Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for rapidly treating a heterojunction solar cell fabricated using a crystalline silicon wafer doped exclusively with n-type dopants to improve surface passivation and carrier transport properties using the following steps: providing a heterojunction solar cell; the solar cell having an n-type silicon substrate exclusively doped with n-type dopants with a concentration higher than 1×1014 cm?3 and a plurality of metallic contacts; illuminating a surface portion of the solar cell for a period of less than 5 minutes and at a temperature between 200° C. and 300° C. with light having an intensity of at least 2 kW/m2 and a wavelength such that the light is absorbed by the surface portion and generates electron-hole pairs in the solar cell. The step of illuminating a surface portion of the solar cell is such that less than 0.5 kWh/m2 of energy is transferred to the surface portion and a temperature of the surface portion increases at a rate of at least 10° C.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for rapidly treating a heterojunction solar cell fabricated using a crystalline silicon wafer doped exclusively with n-type dopants to improve surface passivation and carrier transport properties using the following steps: providing a heterojunction solar cell; the solar cell having an n-type silicon substrate exclusively doped with n-type dopants with a concentration higher than 1×1014 cm?3 and a plurality of metallic contacts; illuminating a surface portion of the solar cell for a period of less than 5 minutes and at a temperature between 200° C. and 300° C. with light having an intensity of at least 2 kW/m2 and a wavelength such that the light is absorbed by the surface portion and generates electron-hole pairs in the solar cell. The step of illuminating a surface portion of the solar cell is such that less than 0.5 kWh/m2 of energy is transferred to the surface portion and a temperature of the surface portion increases at a rate of at least 10° C.

Abstract: A vehicle having a four-wheel-drive system including an auxiliary portion that has an auxiliary driveshaft and drive means between the auxiliary driveshaft arranged to releasably connect a second group of wheels to the driveline via a releasable torque transmitting device. The releasable torque transmitting device is operable to allow slippage of the input portion with respect to the output portions, thereby to vary an amount of torque that is transmitted to the second group of wheels.

Abstract: A vehicle having a four-wheel-drive system including an auxiliary portion that has an auxiliary driveshaft and drive means between the auxiliary driveshaft arranged to releasably connect a second group of wheels to the driveline via a releasable torque transmitting device. The releasable torque transmitting device is operable to allow slippage of the input portion with respect to the output portions, thereby to vary an amount of torque that is transmitted to the second group of wheels.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a motor vehicle having: a prime mover; first and second groups of one or more wheels; and a driveline to connect the prime mover to the first and second groups of one or more wheels such that the first group of one or more wheels and not the second group may be driven by the prime mover when the driveline is in a first mode of operation and both the first and second group of one or more wheels may be driven by the prime mover when the driveline is in a second mode of operation, the driveline including an auxiliary portion comprising a first releasable torque transmitting means, a prop shaft and a second releasable torque transmitting means, the first releasable torque transmitting means being operable to connect a first end of the prop shaft to the prime mover, the second releasable torque transmitting means being operable to connect a second end of the prop shaft to the second group of one or more wheels, the vehicle further comprising control means operable to co

Abstract: A driveline for a vehicle such that a first group of one or more wheels and not a second group may be driven by prime mover means when the driveline is in a first mode of operation and the second group of one or more wheels may additionally be driven by the prime mover means when the driveline is in a second mode of operation, the driveline comprising: an auxiliary driveshaft; a power transfer unit (PTU) operable by means of PTU actuator means releasably to drivably couple the auxiliary driveshaft to the prime mover means; and a releasable drive unit operable by means of drive unit actuator means releasably to drivably couple the auxiliary driveshaft to the second group of one or more wheels, the PTU actuator means and drive unit actuator means each being powered by means of a pressurised fluid medium, the fluid medium being pressurised by a common pressurisation means.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a motor vehicle having: a prime mover; first and second groups of one or more wheels; and a driveline to connect the prime mover to the first and second groups of one or more wheels such that the first group of one or more wheels and not the second group may be driven by the prime mover when the driveline is in a first mode of operation and both the first and second group of one or more wheels may be driven by the prime mover when the driveline is in a second mode of operation, the driveline including an auxiliary portion comprising a first releasable torque transmitting means, a prop shaft and a second releasable torque transmitting means, the first releasable torque transmitting means being operable to connect a first end of the prop shaft to the prime mover, the second releasable torque transmitting means being operable to connect a second end of the prop shaft to the second group of one or more wheels, the vehicle further comprising control means operable to co

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a vehicle (100) comprising: prime mover means (111); a first group (112, 113) of one or more wheels; a second group (114, 115) of two or more wheels; and a driveline (105) to connect the prime mover means (111) to the first (112, 113) and second (114, 115) groups of wheels such that the first group (112, 113) of one or more wheels may be driven by the prime mover means (111) when the driveline (105) is in a first mode of operation and the second group (114,115) of wheels may additionally be driven by the prime mover means (111) when the driveline (105) is in a second mode of operation, the driveline (105) including an auxiliary driveline (110) comprising an auxiliary driveshaft (123) and drive means (125) between the auxiliary driveshaft (123) and the second group (114,115) of wheels, the drive means (125) having: an input portion; a plurality of output portions each operable to drive a respective different wheel of the second group (114, 115) of wheels; a first re

Abstract: A photovoltaic device is formed with a passivated light receiving first surface of a semiconductor material layer of a first dopant type. A region of oppositely doped semiconductor material is formed to create a p-n junction on at least part of a second surface located opposite to the light receiving first surface of the semiconducting material layer. First contacts are formed on the light receiving first surface of the first dopant type semiconductor material layer, and second contacts are formed on the oppositely doped material on the second surface of the semiconductor material layer.