Abstract: There is provided a photovoltaic module including a transparent substrate and hybrid photovoltaic cells arrayed on the substrate and series connected to each other, the cells including a back electrode facing the substrate, a transparent front electrode intervening between the substrate and the back electrode, a first photovoltaic layer intervening between the front and back electrodes and including an amorphous semiconductor layer, a second photovoltaic layer intervening between the first photovoltaic layer and the back electrode and including a crystalline semiconductor layer, and a conductive interlayer with a light-transmitting-and-reflecting property intervening between the first and second photovoltaic layers and having a thickness in a range of 10 nm to 100 nm and a specific resistance in a range of 1×10−3 &OHgr;·cm to less than 1×10−1 &OHgr;·cm.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion layer 13, a transparent electrode layer 14, an insulating layer 15, and a back electrode layer 16 are successively formed in this order on a conductive substrate 11 having a through-hole 17 formed therein, and the transparent electrode layer 14 and the back electrode layer 16 are electrically communicated with each other through the through-hole 17 so as to provide a photovoltaic element in which no grid is employed and improve the productivity and the production yield.

Abstract: The present cup-type plating apparatus improves a conventional cup-type plating apparatus and prevents the surface of a wafer due to a mist of the plating solutions from being contaminated. A plating solution is supplied to a wafer which is placed on a wafer support provided along an opening at the top of a plating tank from a solution-supply port provided at the bottom of the plating tank by an upward-moving stream; the plating solution is made to flow out of a solution-outlet port provided for the plating tank; and plating is performed while the plating solution is brought into contact with a surface of the placed wafer, which is to be plated, wherein the solution-outlet port has a solution-outlet path in which the discharged plating solution is isolated from the outer space.

Abstract: Plasma is generated from a plasma generating gas comprising an inert gas and hydrogen gas. Silicon material is passed through the plasma and heated so as to form a crystalline silicon particle containing hydrogen at a concentration of 1×1016-1×1020. A great number of the crystalline silicon particles of p-type or n-type are deposited on a substrate as the electrode of one side. An insulator is formed among the crystalline silicon particles on the substrate, and a n-type or p-type semiconductor layer is formed over the crystalline silicon particles, thereby fabricating a photoelectric conversion device. The photoelectric conversion device using the crystalline silicon particles exhibits high photoelectric conversion efficiency.

Abstract: A photovoltaic device including a photovoltaic module disposed on or above an insulating substrate 10, which is provided with holes 10a, 10d for receiving conducting paste terminals 50a, 50d of the module formed on the substrate 10. A plurality of conducting materials 52 are connected electrically with the conducting paste terminals 50a, 50d, and a protective resin film 82 is provided to protect the terminals. The protective resin film 82 has openings at positions corresponding to the conducting materials 52, and the openings are larger than the topside shape of the conducting materials 52. The conducting materials are disposed inside of the openings.

Abstract: An improvement in the solvent extraction process for recovering metal values, i.e. copper, from acidic aqueous solutions containing copper and iron which may also include chloride, and more particularly to an improvement which provides for increased copper to iron ratios in the loaded organic extractant phase. The improvement comprises washing the loaded organic extractant phase prior to stripping of the copper values therefrom with an aqueous acidic wash solution containing at least a portion of electrolyte solution, wherein the wash solution or the electrolyte solution has been previously contacted with copper metal.

Abstract: When a ground fault occurs in some solar battery string, this solar battery string may be disconnected and operation of a solar power generation system may be continued. If the open-circuit voltage of the solar battery string is high, a safety problem arises. If the open-circuit voltage is decreased, the conversion efficiency decreases. Therefore, an intermediate switch is provided midway along the solar battery string. When a ground fault occurs, this solar battery string where the ground fault has occurred is divided into substrings.

Abstract: An apparatus for electroplating a wafer surface includes a cup having a central aperture defined by an inner perimeter, a compliant seal adjacent the inner perimeter, contacts adjacent the compliant seal and a cone attached to a rotatable spindle. The compliant seal forms a seal with the perimeter region of the wafer surface preventing plating solution from contaminating the wafer edge, wafer backside and the contacts. As a further measure to prevent contamination, the region behind the compliant seal is pressurized. By rotating the wafer during electroplating, bubble entrapment on the wafer surface is prevented. Further, the contacts can be arranged into banks of contacts and the resistivity between banks can be tested to detect poor electrical connections between the contacts and the wafer surface.

Abstract: Ultraviolet water treatment apparatus in which floating pods or rafts carry high-frequency driver circuits in waterproof plastic blocks. The high-frequency driver circuits drive arrays of ultraviolet lamps in a ballast-free, non-thermionic manner.

Abstract: The invention is relative to an electrode for gas evolution in electrolytic and electrometallurgical industrial applications, made of a metal substrate having a surface morphology characterized by a combination of micro-roughness and macro-roughness which favors high adherence of a superficial catalytic layer in order to prevent detachment of the same and passivation of the substrate even under critical operating conditions.

Abstract: A solid cryolite/alumina mixture is used as the anode in an electrolytic aluminum winning process. The mixture may be used in the form of a crust formed on the electrolytic cell.

Abstract: One or more fractal antennas are produced in an electroforming circuit. A stainless steel on glass mandrel is covered with a dielectric in an inverse image of a fractal antenna to be formed. The portion of the stainless steel uncovered by the dielectric is chemically washed so that a fractal antenna formed thereon can be more efficiently removed. The mandrel is made a cathode in an electroforming circuit, which results in a fractal antenna being formed on the mandrel. The fractal antenna is separated from the mandrel and mounted on a rigid or semi-rigid substrate.

Abstract: Solar cells operating in liquid have an increased operating efficiency resulting from two independent physical phenomena, an increase in output current from the solar cells from simply wetting the solar cells, and enhanced collection of light through refraction and inner reflection of light in the liquid. Dielectric liquids are found to increase output power efficiency of n/p junction solar cells and also function as a medium for optical concentration. The properties of dielectric liquid permit the construction of a solar cell panel with a suitable geometry for functioning as an optical concentrator.

Abstract: A method of enhancing heat transfer and cooling efficiency in a cooling passage includes forming a plurality of turbulator rings in the passage, the rings projecting inwardly, substantially perpendicular to a cooling flow direction in the passage; and using a patterned electrode, forming at least one gap in one or more of the turbulator rings, extending substantially parallel to the flow direction.

Abstract: An electroplating apparatus for wheel disk comprises an electrolytic cell containing electrolytic bath, a cathode plate, an auxiliary anode, at least one anode plate and a driving mechanism. Part of the auxiliary anode is provided with an insulating shielding, one end of the insulating shielding passes through the center hole of the disk wheel. Part of the auxiliary anode is exposed on both sides of the wheel disk. Therefore, the auxiliary anode forms a dual anodes scheme with the anode plate to provide complete and smooth plating. The wheel disk is rotated by the driving mechanism to prevent tip-discharging.

Abstract: A design and method for fabricating an electrochemical transducer including two housing plates, each of the housing plates being constructed of a polymer material and wherein each of the housing plates include an inner side, an outer side and a plurality of channels through the housing plates so as to communicate the inner side with the outer side, two anode electrodes, the anode electrodes disposed so as to be sandwiched between the housing plates, two cathode electrodes, the cathode electrodes disposed so as to be sandwiched between the anode electrodes and three porous insulating layers, the insulating layers being constructed of a polymer mesh and wherein each of the insulating layers is disposed so as to separate each of the anode electrodes from the cathode electrodes and each of the cathode electrodes from each other, while permitting the flow of an electrolyte between them.

Abstract: An electrolytic cell (40) for the electrowinning of aluminium comprises a plurality of anodes (60) immersed in a molten electrolyte (50), each anode (60) having an oxygen-evolving active surface of open structure facing and spaced by an inter-electrode gap from a cathode (70); a thermal insulating cover (45) above the surface (51) of the molten electrolyte (50); and an alumina feed device (10) arranged above the molten electrolyte surface (51) for spraying and/or blowing alumina (55) to an area of the molten electrolyte surface (51), from where the alumina (55) dissolves as it enters the electrolyte (50) and alumina-rich electrolyte flows to the inter-electrode gaps where it is electrolysed to produce oxygen gas on the anodes (60) and aluminium on the cathode (70).

Abstract: An electrode assembly for electroplating conducting portions of nonconductors comprises an insulating frame having a first projection opposite a second projection. Preferably the insulating frame comprises a resin selected from the group consisting of acrylic resins, polyvinyl chloride resins and polycarbonate resins. A metal filament, for connection to the negative pole of a source of electrical energy, extends from the first projection to the second projection. Adjacent to the metal filament a first conductive plate is attached to the insulating frame at a first distance from the metal filament. A second conductive plate attaches to the insulating frame at a second distance from the metal filament. The first plate and the second plate are adapted for connection to the positive pole of a source of electrical energy.

Abstract: A melt spinning apparatus including a spinpack with a die tip block having a recess with a converging portion, such as an angled trough, which terminates in a row of filament discharge outlets. The recess selectively receives a configuration insert, such as a side-by-side insert or a sheath-core insert, that separates the converging portion of the recess into two sheets of liquid that combine at the filament discharge outlets. The spinpack may be configured by inserting either of the inserts to produce filaments having different cross sectional configurations of two different materials. Separation of the two liquids prevents premature interaction between the two liquid flows which minimizes instabilities between the liquid flow interface. The minimization of these instabilities can result in less formation of shot and improve other significant finished product properties. In addition, each type of liquid material may be maintained at an optimum temperature for proper extrusion.

Abstract: In a photovoltaic element according to the present invention, a first transparent conductive film, a second transparent conductive film, a p-type semiconductor film, an intrinsic semiconductor layer, a n-type semiconductor layer and a backside electrode are stacked in turn on a transparent substrate. Then, an intermediate layer is provided between the second transparent conductive film and the p-type semiconductor layer so as to cover the first transparent conductive film and the second transparent conductive film.