Abstract: A solar cell is formed using a solar cell ablation system. The ablation system includes a single laser source and several laser scanners. The laser scanners include a master laser scanner, with the rest of the laser scanners being slaved to the master laser scanner. A laser beam from the laser source is split into several laser beams, with the laser beams being scanned onto corresponding wafers using the laser scanners in accordance with one or more patterns. The laser beams may be scanned on the wafers using the same or different power levels of the laser source.

Abstract: One embodiment relates to an arrangement of photovoltaic modules configured for transportation. The arrangement includes a plurality of photovoltaic modules, each photovoltaic module including a frame having at least a top member and a bottom member. A plurality of alignment features are included on the top member of each frame, and a plurality of alignment features are included on the bottom member of each frame. Adjacent photovoltaic modules are interlocked by the alignment features on the top member of a lower module fitting together with the alignment features on the bottom member of an upper module. Other embodiments, features and aspects are also disclosed.

Abstract: A synchronized multiple imager system includes a plurality of imagers having pixels arranged in rows and columns. The pixels generate pixel data responsive to light directed onto the imagers. One or more respective sensors are coupled to the imagers. The sensors sense the pixel data from the columns and output a vertical raster stream representative of the pixel data in the columns, thereby generating a plurality of vertical raster streams. A clock circuit synchronizes the sensors to sense selected columns in the imagers and to output the vertical raster streams from the selected columns. A processor circuit is configured to receive the vertical raster streams from the imagers and to process the vertical raster streams to generate a plurality of stitched raster streams. The processor circuit stitches seam vertical raster streams from adjacent pairs of imagers.

Abstract: One embodiment relates to an apparatus of a dynamic pattern generator for reflection electron beam lithography. The apparatus includes a plurality of base electrodes in a two-dimensional array, an insulating border surrounding each base electrode so as to electrically isolate the base electrodes from each other; and a sidewall surrounding each base electrode. The sidewall comprises a plurality of stacked electrodes which are separated by insulating layers. In addition, the base electrodes are advantageously shaped so as to be concave. Furthermore, a conformal coating may be advantageously applied over the base electrodes and sidewalls. Another embodiment relates to an apparatus for reflection electron beam lithography. The apparatus includes a shadow mask configured to form an array of incident electron beamlets. The shadow mask comprises an array of holes which correspond one-to-one with an array of pixel pads of an electron reflective patterned structure.

Abstract: A solar cell includes abutting P-type and N-type doped regions in a contiguous portion of a polysilicon layer. The polysilicon layer may be formed on a thin dielectric layer, which is formed on a backside of a solar cell substrate (e.g., silicon wafer). The polysilicon layer has a relatively large average grain size to reduce or eliminate recombination in a space charge region between the P-type and N-type doped regions, thereby increasing efficiency.

Abstract: An endpoint computer in an enterprise network is configured to detect computer security threat events, such as presence of a computer virus. Upon detection of a threat event, the endpoint computer generates computer security threat data for the threat event. The threat data may include user identifiable data that can be used to identify a user in the enterprise network. The endpoint computer encrypts the user identifiable data prior to sending the threat data to a smart protection network or to an enterprise server where threat data from various enterprise networks are collected for analysis. The endpoint computer may also encrypt an identifier for the threat data and provide the encrypted identifier to the smart protection network and to an enterprise server in the enterprise network. The enterprise server may use the encrypted identifier to retrieve the threat data from the smart protection network to generate user-specific reports.

Abstract: One embodiment relates to an integrated circuit including a first strip of phase-locked loop (PLL) circuits on a first side of the integrated circuit, and a second strip of PLL circuits on a second side of the integrated circuit which is opposite from the first side. The PLL circuits in the first and second strips may be configured by programming the integrated circuit. Another embodiment relates to an integrated circuit including a plurality of phase-locked loop (PLL) circuits and a plurality of physical media attachment (PMA) triplet modules adjacent to the plurality of PLL circuits. Each PMA triplet module includes first, second and third channels. The first and third channels are arranged for use as receiving channels, and the second channel is arranged to be configurable as either a receiving channel or a clock multiplication unit. Other embodiments and features are also disclosed.

Abstract: Scanning of files for malicious codes may be performed by calculating a first hash value of a file in a client computer and providing the first hash value of the file to a remotely located server computer. The server computer may compare the first hash value of the file to first hash values of malicious code patterns to determine if the file is possibly infected with malicious code. A malicious code pattern having a first hash value that matches that of the file may be forwarded from the server computer to the client computer. In the client computer, a second hash value of the file may be calculated and compared against a second hash value of the malicious code pattern to determine if the file is infected with the malicious code.

Abstract: A bipolar solar cell includes a backside junction formed by an N-type silicon substrate and a P-type polysilicon emitter formed on the backside of the solar cell. An antireflection layer may be formed on a textured front surface of the silicon substrate. A negative polarity metal contact on the front side of the solar cell makes an electrical connection to the substrate, while a positive polarity metal contact on the backside of the solar cell makes an electrical connection to the polysilicon emitter. An external electrical circuit may be connected to the negative and positive metal contacts to be powered by the solar cell. The positive polarity metal contact may form an infrared reflecting layer with an underlying dielectric layer for increased solar radiation collection.

Abstract: One embodiment relates to a substrate carrier for use in electroplating a plurality of substrates. The carrier includes a non-conductive carrier body on which the substrates are placed and conductive lines embedded within the carrier body. A plurality of conductive clip attachment parts are attached in a permanent manner to the conductive lines embedded within the carrier body. A plurality of contact clips are attached in a removable manner to the clip attachment parts. The contact clips hold the substrates in place and conductively connecting the substrates with the conductive lines. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed.

Abstract: One embodiment relates to a substrate carrier for use in electroplating a plurality of substrates. The substrate carrier includes a non-conductive carrier body on which the substrates are held, and conductive lines are embedded within the carrier body. A conductive bus bar is embedded into a top side of the carrier body and is conductively coupled to the conductive lines. A thermoplastic overmold covers a portion of the bus bar, and there is a plastic-to-plastic bond between the thermoplastic overmold and the non-conductive carrier body. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed.

Abstract: A dielectric film stack of a solar cell is ablated using a laser. The dielectric film stack includes a layer that is absorptive in a wavelength of operation of the laser source. The laser source, which fires laser pulses at a pulse repetition rate, is configured to ablate the film stack to expose an underlying layer of material. The laser source may be configured to fire a burst of two laser pulses or a single temporally asymmetric laser pulse within a single pulse repetition to achieve complete ablation in a single step.

Abstract: A bipolar solar cell includes a backside junction formed by a silicon substrate and a first doped layer of a first dopant type on the backside of the solar cell. A second doped layer of a second dopant type makes an electrical connection to the substrate from the front side of the solar cell. A first metal contact of a first electrical polarity electrically connects to the first doped layer on the backside of the solar cell, and a second metal contact of a second electrical polarity electrically connects to the second doped layer on the front side of the solar cell. An external electrical circuit may be electrically connected to the first and second metal contacts to be powered by the solar cell.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrostatic discharge diode. The electrostatic discharge diode according to exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: an N-type well formed on a substrate; an n? region formed on the N-type well; a plurality of p? regions penetrated and formed in the n? region; a plurality of n+ regions penetrated and formed in a first layer in which the n? region and a plurality of the p? regions are formed; a plurality of n+ regions penetrated and formed in a first layer in which the n? region and a plurality of the p? regions are formed; and a plurality of p+ regions penetrated and formed in the first layer, wherein a first n+ region among a plurality of the n+ regions and a first p+ region corresponding to the first n+ region are penetrated and formed in each other region of the corresponding first p? region among a plurality of the p? regions.

Abstract: Disclosed is a switch driving circuit for controlling the switching operation of a switch. The switch driving circuit includes a driver generating a normal gate signal for controlling the switching operation of the switch, and a gate signal correction circuit comparing the normal gate signal with a gate signal applied to a gate electrode of the switch so as to correct the gate signal in accordance with the comparison.

Abstract: Uniform resource locator (URL) patterns are found in browsing histories of client computers. The URL patterns are employed to find URL browsing chains for particular client computers. A URL browsing chain includes URL requests that match URL patterns arranged in sequential order by time stamp. The URL browsing chains may be normalized and then evaluated for web threat infection chains. URL browsing chains that are deemed to be web threat infection chains are built into a model. The model may be deployed locally in a client computer or in a remotely located server computer to detect web threat infection chains.

Abstract: A multilayer anti-reflection structure for a backside contact solar cell. The anti-reflection structure may be formed on a front side of the backside contact solar cell. The anti-reflection structure may include a passivation level, a high optical absorption layer over the passivation level, and a low optical absorption layer over the high optical absorption layer. The passivation level may include silicon dioxide thermally-grown on a textured surface of the solar cell substrate, which may be an N-type silicon substrate. The high optical absorption layer may be configured to block at least 10% of UV radiation coming into the substrate. The high optical absorption layer may comprise high-k silicon nitride and the low optical absorption layer may comprise low-k silicon nitride.

Abstract: Malicious codes may be prevented from performing malicious actions in a computer that does not have a virtual machine by simulating presence of the virtual machine. When a computer program performs an action in the computer, the action may be intercepted to determine if the computer program is malicious code probing the computer for presence of the virtual machine. A response to the action may be in accordance with convention of the virtual machine when the action is deemed to be for purposes of detecting the virtual machine. Otherwise, the action may be allowed to proceed.

Abstract: One embodiment relates to a method of providing a computer security service via instant messaging. An instant message is received from an originating user account. The instant message is parsed to identify files and universal resource locators (URLs) in the instant message. If any files are identified, then said identified file(s) are scanned for malicious code to generate scan results. If any URLs are identified, then said identified URL(s) are checked against a ratings database to generate rating results. A responsive instant message to the originating user account is generated, wherein the responsive instant message includes said scan and rating results. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer processing system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes a loading station, a load lock, a process module, an intermediate process module, and a transport module which further includes a load chamber, a transfer chamber, and a pass-through chamber between the load chamber and the transfer chamber. The intermediate process module may be coupled to the load chamber, or both the load chamber and the transfer chamber. In one embodiment, the load lock is a single-wafer load lock capable of accommodating only a single wafer at a time to allow for fast pump down and vent cycles. In one embodiment, the pass-through chamber is configured as a cooling station to improve throughput for processes that require the wafer to be cooled in-between depositions, for example.