The emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, particularly in respiratory infections, presents an urgent need for alternative therapeutic approaches. This thesis describes the development of polymer-based antimicrobial photodynamic therapy systems designed specifically for treating Pseudomonas aeruginosa respiratory infections. Two complementary synthetic strategies were employed to create functional polymeric materials incorporating photosensitizers and other active ingredients (biofilm-disrupting agents). The first approach involved post-polymerization modification of active ester polymers, enabling controlled incorporation of both ruthenium complexes and phenalenone derivatives as photosensitizers. The second strategy utilized direct free radical polymerization of photosensitizer-containing monomers alongside functional comonomers. Both approaches successfully yielded water-soluble polymers intended for nebulization-based delivery. Compared to free photosensitizers, these polymer-based systems offer advantages including enhanced local drug concentration through multivalent presentation and improved solubility, addressing key limitations of conventional photosensitizers. Comprehensive biological evaluation highlighted various properties of the polymers designed with identification of structure-activity relationships. Some of these materials can effectively inactivate and/or eliminate both planktonic bacteria and biofilms upon visible light illumination, with activity maintained in physiologically relevant conditions. Notably, certain polymers also showed enhanced efficacy in high-salt environments representative for respiratory infections such as cystic fibrosis. The materials exhibited excellent biocompatibility with human bronchial epithelial cells and maintained their structural integrity and antimicrobial activity through nebulization, supporting their potential for therapeutic applications. This work establishes a promising platform for treating respiratory infections through controlled, light-activated antimicrobial activity, offering advantages over conventional antibiotic treatments while maintaining compatibility with clinical delivery methods.

The terahertz (THz) frequency band is among the key technologies being investigated for future 6G communication systems. Over the past years, wireless communications have increasingly used higher frequency bands in pursuit of greater bandwidth and integration capabilities. This technological advancement has facilitated the emergence of short-range applications, including data kiosks, wireless chip interconnects, and intra-body networks, electronic components placed within the body to monitor health. Additionally, because passive devices are smaller at higher frequencies, it is possible to fit more antennas into the same area, resulting in arrays that produce increasingly focused beams. Given the significant spreading losses and molecular absorption at this frequency range, THz communications are particularly well-suited for short-range applications where spatial limitations are key or extremely high bandwidth is necessary. Moreover, the THz and millimeter wave (mm-wave) wireless communications for intra-chip and chip-to-chip connections can enhance the already constrained wired interconnects within computing packages, helping to alleviate communication bottlenecks in future computing platforms that may contain hundreds or thousands of processors in a single package. Adopting compact antennas and transceivers as wireless interconnects within computing packages will lead to low-latency and reconfigurable communication pathways, reducing the complexity of the dense wired interconnect network. The main problem with the current wireless network inside chips is the size of the antenna. Reducing the size of a metallic antenna to just a few micrometers leads to poor performance due to the low conductivity of the metal at these small dimensions, and using such small antennas would require very high frequencies, around hundreds of THz, which are not suitable for radio frequency (RF) wireless communications due to issues with signal loss and transceiver design. Hence, technological advances in antenna development are essential for implementing future communication systems at THz frequencies. Thus, graphene-based antennas appear as the ideal complement to traditional metallic antennas due to their potential for smaller dimensions and frequency tunability in the THz range. Graphene antennas operating at THz frequencies are smaller than their metallic counterparts functioning at the same frequency, thereby advancing the boundaries of integration further. The research, design, and investigation of THz graphene-based antennas are the focus of this thesis. This work addresses the graphene material characteristics and plasmonic behaviors directly related to a functioning THz graphene-based antenna. Moreover, three different graphene-based antenna types, with different working principles, operating at THz frequencies are investigated, i.e. two different types of photoconductive antennas (graphene dipole and graphene patch antennas), and an electronic antenna (graphene patch and graphene stack patch antennas). Theoretical explanations regarding the principles of THz emission of each antenna type are presented, as well as descriptions regarding the measurement systems utilized to characterize these antennas. Studies regarding antenna emission are made by electromagnetic (EM) simulations and proper measurements. The further investigation of antenna frequency tuning and antenna efficiency in the THz range is based on simulations varying important graphene antenna characteristics. The measurements show not only THz emission from the graphene-based antennas but also the THz emission tuning of the antennas based on an electrostatic bias. Additionally, a THz graphene antenna array is studied by means of simulations. Finally, the challenges and feasibility of having efficient THz graphene-based antennas are discussed, and possible future development steps are suggested.

Als Kaufanreiz zur Warenbeigabe erdacht und in enormen Stückzahlen produziert, findet das Reklamesammelbild Mitte des 19. Jahrhunderts eine rasche Verbreitung. Der vorliegende Tagungsband untersucht das Phänomen dieses populären und das kollektive (westliche) Bildgedächtnis prägenden Massenmediums als bedeutende Quelle für interdisziplinäre Forschungsfragen: von den ersten Kaufmannsbildchen über die Zigaretten- und Streichholzbilder des frühen 20. Jahrhunderts bis hin zu den Trading Card Games der heutigen Zeit.

In this thesis, the concept of a new type of rear axle, the so-called multi-link torsion axle, is developed. By integrating a reversed twist-beam structure into a longitudinally orientated Watt’s linkage, the position of the space-limiting cross beam is decoupled from the original longitudinal instant centre. This opens up an increased, homogenous package space in the vehicle underbody, which can be allocated to the traction battery when used in a battery electric vehicle. At the same time, a longitudinal instant centre in front of the wheel, and thus also positive anti-lift, can be ensured by the alignment of longitudinal links in side view. Once the basic topology of the mechanism has been defined, it is optimised regarding the hardpoints. For this purpose, multiple analytical calculation approaches of the motion are presented and then integrated into an optimisation algorithm. The hardpoints are optimised with respect to global and local package boundary conditions, as well as kinematic and elastic requirements and target values. These refer to typical suspension characteristics found in literature, as well as characteristics that can occur specifically with the given mechanism. The resulting properties are then compared with a conventional twist-beam axle at both the suspension and full-vehicle level. For this purpose, this new type of rear axle is installed in a demonstrator vehicle loaded with ballast masses and tested on a proving ground. Full-vehicle simulations are also used for better interpretation. These experiments focus particularly on the vertical dynamic properties of the new axle with respect to comfort for different road excitations as well as pitching under braking. The results obtained also allow conclusions to be drawn about the previously defined suspension characteristics. With the results of this test series, it is possible to conclude whether the new axle concept is within a tuneable range in terms of driving dynamics.