Abstract: A nozzle includes a housing having an inner chamber, a first opening connected to the inner chamber, and a second opening connected to the inner chamber, and a solid, partially conical, plug in the second opening, the solid plug configured to leave a slit around the plug connected to the inner chamber, and the plug extending beyond an end of the housing.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a solar cell including depositing a first electrode over a substrate under vacuum, depositing at least one p-type semiconductor absorber layer over the first electrode without breaking the vacuum, where the p-type semiconductor absorber layer comprises a copper indium selenide (CIS) based alloy material, sputter depositing an n-type semiconductor layer over the at least one p-type semiconductor absorber layer to form zinc oxysulfide in the n-type semiconductor layer without breaking the vacuum, and depositing a second electrode over the n-type semiconductor layer without breaking the vacuum.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a photovoltaic structure includes forming a p-type semiconductor absorber layer containing a copper indium gallium selenide based material over a first electrode, forming a n-type cadmium sulfide layer over the p-type semiconductor absorber layer by sputtering in an ambient including hydrogen gas and oxygen gas, and forming a second electrode over the cadmium sulfide layer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a photovoltaic structure includes forming a p-type semiconductor absorber layer containing a copper indium gallium selenide based material over a first electrode, forming a n-type cadmium sulfide layer over the p-type semiconductor absorber layer by sputtering in an ambient including hydrogen gas and oxygen gas, and forming a second electrode over the cadmium sulfide layer.

Abstract: A method includes providing a molten stream of a metal material to an atomizer, atomizing the molten stream using at least one jet of a vapor stream comprising a selenium vapor to form atomized droplets, and solidifying the atomized droplets to form selenized metal particles.

Abstract: Various embodiments include a solar panel having a bottom surface adjacent to the base layer having a curved shape configured to generate a downward force when subject to wind. The bottom surface may be an outer surface of the base layer that has a convex shape. The bottom surface may be integral to the base layer and have a convex shape. The bottom surface may be a shell coupled to the base layer with an outer surface that has a convex shape. Such a shell may form a void space between the shell and the base layer. By exhibiting a convex shape, the bottom surface may generate a downward force in wind due to Bernoulli's Principle that helps to resist wind forces that would otherwise tear the panel from its mountings.

Abstract: A method of making a photovoltaic device includes forming a p-type compound semiconductor material layer comprising copper, indium, gallium and a chalcogen over a substrate, and forming an n-type metal sulfide layer on the p-type compound semiconductor material layer by sputtering process employing at least one metal and sulfur containing sputtering target having a non-stoichiometric composition in which a metal-to-sulfur atomic ratio is greater than 1.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a photovoltaic structure includes forming a p-type semiconductor absorber layer containing a copper indium gallium selenide based material over a first electrode, forming a n-type cadmium sulfide layer over the p-type semiconductor absorber layer by sputtering in an ambient including hydrogen gas and oxygen gas, and forming a second electrode over the cadmium sulfide layer.

Abstract: The present inventions relate to methods and apparatus for detecting and mechanically removing defects and a surrounding portion of the photovoltaic layer and the substrate in a thin film solar cell such as a Group IBIIIAVIA compound thin film solar cell to improve its efficiency.

Abstract: The present inventions relate to methods and apparatus for detecting and mechanically removing defects and a surrounding portion of the photovoltaic layer and the substrate in a thin film solar cell such as a Group IBIIIAVIA compound thin film solar cell to improve its efficiency.

Abstract: To increase inspection throughput, the field of view (FOV) of an IR camera can be moved over the sample at a constant velocity. Throughout this moving, a modulation (e.g. optical or electrical) can be provided to the sample and IR images can be captured using the IR camera. Moving the FOV, providing the modulation, and capturing the IR images can be synchronized. The IR images can be filtered to generate the time delay LIT, thereby providing defect identification. In one embodiment, this filtering accounts for the number of pixels of the IR camera in a scanning direction. For the case of optical modulation, a dark field region can be provided for the FOV throughout the moving, thereby providing an improved signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) during filtering.

Abstract: To increase inspection throughput, the field of view (FOV) of an IR camera can be moved over the sample at a constant velocity. Throughout this moving, a modulation (e.g. optical or electrical) can be provided to the sample and IR images can be captured using the IR camera. Moving the FOV, providing the modulation, and capturing the IR images can be synchronized. The IR images can be filtered to generate the time delay LIT, thereby providing defect identification. In one embodiment, this filtering accounts for the number of pixels of the IR camera in a scanning direction. For the case of optical modulation, a dark field region can be provided for the FOV throughout the moving, thereby providing an improved signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) during filtering.

Abstract: Tuning, integrating, and operating an electron beam CT scanning system is simplified by using the fringe field from dipole magnets arranged as a chicane to focus the electron beam, thus replacing conventional quadrupole and solenoid coils. Preferably four "chicane" dipole magnets are series-coupled with the windings in the downstream deflection magnet, such that the chicane magnet X and Y coils are energized 90.degree. out of phase with the deflection magnet coils. The alternating current polarity in the chicane magnets creates an "S"-shaped electron beam trajectory that adequately uniformly focuses over the full cross-section of the electron beam. Winding the coils with a cosine distribution permits rotating the magnetic fields to change the azimuthal and deflecting planes of the electron beam, without disturbing the deflection angle and focusing properties.