Abstract: An amorphous silicon solar cell incorporating a transparent high work function metal cermet incident to solar radiation and a thick film cermet contacting the amorphous silicon opposite to said incident surface.

Abstract: A process for storing energy from solar radiation whereby solar radiation is converted into electrical current which is supplied to an electrochemical cell in combination with water and carbon dioxide gas to produce formic acid as an electrochemical storage medium. The formic acid can be easily decomposed by catalysts known in the art into carbon dioxide and hydrogen gas which can be burned as fuel or used as a starting material in numerous commercial applications.

Abstract: A method of purifying methyl alkyl siloxane lubricants of the formula ##STR1## wherein R is an alkyl group of 4-20 carbon atoms and x is an integer which comprises multiply extracting with acetone.

Abstract: The addition of N-methylol acrylamide as an accelerator to casein-based aqueous photoresist compositions reduces the baking temperature required to render the developed resist etch resistant.

Abstract: Apparatus for pulling a ribbon shaped crystal from a melt of the same downwardly through a shaping guide having a "V" shaped longitudinal trough for containing the melt. The inner wall of the trough is a die set having a longitudinal slit at the apex of the "V".

Abstract: A method of reducing the absorption losses in an optical fiber by irradiating the optical fiber with ultraviolet light at a reduced pressure and elevated temperature.

Abstract: This invention pertains to an electron beam resist method for forming a surface relief pattern in a poly(olefin sulfone) layer wherein the polymer layer is useful as a sputter etch mask for transferring the surface relief pattern into a metal layer. The surface relief pattern is formed using poly(3-methyl-1-cyclopentene sulfone) as the poly(olefin sulfone) layer and using a mixture of 2-methylcyclohexanone and 2-methylcyclohexanol or a mixture of benzene and 2-methylcyclohexanol as the developer for the poly(3-methyl-1-cyclopentene sulfone) layer.

Abstract: Novel dyes of the formula ##STR1## wherein X is --NH, --NCH.sub.3, --S or --O; R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 independently at each occurrence can be hydrogen, fluoro, chloro, bromo, alkoxy, cyano, nitro, --N(R).sub.2 wherein R is alkyl or two of R.sub.1 to R.sub.4 together can be part of an aromatic ring; R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 are hydrogen, fluoro, chloro, bromo or lower alkyl; and R.sub.7 is hydrogen, fluoro, chloro, bromo, alkoxy, cyano, nitro, --N(R.sub.2), ##STR2## HYDROGEN, FLUORO, CHLORO, BROMO, ALKOXY, CYANO, NITRO, DI-ALKYLAMINO, ##STR3## can be added to known liquid crystal compositions to impart color to the mixtures and to improve contrast of a liquid crystal electro-optic device containing such mixtures.

Abstract: An improved molding composition for compression molding non-coated video discs containing about 12-20 percent of conductive carbon black particles, about 10 percent of a vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer, about 10 percent of a vinyl chloride-maleate ester copolymer, about 15-17 percent of polymeric plasticizers and processing aids, about 3.5 percent of two or more metal stabilizers, about 1.5 percent of three or more lubricants and the remainder a copolymer of vinyl chloride containing about 6-8 percent of propylene.

Abstract: A method of removing the protective polymeric layers of an optical fiber comprises contacting the fiber with a mixture of sulphuric acid and hydrogen peroxide to remove the outer protective coating followed by contacting the remaining protective coating with concentrated sulphuric acid.

Abstract: This invention relates to a surface acoustic wave device which is comprised of a single domain lithium niobate layer on a multiple domain lithium niobate substrate. On the single domain layer are launching and receiving interdigitated electrode patterns. Spurious responses generated by bulk waves from the launching electrode and transmitted to the receiving electrode are substantially reduced.

Abstract: A first layer of semiconductor device is of doped amorphous silicon prepared by a glow discharge in a mixture of silane and a doping gas. The first layer is on a substrate having good electrical properties. On the first layer and spaced from the substrate is a second layer of amorphous silicon prepared by a glow discharge in silane. On the second layer opposite the first layer is a metallic film forming a surface barrier junction therebetween, i.e. a Schottky barrier. The first layer is doped so as to make an ohmic contact with the substrate. Preferably the doping concentration of the first layer is graded so the dopant concentration is maximum at the interface of the first layer and the substrate. In a second embodiment of the Schottky barrier semiconductor device an intermediate layer is between and contiguous to both the first layer and the substrate. The intermediate layer facilitates in making ohmic contact between the amorphous silicon and the substrate.

Abstract: Novel dyes of the formula ##STR1## wherein X can be hydrogen, alkyl, alkoxy, cyano, nitro, dialkylamino, halogen or --N.dbd.N--Y and Y can be phenyl, phenyl substituted in the para position with an alkyl, alkoxy, cyano, nitro, dialkylamino or halogen group, or a heterocyclic ring, can be added to known liquid crystal compositions to impart color to the mixtures and improved contrast to a liquid crystal electro-optic device containing such mixtures.

Abstract: This invention relates to a video disc with a thin polymeric dielectric layer formed from acetylene and nitrogen in a glow discharge. The dielectric layer has improved age deterioration resistance and wear characteristics and can be prepared with low power levels.

Abstract: Novel liquid crystal dyes of the formula ##STR1## wherein (CHOL--) is a cholesteryl radical, X can be 0 or NH, R.sub.1 can be H, --OH, methyl, fluoro or chloro; R.sub.2 can be --NO.sub.2, --CN, N-(alkyl).sub.2, --OCOOR, --OCOR, alkyl or alkoxy and R.sub.3 can be H, methyl, fluoro or chloro, can be added to known liquid crystal compositions to impart color to the mixtures and improved contrast to a liquid crystal electro-optic device containing such mixtures.

Abstract: A process for pretreating polyvinyl chloride plastics to form adherent non-grainy conformal metal coatings by electroless deposition comprising immersing the polyvinyl chloride plastic in a solution comprising at least about 10 grams of alkali metal hydroxide dissolved in a solution consisting of about 5% to about 30% by volume of a water-soluble mono-, di-, or polyhydric alcohol and about 70% to about 95% by volume of water. The immersion time is variable from about 5 minutes in ultrasonically agitated, mildly heated solutions to about 6 to about 8 hours in non-agitated, unheated solutions. After pretreatment, the polyvinyl chloride plastic is treated by standard electroless plating procedures known in the art.

Abstract: A vinyl chloride based injection molding composition comprises a vinyl chloride-propylene copolymer, a mercapto tin stabilizer, an acrylic processing aid and an ester wax lubricant. This composition has excellent flow characteristics and can form molded articles with sub-micron dimensional details and excellent surface characteristics.

Abstract: Avalanche photodiodes include a substrate of a high resistivity material having at least a first surface. The substrate is of a particular conductivity type. In the substrate and at the first surface are a plurality of spaced apart regions of the same conductivity type as the substrate and defining the individual photodiode elements of the avalanche photodiode. Occupying the area at the first surface of the substrate not occupied by the spaced regions and extending into the substrate is a discontinuous layer of the same conductivity type as the spaced regions but of a conductivity concentration much lower than the conductivity concentration of the spaced regions. On the first surface of the substrate covering the discontinuous layer and slightly overlapping the spaced regions is a patterned passivation layer. The improvement of the present invention over the prior art is the addition of the discontinuous layer which reduces the electrical noise in the output signal of the avalanche photodiode.

Abstract: Novel siloxane lubricants of the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is methyl or (CH.sub.3).sub.3 SiO--, R.sub.2 is methyl, R.sub.3 is ##STR2## WHEREIN R.sub.4 is methyl or --(CH.sub.2).sub.n NH--CH.sub.2).sub.m NH.sub.2, n is an integer of at least 3, m is an integer of at least 2 and x can be 0 or an integer, and dimers thereof.

Abstract: This invention pertains to a method for forming a surface relief pattern in a metal layer which comprises forming a wet poly(olefin sulfone) layer on the metal layer, forming a surface relief pattern in the wet poly(olefin sulfone) layer, and sputter etching the surface relief pattern from the wet poly(olefin sulfone) layer into the metal layer.