Abstract: A thermoelectrically active p- or n-conductive semiconductor material is constituted by a ternary compound of the general formula (I) (Pb1-xGex)Te??(I) with x value from 0.16 to 0.5, wherein 0 to 10% by weight of the ternary compound may be replaced by other metals or metal compounds, wherein the semiconductor material has a Seebeck coefficient of at least ±200 ?V/K at a temperature of 25° C.

Abstract: A solar generator panel includes at least one reflector for reflecting solar radiation onto at least one photovoltaic cell. The reflector takes the form of a flexible material blade, a first end of which is fixed to the panel and a second end of which remains free. The material has mechanical properties such that, in a first position, in the absence of vertical pressure, it maintains itself erect so that its free end points to outer space, thereby defining an upper face that faces outer space and an opposite lower face that faces the panel, and, in a second position, in response to vertical pressure, it orients its upper face toward the plane of the panel. One particular application is to high-power solar panels for satellites.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the field of photovoltaics and more specifically to manufacturing thin-film solar cells using a thermal process. Specifically, a method is disclosed to manufacture a CIGS solar cell by an in-situ junction formation process.

Abstract: A method of electrophoresis, an electrophoresis apparatus and a capillary array in which a fluorescently labelled sample is supplied into capillaries in a capillary array constituted by a plurality of capillaries and including a sample supply portion, an electrophoresis medium supply portion and a detection portion while controlling the temperature of the capillary array through gas circulation, the sample is caused to migrate and separated in the capillaries through electrophoresis, and at the region where the capillaries are contacted or come close each other a plurality of capillaries are contacted to a solid body so as to dissipate heat generated from the capillaries to the solid body.

Abstract: The invention relates to a medium for analytic and preparative electrophoresis which includes a content of acids and bases of different pKa values. The medium contains at least two acids, where the difference in pKa values (?pKa) of adjacent acids are no greater than 1.0, preferably in the range from 0.8 to 0.5. The medium also contains at least two bases, whose pKa values range from approximately 1.5 to 11, and the difference of the pKa values (?pKa) of adjacent bases is no greater than 1.0, preferably in the range from 0.8 to 0.5.

Abstract: A multi-junction solar cell device (10) is provided. The multi-junction solar cell device (10) comprises either two or three active solar cells connected in series in a monolithic structure. The multi-junction device (10) comprises a bottom active cell (20) having a single-crystal silicon substrate base and an emitter layer (23). The multi-junction device (10) further comprises one or two subsequent active cells each having a base layer (32) and an emitter layer (23) with interconnecting tunnel junctions between each active cell. At least one layer that forms each of the top and middle active cells is composed of a single-crystal III-V semiconductor alloy that is substantially lattice-matched to the silicon substrate (22). The polarity of the active p-n junction cells is either p-on-n or n-on-p.

Abstract: A photovoltaic array includes a plurality of elongated rails and rectangular photovoltaic modules. Each rail can have an extruded resin construction and can include a lower base and an upper cap that cooperate to define a pair of grooves that open in opposite directions from each other. The elongated rails can be mounted on a support surface and extend in a spaced and parallel relationship with each other. During mounting, edges of the photovoltaic modules can be received by the grooves. In this way, the photovoltaic modules can be mounted above the support surface in a spaced relationship from the support surface.

Abstract: A solar panel for a spacecraft has a base with a face, and at least one row of solar cells and at least one elongated reflector are mounted on the face of the base. The reflectors and the rows are mounted generally parallel to each other in an alternating fashion. The reflector has first and second reflecting sides when the reflector is in a deployed position. The reflector is mounted so that the first side of the reflector is adjacent to a row of solar cells and reflects radiation incident on the first side onto the adjacent row of solar cells when the reflector is in a deployed position. Preferably, a plurality of rows and a plurality of reflectors are mounted on the face of the base, with at least one of the reflectors being disposed between two adjacent rows of solar cells.

Abstract: A photovoltaic cell exhibiting an overall conversion efficiency of at least 9.0% is prepared from a copper-indium-gallium-diselenide thin film. The thin film is prepared by simultaneously electroplating copper, indium, gallium, and selenium onto a substrate using a buffered electro-deposition bath. The electrodeposition is followed by adding indium to adjust the final stoichiometry of the thin film.

Abstract: A mechanical thermo-voltaic solar power system (MeTSoPoS) that uses a mechanical generator, instead of the photovoltaic panel commonly in use today, is disclosed. The system is comprised of three major subsystems: (1) a light collector array, (2) a mechanical thermo-voltaic generator, and (3) a storage and retrieval system. At the center of the system is the light collection array comprised of solar collector elements. These collector elements are connected to optical conduits (fiber optic cables) that carry the light energy to a mechanical generator. An automatic aiming system is used to align the collector elements directly at a light source for maximum light output. Each light collector element is comprised of a set of lenses that focus a larger area of light down to a point small enough to inject into an optical conduit. The optical conduit is then used to carry the light from each collector element to the generator.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for controlling the movement of a biopolymer translocating a nanopore. The invention provides a first electrode, a second electrode adjacent to the first electrode, a third electrode adjacent to the second electrode and a fourth electrode adjacent to the third electrode. The first electrode is in electrical connection with the third electrode to define a first set of electrodes and the second electrode is in electrical connection with the fourth electrode to define a second set of electrodes. A DC voltage and radio frequency voltage is applied to the first set of electrodes while an opposite DC voltage and phase shifted radio frequency voltage is applied to the second set of electrodes to produce an electric field between the first set of electrodes and the second set of electrodes. The electric field is used to control the movement of a biopolymer translocating a nanopore. A method for controlling the movement of a biopolymer is also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention regards application of lignin derivatives to a photoelectric transducer.

Abstract: A solar battery module can be constituted without connecting a plurality of bypass diodes, increasing the volume of potting, or reducing the area of a solar battery cell, so that the problems such as an increase in size of a terminal box, an increase in fabrication cost or a drop in mass productivity are overcome. A terminal box constituting an output section of a solar battery module, includes: a box body housing a circuit constituting section constituted by terminal boards, a bypass diode, and the like; and a box cover having a double structure of an inner cover made of a metal material and an outer cover made of a weather-resistant resin. The box body has an open side opposite to its attachment face, and includes a portion housing a charging section of the circuit constituting section apart from an outer wall structure of the box body. The box body is formed to have a box structure made of a weather-resistant resin. The open side of the box structure is covered with the box cover.

Abstract: The Photocatalytic film of semiconducting iron oxide (Fe2O3), contains an n-dopant, or a mixture of n-dopants, or a p-dopant or a mixture of p-dopants. Electrode consists of a substrate, with one or more films or photocatalytic arrangements of film of semiconducting n-doped or p-doped iron oxide (Fe2O3) e.g. on the surface of one side of the substrate or on the surface of different sides. The photoelectrochemical cell comprises electrodes with a film or with films of the n-doped or p-doped semiconducting iron oxide (Fe2O3). The semiconducting iron oxide (Fe2O3) film can be manufactured with a spray pyrolysis process or a sol gel process. The system for the direct cleavage of water with visible light, into hydrogen and oxygen the system comprises one or more of the photoelectrochemical cells with photocatalytic films. The system can be a tandem cell system, comprising the photoelectrochemical cell with the doped iron oxide (Fe2O3) film.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a thin film photovoltaic module comprising series connected cells, the cells comprising a front contact, a back contact and a photovoltaically active region positioned between the front and back contacts, the series connected cell being formed by scribing a front contact layer, a photovoltaically active layer and a back contact layer on a substrate, the method comprising laser scribing at least one of the front contact layer, the photovoltaically active layer or the back contact layer to form laser scribes using a laser beam scanned rapidly over the layer.

Abstract: A photovoltaic cell comprising, a cathode layer, an electron donating layer, and an electron accepting anode structure comprising a collection region including one or a plurality of secondary collection regions attached to the collection region. The secondary collection regions of the anode preferably are in the shape of dispersed rod shaped branches extending within a continuous phase of the electron donating layer. The collection region is preferably located at a central point with respect to the secondary collection regions, to thereby provide a photovoltaic cell structure with improved charge collection and efficiency of operation.

Abstract: An electrophoresis apparatus is provided in which negative effects caused by abnormalities in a current-carrying path in an electrophoresis apparatus can be avoided or reduced. The current flowing in the current-carrying path during electrophoresis can be measured to detect the state of a separating medium, and the application of a voltage to the current-carrying path can be interrupted.

Abstract: A solar energy converter comprises a thin panel enclosure, at least one solar cell contained within the enclosure, and a thin layer of gel contained within the thin panel enclosure and enclosing the at least one solar cell. The thin panel enclosure has a two-dimensional flat base, short side walls, and a transparent lid separated from the flat base by the short side walls, the short side walls enclosing an interior cavity having a depth substantially smaller than either of the two-dimensional base dimensions. The at least one solar cell has a front surface and a back surface. The thin layer of gel wets both the front surface and back surface of the at least one solar cell and holds the at least one solar cell separate from the base and lid.

Abstract: Zwitterionic compounds, photovoltaic cell charge carrier layers containing such compounds, photovoltaic cells including such charge carrier layers, and related methods are disclosed.

Abstract: A solid state photovoltaic device is formed on a substrate and includes a photoactive channel layer interposed between a pair of electrodes. The photoactive channel layer includes a first material which absorbs light and operates as a hole carrier. Within the first material are nanoparticles of a second material which operate as electron carriers. The nanoparticles are distributed within the photoactive channel layer such that, predominantly, the charge path between the two electrodes at any given location includes only a single nanocrystal. Because a majority of electrons are channeled to the electrodes via single nanocrystal conductive paths, the resulting architecture is referred to as a channel architecture.