengineering of Materials Applied to Energy
• RMEE-Strength of Materials and Structural Engineering Research Group
• RSLAB-Remote Sensing Lab
• SARTI-Technological Development Center for Remote Acquisition and Data Processing System
• SIMCON-First-principles approaches to condensed matter physics: quantum effects and complexity
• STH-Sustainability, Technology and Humanism
• TUAREG-Turbulence and Aerodynamics in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Research Group

Teachers

• Alarcon Jordan, Marta
• Alonso Maleta, Arantxa
• Alonso Muñoz, Sergio
• Alvarez Lacalle, Enric
• Anento Moreno, Napoleon
• Auguet Sangra, Carlota E.
• Batiste Boleda, Oriol
• Belana Punseti, Juan
• Benadero Garcia-Morato, Luis
• Boronat Medico, Jordi
• Botey Cumella, Muriel
• Bravo Guil, Eduardo
• Calvete Manrique, Daniel
• Canales Gabriel, Manel
• Cañadas Lorenzo, Juan Carlos
• Casas Castillo, M. del Carmen
• Casulleras Ambros, Joaquim
• CAZORLA SILVA, CLAUDIO
• Cojocaru, Crina
• Crespo Artiaga, Daniel
• Diego Vives, Jose Antonio
• Echebarria Dominguez, Blas
• Falques Serra, Albert
• Fayos Valles, Francisco
• Ferrer Anglada, Nuria
• Font Garcia, Josep Lluis
• Garcia Garcia, Jose Eduardo
• Garcia Ojalvo, Jordi
• Garcia Senz, Domingo
• Gil Pons, Pilar
• Giro Roca, Antoni
• Gomis Arbones, Vicente
• Gonzalez Cinca, Ricard
• Guardia Manuel, Elvira
• Herrero Simon, Ramon
• Isalgue Buxeda, Antonio
• Jose Pont, Jordi
• Lacasta Palacio, Ana Maria
• Lana Pons, Francisco Javier
• Lloveras Muntane, Pol
• Lopez Codina, Daniel
• Lopez Perez, David O.
• Macovez, Roberto
• Marques Truyol, Francisco
• Marti Rabassa, Jordi
• Martinez Santafe, Maria Dolors
• Martorell Pena, Jordi
• Masoller, Cristina
• Mazzanti Castrillejo, Ferran
• Mercader Calvo, Isabel
• Meseguer Serrano, Alvaro
• Mudarra Lopez, Miguel
• Net Marce, Marta
• Pardo Soto, Luis Carlos
• Pastor Satorras, Romualdo
• Peñaranda Ayllon, Angelina
• Pineda Soler, Eloi
• Pino Gonzalez, David
• Pons Rivero, Antonio Javier
• Pradell Cara, Trinitat
• Prats Soler, Clara
• Ramirez de la Piscina Millan, Laureano
• Redondo Apraiz, Jose Manuel
• Rey Oriol, Rosendo
• Ribas Prats, Cesca
• Rodriguez Cantalapiedra, Inmaculada
• Rodriguez Perez, Ivette Maria
• Rodriguez Sola, Raul
• Roset Calzada, Jaime
• Sala Cladellas, Gloria
• Salud Puig, Josep
• Sanchez Umbria, Juan Jose
• Sellares Gonzalez, Jordi
• Serra de Larrocha, Carina
• Serra Tort, Anna
• Serrat Jurado, Carles
• Sese Castel, Gemma
• Soria Guerrero, Manel
• Staliunas, Kestutis
• Talavera Sanchez, Pere
• Tamarit Mur, Josep Lluis
• Tauste Campo, Adrian Francisco
• Torrent Serra, Carme
• Torres Gil, Santiago
• Trull Silvestre, Jose Francisco
• Trullas Simo, Joaquim
• Valls Ribas, Quim
• Vilaseca Alavedra, Ramon