Abstract: Nanocomposite photovoltaic devices are provided that generally include semiconductor nanocrystals as at least a portion of a photoactive layer. Photovoltaic devices and other layered devices that comprise core-shell nanostructures and/or two populations of nanostructures, where the nanostructures are not necessarily part of a nanocomposite, are also features of the invention. Varied architectures for such devices are also provided including flexible and rigid architectures, planar and non-planar architectures and the like, as are systems incorporating such devices, and methods and systems for fabricating such devices. Compositions comprising two populations of nanostructures of different materials are also a feature of the invention.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for solar energy production comprises a multi-layer solid-state structure including a photosensitive layer, a thin conductor, a charge separation layer, and a back ohmic conductor, wherein light absorption occurs in a photosensitive layer and the charge carriers produced thereby are transported through the thin conductor through the adjacent potential energy barrier. The open circuit voltage of the solar cell can be manipulated by choosing from among a wide selection of materials making up the thin conductor, the charge separation layer, and the back ohmic layer.

Abstract: An apparatus and system is presented for partially compensating the cold junction of a thermocouple system using low cost semi-compensated conductors of system components accommodating various thermocouple types. The thermocouple system, comprises a thermocouple portion comprising two thermocouple types, each type composed of two different thermoelectric materials joined to form a hot junction, a semi-compensation portion comprising two substantially similar conductor pairs, each composed of a different material, wherein one conductor of each pair is composed of a material different than the thermoelectric materials of the respective thermocouple type of the thermocouple portion.

Abstract: Supporting frame structure for installing solar cell module plates and incidental facilities on a house roof is provided. The supporting structure has a shape of pluralities of slope structure accompanied with cleaning accesses mounted on a rectangular cube frame. Side view of the slope structure forms a rectangular triangle on a square. The angle between the sloped top surface and the horizontal base is 3 to 75 degrees depend on the latitude of the geometric location of the place where the solar cell plate modules are installed. The maintenance access is a space through which a worker easily access to the solar cell module plates to clean the surface thereof and to replace the plates.

Abstract: Method and system for converting solar energy into electrical energy utilizing serially coupled multijunction-type photovoltaic cells in conjunction with a form of spectral cooling. The latter cooling is carried out by removing ineffective solar energy components from impinging concentrated light, inter alia, through the utilization of dichroics or the conversion of ineffective solar energy components to effective energy components by means of luminescence, phosphorescence, or fluorescence. Ineffective solar energy components are described as those exhibiting wavelengths outside the bandgap energy defined wavelength and an associated wavelength defined band of useful photon energy.

Abstract: The invention is a photon battery device for converting concentrated light into electricity. Daylight is focused into numerous individual optical waveguides which feeds the light into a Faraday Isolator which polarizes the light and prevents it from exiting the first end of the Faraday Isolator. At the second end, a large chamber collects the light where it passes a magnetic field to alter its polarization angle to prevent its reentry into the Faraday Isolator. At the second end of the large light confinement chamber the polarized light will be able to pass into the first end of a smaller light confinement chamber where a second magnetic force alters the angle of polarization so that the light will be able to be directed onto an array of optical waveguides which will focus the light onto a series of photovoltaic cells from which electricity emanates for use.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a thin-film solar cell, comprising the steps of: forming an amorphous silicon film on a substrate; placing a metal element that accelerates the crystallization of silicon in contact with the surface of the amorphous silicon film; subjecting the amorphous silicon film to a heat treatment to obtain a crystalline silicon film; depositing a silicon film to which phosphorus has been added in contact with the crystalline silicon film; and subjecting the crystalline silicon film and the silicon film to which phosphorus has been added to a heat treatment to getter the metal element from the crystalline film.

Abstract: A novel electrokinetic instability (EKI) micromixer and method takes advantage of the EKI to effect active rapid stirring of confluent microstreams of biomolecules without moving parts or complex microfabrication processes. The EKI is induced using an alternating current (A/C) electric field. Within seconds, the randomly fluctuating, three-dimensional velocity field created by the EKI rapidly and effectively stirs an initially heterogeneous solution and generates a homogeneous solution that is useful in a variety of biochemical and bioanalytical systems. Microfabricated on a glass substrate, the inventive EKI micromixer can be easily and advantageously integrated in molecular diagnostics apparatuses and systems, such as a chip-based “Lab-on-a-Chip” microfluidic device.

Abstract: Thermoelectric material is produced through a process sequence including a liquid quenching, a primary solidification such as a hot pressing or extrusion and an upset forging; although the C-planes of the crystal grains are directed in parallel to the direction in which the force is exerted on flakes during the hot pressing/extrusion, the a-axes are randomly directed; the a-axes are oriented in a predetermined direction through the upset forging; this results in improvement of electric resistivity without reduction in the figure of merit.

Abstract: A silane composition for preparing a semiconductor thin films of a solar cell is disclosed. The silane composition contains a polysilane compound represented by the formula SinRm (n is an integer of 3 or more, m is an integer of n to (2n+2) and an m number of R's are each independently a hydrogen atom, alkyl group, phenyl group or halogen atom, with the proviso that when all the m number of R's are hydrogen atoms and m=2n, n is an integer of 7 or more), and at least one silane compound selected from cyclopentasilane, cyclohexasilane and silylcyclopentasilane.

Abstract: A stacked photovoltaic device comprises at least three p-i-n junction constituent devices superposed in layers, each having a p-type layer, an i-type layer and an n-type layer which are formed of silicon non-single crystal semiconductors. An amorphous silicon layer is used as the i-type layer of a first p-i-n junction, a microcrystalline silicon layer is used as the i-type layer of a second p-i-n junction and a microcrystalline silicon layer is used as the i-type layer of a third p-i-n junction, the first to third layers being in order from the light incident side. In this way, a stacked photovoltaic device can be provided which is practical and low-cost and yet has high reliability and high photoelectric conversion efficiency.

Abstract: A thermophotovoltaic generator apparatus has: a burner that is supplied with a fuel and an air, and burns the fuel; an emitter heated by combustion heat produced by the burner; a photoelectric conversion cell that converts radiant light from the emitter into electric power; and a cell holder portion that holds the photoelectric conversion cell. A cooling device is provided for causing a cooling liquid to receive heat from the photoelectric conversion cell by contacting the cooling liquid and a back surface of the cell holder portion with each other. A surface of the cell holder portion that contacts the cooling liquid is a non-horizontal surface. The apparatus employs at least two kinds of cooling liquids.

Abstract: A solar battery module (5) is provided by forming a solar battery (13) on a surface on one side of an insulating substrate (12) and forming an electrode thin film (11), which is connectable to a reference potential (32) and integrated with the solar battery (13) with an insulating state kept therebetween by the insulating substrate (12), on substantially the entire area of a surface on a side, where the solar battery (13) is not formed, of the insulating substrate (12). The solar battery module (5) is mounted on a portable electronic device (1) with the electrode thin film (11) being connected to the reference potential (32).

Abstract: A thin-film solar cell (10) is provided. The thin-film solar cell (10) comprises a flexible metallic substrate (12) having a first surface and a second surface. A back metal contact layer (16) is deposited on the first surface of the flexible metallic substrate (12). A semiconductor absorber layer (14) is deposited on the back metal contact. A photoactive film deposited on the semiconductor absorber layer (14) forms a heterojunction structure and a grid contact (24) deposited on the heterjunction structure. The flexible metal substrate (12) can be constructed of either aluminium or stainless steel. Furthermore, a method of constructing a solar cell is provided. The method comprises providing an aluminum substrate (12), depositing a semiconductor absorber layer (14) on the aluminum substrate (12), and insulating the aluminum substrate (12) from the semiconductor absorber layer (14) to inhibit reaction between the aluminum substrate (12) and the semiconductor absorber layer (14).

Abstract: GaAs substrates with compositionally graded buffer layers for matching lattice constants with high-Indium semiconductor materials such as quantum well infrared photoconductor devices and thermo photo voltaic devices are disclosed.

Abstract: A fluid composition for a refrigerator, which comprises a chlorine-free fluorocarbon refrigerant and a refrigerator oil, said refrigerator oil consisting essentially of a tetraester of pentaerythritol of formula (1) with both 2-ethylhexanoic acid and 3,5,5-trimethylhexanoic acid, said refrigerator oil exhibiting a pour point not higher than ?10° C.

Abstract: A solar-paneled windmill is provided having aerodynamic fan blades provided with solar panels. The windmill produces electricity using wind energy and solar energy. In another embodiment, magnets are provided to the solar-paneled windmill fan blades to generate magnetic fields to increase the amount of electrical energy produced.

Abstract: A thermophotovoltaic power generating apparatus has a combustor for burning a fuel upon supply of the fuel and air, an emitter heated by passage therein of combustion gas produced in the combustor, and a photoelectric conversion element that converts light radiated from the emitter into electric power, the combustor being provided between the emitter and the conversion element. Preferably, the emitter is disposed above the combustor, and the photoelectric conversion element is disposed below the combustor. With this structure, combustion gas does not reside in the combustion chamber, but is discharged via the emitter disposed above the combustor. Combustion becomes stable, and the emitter is efficiently heated, so that energy radiated from the emitter surface increases.

Abstract: There are now provided thin-film solar cells and method of making. The devices comprise a low-cost, low thermal stability substrate with a semiconductor body deposited thereon by a deposition gas. The deposited body is treated with a conversion gas to provide a microcrystalline silicon body. The deposition gas and the conversion gas are subjected to a pulsed electromagnetic radiation to effectuate deposition and conversion.

Abstract: A thin film solar cell comprises a p-layer, an i-layer and an n-layer formed in this order as a pin junction on a substrate in which the p-layer and the i-layer are thin silicon films each containing a crystalline component, and the p-layer contains p-type impurities of 0.2 to 8 atom % and has a thickness of 10 to 200 nm.