Abstract: The disclosed technology generally relates to chalcogenide thin films, and more particularly to ternary and quaternary chalcogenide thin films having a wide band-gap, and further relates to photovoltaic cells containing such thin films, e.g., as an absorber layer. In one aspect, a method of forming a ternary or quaternary thin film chalcogenide layer containing Cu and Si comprises depositing a copper layer on a substrate. The method additionally comprises depositing a silicon layer on the copper layer with a [Cu]/[Si] atomic ratio of at least 0.7, and thereafter annealing in an inert atmosphere. The method further includes performing a first selenization or a first sulfurization, thereby forming a ternary thin film chalcogenide layer on the substrate. In another aspect, a composite structure includes a substrate having a service temperature not exceeding 600° C.

Abstract: A method of fabricating templated semiconductor nanowires on a surface of a semiconductor substrate for use in semiconductor device applications is provided. The method includes controlling the spatial placement of the semiconductor nanowires by using an oxygen reactive seed material. The present invention also provides semiconductor structures including semiconductor nanowires. In yet another embodiment, patterning of a compound semiconductor substrate or other like substrate which is capable of forming a compound semiconductor alloy with an oxygen reactive element during a subsequent annealing step is provided. This embodiment provides a patterned substrate that can be used in various applications including, for example, in semiconductor device manufacturing, optoelectronic device manufacturing and solar cell device manufacturing.

Abstract: A batch mixer is equipped with a plunger for pushing material from the batch mixer. The batch mixer includes a mixer tank structured to accommodate material. The mixer further includes a mixer head comprising at least one blade structured to blend the material within the mixer tank. The mixer further includes a plunger mechanism structured to push the blended material directly from the mixer tank.

Abstract: A method, a system and an apparatus of semi-permeable terrain geophysical data acquisition is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of geophysical data acquisition over a semi-permeable terrain includes placing an apparatus housing geophysical data measuring instruments over a semi-permeable terrain. The method adjusts and calibrates low frequency unshielded dipole antennas with a transmitter and a receiver in a pre-determined interval distance depending on central frequency. The method selects a time data trigger type and/or a unit data trigger type to scan and/or trace where a data signal is sent to a ground at selected intervals. The method causes a linear movement of the apparatus over the semi-permeable terrain. The method determines an optimal position for geophysical data acquisition over the semi-permeable terrain. Further, the method captures geophysical data with measuring instruments housed on the apparatus.

Abstract: A method for producing a polymer film of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) having a high concentration of silver nanoparticles (NPs) includes forming the NPs by drying the forming composition by the process of slow reduction of Ag ions by soft organic reductants. Changing a filling degree of Ag NPs in the film is achieved by displacement of Ag NPs and their seeds generated in the liquid PVA film under the action of a DC current at 2-6 mA. An example metal-polymer film with Ag NPs may be used in stealth technologies, for creating thermophotoelectric (TPE) elements, photo detectors, radiation cooling and heating of optoelectronic devices, in spectroscopy of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), and for manufacturing LC devices.

Abstract: A batch mixer is equipped with a plunger for pushing material from the batch mixer. The batch mixer includes a mixer tank structured to accommodate material. The mixer further includes a mixer head comprising at least one blade structured to blend the material within the mixer tank. The mixer further includes a plunger mechanism structured to push the blended material directly from the mixer tank.

Abstract: An extruder is disclosed, and more particularly, to an integrated single screw extruder and a twin screw extruder for mixing, compounding, kneading and/or extruding of materials. The integrated extruder includes a first barrel assembly and a second barrel assembly. The integrated extruder further includes a first screw having a first threaded portion and a second threaded portion. The first threaded portion is housed within the first barrel assembly and is configured to provide upstream material processing. The second threaded portion is housed within the second barrel assembly and is configured to provide downstream material processing. The integrated extruder further includes a second screw having a non-threaded shaft portion and a threaded portion. The threaded portion of the second screw is housed within the second barrel assembly and is configured to provide the downstream material processing with the second threaded portion of the first screw.

Abstract: A zwitterionic monomer and corresponding cyclopolymerized polyzwitterion (±) (PZ) (i.e. poly(Z-alt-SO2). Phosophonate ester hydroloysis in PZ gave a pH-responsive polyzwitterionic acid (±) (PZA). The PZA under pH-induced transformation was converted into polyzwitterion/anion (±?) (PZAN) and polyzwitterion/dianion (±=) (PZDAN).

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for a user to generate content that reports social incidents, interests, and/or services. Specifically, a method is provided including subscribing with a server to send and receive information or data regarding a social incident, interest, and/or service of interest to a beneficiary. The method further includes defining a template for a report on the server to capture the information or data. The method further includes viewing and/or retrieving the report submitted by a user (via a client) of the general public that perceived the social incident, interest, and/or service of interest to the beneficiary. The defining the template comprises defining at least one information component that the beneficiary may be interested in receiving from the user regarding the social incident, interest, and/or service, and associating the defined template to the beneficiary.

Abstract: There is provided a process and system for treating produced water. The process combines a vacuum tank process, an adsorption-desorption process, a heat-exchanger process, a membrane distillation-crystallization process. Also, the process may involve membrane separation and column distillation processes. The process allows for some level of efficiency with regard to energy consumption and operational and maintenance costs.

Abstract: The invention provides a solid state dye laser and methods for preparing the solid state dye laser. The solid state dye laser includes a porous copolymer membrane of poly(vinylidenefloride-cohexafluoroproplyne (PVDF-HFP) and a laser dye. The laser dye is incorporated in pores of the copolymer membrane. The solid state dye laser is prepared using one of a phase inversion technique, a phase separation technique, and a breath figure technique.

Abstract: There is provided a process for treating well water to produce drinking water. The process combines a vacuum tank process, an adsorption-desorption process, a heat-exchanger process, a membrane distillation-crystallization process. The process allows for some level of efficiency with regard to energy consumption and operational and maintenance costs.

Abstract: A geopolymer brick fabrication system comprising a mixer (100) having a tank (101) which comprises a closeable bottom outlet (102) and an inner surface coated with saturated polyester resin that is resistant against corrosive geopolymeric material for receiving the geopolymer raw material to be mixed by shaft (103) driven by a spindle motor (104) a molding section (200) to receive the mixed geopolymer raw material through a slanted conveyer (105) upon opening of the closeable outlet (102) for shaping the mixture under pressure inside a mold (201) to obtain a geopolymer brick and a curing section (300) having a moving platform (301) across a curing chamber (302) to simultaneously cure and transport the brick thereon.

Abstract: A well-bore monitoring process involving logging the temperature of a soil, rock, and brine mixture present in a carbonate formation continuously, and simultaneously logging the resistivity of the soil, rock, and brine mixture in the carbonate formation continuously. The logged temperature and the logged resistivity are interpreted whereby concurrent events in the logged temperature and the logged resistivity identify dissolution of rock into the mixture and precipitation of scale from the mixture. The simultaneous logging of the temperature and the resistivity is conducted in a well-bore in the carbonate rock formation.

Abstract: A computing device for correcting data errors may receive data stored by a memory device; calculate a syndrome associated with the data; initiate a calculation of error correction information for the data based on the syndrome; search for the error correction information in a cache based on the syndrome; discontinue the calculation of the error correction information when the error correction information is found in the cache before the error correction information is calculated; and correct an error associated with the data using the error correction information from the cache.

Abstract: A system and a method provide a photovoltaic system which regenerates the output characteristics of the photovoltaic at different ambient condition with high precision under all environmental conditions. The photovoltaic system includes a photovoltaic array, a buck/boost converter, a DC link capacitor to connect the buck/booster converter to a load/inverter, an adaptive network-based fuzzy inference maximum power point tracking controller, a voltage control loop, a proportional integral controller to maintain the output voltage of the photovoltaic array to the reference voltage by adjusting the duty ratio of buck/boost converter.

Abstract: A system and a method provide a photovoltaic system which regenerates the output characteristics of the photovoltaic at different ambient condition with high precision under all environmental conditions. The photovoltaic system includes a photovoltaic array, a buck/boost converter, a DC link capacitor to connect the buck/booster converter to a load/inverter, an adaptive network-based fuzzy inference maximum power point tracking controller, a voltage control loop, a proportional integral controller to maintain the output voltage of the photovoltaic array to the reference voltage by adjusting the duty ratio of buck/boost converter.

Abstract: A zwitterionic monomer and corresponding cyclopolymerized polyzwitterion (±) (PZ) (i.e. poly(Z-alt-SO2). Phosophonate ester hydroloysis in PZ gave a pH-responsive polyzwitterionic acid (±) (PZA). The PZA under pH-induced transformation was converted into polyzwitterion/anion (±?) (PZAN) and polyzwitterion/dianion (±=) (PZDAN).

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a composition and a method to prepare a polymer nanoparticle using miniemulsion polymerization (MEP) comprising a monomer, a reactive co-stabilizer and a reactive surfactant. The reactive co-stabilizer as disclosed is a methacrylate containing perfluorinated or semifluorinated side chains like 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyl methacrylate (H2F8MA). Further, the reactive stabilizer as used in the preparation is cetyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (CTAB). The polymer nanoparticle as formed has an enhanced stability and low VOC as compared to a pure polymer prepared by MEP.

Abstract: Gold(I) complexes of formulae [Au{P(t-Bu)3}(S2CN(CH3)2)] (1), and [Au{P(t-Bu)3}(S2CN(C2H5)2)] (2) have been prepared by the reaction of equimolar amounts of [Au{P(t-Bu)3}(Cl)] with sodium dimethyldithiocarbamate monohydrate, and sodium diethyldithiocarbamate trihydrate respectively. Both complexes (1) and (2) are iso-structural having linear geometry. These gold(I) dithiocarbamate complexes show in vitro cytotoxic activities against A549 (human lung carcinoma), HeLa (human cervical cancer) and MCF7 (human breast cancer) cell lines.