[en] The hydrogenated amorphous carbons (a-C:H or HAC) are an important component of interstellar dust. These hydrocarbon grains are observed through IR absorption bands at 3.4, 6.9 and 7.3 μm, due to aliphatic C-H bond vibrations. Their spectral signatures are detected in the diffuse interstellar medium along several sight lines in the Milky Way and in many external galaxies. This thesis deals with the study of such interstellar a-C:H, both through their astrophysical observation and the synthesis and characterisation of laboratory analogues. A first part of this PhD work concerns the 3.4 μm band observation in the galactic diffuse interstellar medium in the direction of IRAS 18511+0146 source. The C-H stretching mode absorption band detected toward several lines of sight of this cluster has the strongest optical depths observed in the Milky Way outside the galactic center. Different interpretations for this deep absorption band in this direction are discussed. Analogues of the amorphous carbonaceous dust component have been produced in the laboratory with a plasma source. Their IR spectra are in excellent agreement with the absorption bands observed in the diffuse interstellar medium. The samples have been characterised by UV-visible and IR absorption spectroscopy. Since a-C:H emit a visible radiation when they absorb UV or visible photons, a systematic study of this photoluminescence is performed. For the first time, the absolute and intrinsic photoluminescence yield of a-C:H is measured for a broad range of excitation wavelengths. The photoluminescence properties of a-C:H is compared to observations of the Extended Red Emission, a large interstellar emission band whose carriers are not identified. To infer the influence of cosmic rays on this carbonaceous dust, the produced analogues have been irradiated by different swift ions, similar to interstellar cosmic rays. The induced modifications have been monitored by their IR spectrum. The a-C:H dehydrogenation is observed through the progressive disappearance of the aliphatic C-H bands. Its analysis allows us to deduce the evolution of the a-C:H dust and its spectral signatures under cosmic ray exposition. The destruction due to cosmic rays is compared to the effects induced by exposure to UV photons and hydrogen atoms, in order to interpret the evolution of the absorption band at 3.4 μm observed in the diffuse interstellar medium, but not in dense clouds. (author)

[en] This document publishes the oral contributions and the 66 posters presented during a colloquium on physics and chemistry of interstellar medium. The following themes have been addressed: New views on the interstellar medium with Herschel, Planck and Alma, Cycle of interstellar dusts, Physics and Dynamics of the interstellar medium, Molecular complexifying and the link towards pre-biotic chemistry. More precisely, the oral contributions addressed the following topics: Interstellar medium with Herschel and Planck; The anomalous microwave emission: a new window on the physics of small grains; Sub-millimetre spectroscopy of complex molecules and of radicals for ALMA and Herschel missions; Analysing observations of molecules in the ISM: theoretical and experimental studies of energy transfer; Unravelling the labyrinth of star formation with Herschel; Star formation regions with Herschel and Alma: astro-chemistry in the Netherlands; Physical structure of gas and dust in photo-dissociation regions observed with Herschel; Photo-desorption of analogues of interstellar ices; Formation of structures in the interstellar medium: theoretical and numerical aspects; Towards a 3D mapping of the galactic ISM by inversion of absorption individual measurements; Low velocity shocks as signatures of turbulent dissipation in diffuse irradiated gas; Early phases of solar system formation: 3D physical and chemical modelling of the collapse of pre-stellar dense core; Cosmic-ray propagation in molecular clouds; Protostellar shocks in the time of Herschel; A new PDR model of the physics and chemistry of the interstellar gas; Molecular spectroscopy in the ALMA era and laboratory Astrophysics in Spain; Which molecules to be searched for in the interstellar medium; Physics and chemistry of UV illuminated neutral gas: the Horsehead case; Nitrogen fractionation in dark clouds; Molecular spectral surveys from millimetre range to far infrared; Mechanisms and synthesis at the surface of cold grains; Ice deuteration: models and observations to interpret the protostar history; Molecular complexity induced by thermal reactions in analogues of interstellar ices; VUV spectroscopy and photochemistry of interstellar and putative pre-biotic molecules; Internal rotation in astrophysical and pre-biotic molecules; Detection and rate of branching of chemical reaction products in gas phase at very low temperatures: new experimental developments; Investigation of ion chemistry and polymerization processes on interstellar grain and meteorite stimulants; Formation of the Sun in a dense collected shell: evidence from meteorites; Dust: from the Milky Way to nearby galaxies; Dust emission in dense areas: separating effects of radiation properties from grain properties; Effect of cosmic rays on hydrocarbon dusts; Stability of isolated and aggregated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons probed by collision with slow ions; Recent advances in the simulation of the absorption and emission spectroscopy; Infrared emission of aromatic molecules measured with the FIREFLY spectrometer; From PAHs to carbon clusters in photo-dissociation regions; VO-theory and theoretical services for the interstellar medium