Abstract: An apparatus for a thin film device is used for analyzing a biopolymer. The apparatus has a thin film, a first solution in contact with a first surface of the thin film, a second solution in contact with a second surface of the thin film, a flow path or a conductive wire for adjusting the potential difference between the first solution and the second solution to a small value, a control unit for controlling the flow path or the conductive wire, an inlet from which a biopolymer is introduced to at least one of the first and second solution, a first electrode provided in the first solution, a second electrode provided in the second solution and an ammeter for measuring the current which flows between the first and second electrode when the biopolymer passes through a hole in the thin film between the first and second solution.

Abstract: A gas sensor includes an electrochemical cell having a solid electrolyte layer disposed between a sensing electrode and a reference electrode; a heater disposed in thermal communication with the electrochemical cell, the heater having a positive heater lead and a negative heater lead; a reference gas channel; a reference chamber in fluid communication with the reference electrode; a pump cell having a first pump cell electrode in fluid communication with the reference gas channel and also having a second pump cell electrode in fluid communication with the reference chamber. The first pump cell electrode has a pump cell first lead which forms a first electrical junction with either the positive heater lead and the negative heater lead and the second pump cell electrode has a pump cell second lead which forms a second electrical junction with the same heater lead as the pump cell first lead.

Abstract: An EWOD device for processing multiple droplets through multiple temperature zones. The device is configured to achieve a high spatial density of temperature zones with a wide temperature difference between hot and cold zones. A first set of temperature control elements is arranged above (or below) a fluid gap in an EWOD device and a second set of temperature control elements is arranged below (or above) the fluid gap. A temperature control element of one set is offset from temperature control elements of the other set in the plane of the fluid gap. The temperature control element of one set may be located at a different separation from the fluid gap to the temperature control element of the other set. The device has an optional temperature control element and/or arrangement which offsets the low temperature point from the inlet temperature. The two sets of temperature control elements are substantially interacting, in the sense that they cannot be considered to be thermally isolated from one another.

Abstract: In a film forming method, in a state where a metal solution is sealed in a first accommodation chamber of a housing with a solid electrolyte membrane and a fluid is sealed in a second accommodation chamber of a placing table with a thin film, a substrate is placed on the placing table and the placing table and the housing are moved relative to each other to cause the substrate to be interposed between the solid electrolyte membrane and the thin film, the solid electrolyte membrane and the thin film are pressed against the substrate interposed therebetween to cause the solid electrolyte membrane and the thin film to conform to a surface and a rear surface of the substrate, thereby forming a metal film.

Abstract: A control system of an exhaust sensor controlling an exhaust sensor comprises a heater control part controlling a heater and a temperature estimating part estimating a temperature of an exhaust pipe around the exhaust sensor. The heater control part sets the target temperature to a first target temperature after startup of the internal combustion engine and until the estimated temperature of the exhaust pipe reaches a first exhaust pipe temperature, sets the target temperature to a second target temperature from when the estimated temperature of the exhaust pipe reaches the first exhaust pipe temperature to when it reaches a second exhaust pipe temperature, and sets the target temperature to an operating temperature of the electrochemical cell when the estimated temperature of the exhaust pipe reaches the second exhaust pipe temperature.

Abstract: A nanopore cell may include a well having a working electrode at a bottom of the well. The well may be formed within a dielectric layer, where the sidewalls of the well may be formed of the dielectric or other materials coating the walls of the dielectric layer. Various materials having different hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity can be used to provide desired properties of the cell. The nanopore in the nanopore cell can be inserted in a membrane formed over the well. Various techniques can be used for providing a desired shape and other properties e.g., of materials and processes for forming the well.

Abstract: A method for preparation of gold nanoparticles in aqueous solution through pulsed laser, comprises firstly preparing an aqueous solution including HAuCl4.H2O and H2O2, followed by allowing a catalytic light source to emit into the aqueous solution for catalysis, such that a plurality of gold nanoparticles are formed in the aqueous solution, the catalytic light source being a pulsed laser. Additionally, it is also possible for firstly placing a porous silicon substrate into the aqueous solution, and then allowing the catalytic light source to emit into the aqueous solution for catalysis, such that the gold nanoparticles are grown on the surface of the porous silicon substrate. In this way, the gold nanoparticles of smaller particle diameters with more uniform size may be obtained without adding a surfactant during the preparation.

Abstract: A method for reducing carbon dioxide is provided. In the present method, used is an anode electrode comprises a stacked structure of a photoelectric conversion layer, a metal layer, and an InxGa1-xN layer (where 0<x?1). The InxGa1-xN layer is of i-type or n-type. The metal layer is interposed between the photoelectric conversion layer and the InxGa1-xN layer. When irradiating the anode electrode with light, a first light part included in the light is absorbed by the InxGa1-xN layer and a second light part included in the light travels through the InxGa1-xN layer. The second light part is absorbed by the photoelectric conversion layer to generate electric power in the photoelectric conversion layer. The second light part has a longer wavelength than the first light part. The carbon dioxide contained in the first electrolyte solution is reduced on the cathode electrode.

Abstract: A solar cell containing a plurality of CIGS absorber sublayers has a conversion efficiency of at least 13.4 percent and a minority carrier lifetime below 2 nanoseconds. The sublayers may have a different composition from each other.

Abstract: Methods for stripping partially oxidized nitride wear or release coatings from metal workpieces comprise disrupting surface oxidation layers present on the coatings following use, and causing electrical current to flow from the workpiece and release coating to a counter electrode while the workpiece, release coating and counter electrode are immersed in an aqueous alkaline electrolyte solution.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a layer system (1) for thin-film solar cells with an absorber layer (4) that contains a chalcogenide compound semiconductor and a buffer layer (5) that is arranged on the absorber layer (4), wherein the buffer layer (5) contains NaxIn1SyClz with 0.05?x<0.2 or 0.2<x?0.5, 1?y?2, and 0.6?x/z ?1.4.

Abstract: Fabrication methods and structures relating to backplanes for back contact solar cells that provide for solar cell substrate reinforcement and electrical interconnects as well as Fabrication methods and structures for forming thin film back contact solar cells are described.

Abstract: A metal plating apparatus includes a chemical bath chamber, an anode disposed at a bottom portion of the chemical bath chamber, and a cathode disposed at a top portion of the chemical bath chamber. A solenoid coil is disposed within the chemical bath chamber between the anode and the cathode. The solenoid coil is arranged to apply a magnetic field during a metal plating process in a direction from the anode to the cathode.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a solar cell panel that includes a front-side cover, a back-side cover, a number of solar cells situated between the front-side cover and the back-side cover, and a number of maximum power point tracking (MPPT) devices situated between the front-side cover and the back-side cover.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to techniques for magnetic electro-plating or electro-deposition. Example methods may include utilizing a magnet during electro-deposition to modify kinetics of deposition of plating material on a substrate.

Abstract: A metal-chalcogenide photovoltaic device includes a first electrode, a window layer spaced apart from the first electrode, and a photon-absorption layer between the first electrode and the window layer. The photon-absorption layer includes a metal-chalcogenide semiconductor. The window layer includes a layer of metal-oxide nanoparticles, and at least a portion of the window layer provides a second electrode that is substantially transparent to light within a range of operating wavelengths of the metal-chalcogenide photovoltaic device. A method of producing a metal-chalcogenide photovoltaic device includes providing a photovoltaic substructure, providing a solution of metal-oxide nanoparticles, and forming a window layer on the substructure using the solution of metal-oxide nanoparticles such that the window layer includes a layer of metal-oxide nanoparticles formed by a solution process.

Abstract: Methods for producing a high temperature oxidation and hot corrosion resistant MCrAlX coating on a superalloy substrate include applying an M-metal, chromium, and aluminum or an aluminum alloy comprising a reactive element to at least one surface of the superalloy component by electroplating at electroplating conditions below 100° C. in a plating bath thereby forming a plated component and heat treating the plated component.

Abstract: A method for electrochemically processing a workpiece surface using an electrode, which has at least one effective surface for processing the workpiece surface, and using an electrolyte, wherein the electrolyte is suctioned away from the effective surface. The invention further relates to an electrode, which has at least one electrolyte feed for supplying the electrolyte to the effective area and an electrolyte suctioning system for suctioning the electrolyte away from the effective area.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for plating parts like lug nuts or other metal parts that have both an easily plated outside surface as well as a recessed cavity. The invention works in combination with a standard multi-station plating process. The present invention drains and plates a part containing a cavity by moving the part from a position where the cavity is facing around 45 degrees down to a position where the cavity is facing around 45 degrees up and then back down at various times during the process. The moving is generally initiated when the rack moving along a track above the fluid tanks encounters a roller.

Abstract: A method of adjusting and controlling the color of trivalent chromium deposits is provided. The method includes the steps of: (a) measuring the color of a trivalent chromium deposit standard; (b) adding one or more color enhancing additives to a trivalent chromium electrolyte; (c) contacting the substrate with the trivalent chromium electrolyte containing the one or more color enhancing additives to deposit trivalent chromium on the substrate; (d) measuring the color of the color-enhanced trivalent chromium deposit; (e) comparing the color of the color-enhanced chromium deposit to that of the standard; and (f) if necessary, adjusting the amount of the one or more color enhancing additives added to the trivalent chromium electrolyte if the color of the color-enhanced chromium deposit is outside of a desired optical variation from that of the standard color-enhanced chromium deposit. The color of the trivalent chromium deposit may be measured using a spectrophotometer.