Abstract: A solar cell has an active semiconductor structure and a back electrical contact overlying and contacting an active semiconductor structure back side. A front electrical contact is applied overlying and contacting the active semiconductor structure front side. The front electrical contact has multiple layers including a titanium layer overlying and contacting the active semiconductor structure front side, a diffusion layer overlying and contacting the titanium layer, a barrier layer overlying and contacting the diffusion layer, and a joining layer overlying and contacting the barrier layer. The front electrical contact may be applied by sequentially vacuum depositing the titanium layer, the diffusion layer, the barrier layer, and the joining layer in a vacuum deposition apparatus in a single pumpdown from ambient pressure. A front electrical lead is affixed overlying and contacting an attachment pad region of the front electrical contact.

Abstract: This invention comprises a transparent/translucent panel system including two spaced flat panels and a series of elongated, abutting, rotatably mounted transparent/translucent light-controlling members disposed between the panels in which the light-controlling members are at least partially tubular or have annular members along their length to facilitate rotation of the light-controlling members and include a light-blocking surface whereby differently sized light-controlling members may be used and the light-controlling members, when rotated by a simple drive mechanism, can vary the light passing through the panel system from clear to opaque and can effectively block light between adjacent light-controlling members.

Abstract: Representative configurations for improved thermoelectric power generation systems to improve and increase thermal efficiency are disclosed.

Abstract: Underwater power generation for an underwater vessel is provided when the vessel transits through an underwater thermocline. At least a portion of the shell of the vessel is made from a thermally conductive material. Thermo-to-electric energy converters are electrically coupled together with each converter having a first surface thermally coupled to the shell's inner surface. A phase change material is thermally coupled to each opposing second surface of the converters. The phase change material has a phase change temperature that is between the upper and lower temperature extremes of the underwater thermocline's temperature range. The converters generate electrical power as the underwater vessel transits through the underwater thermocline.

Abstract: A semiconductor film electrode using a specific organic dye sensitizer, a high efficiency dye-sensitized photovoltaic conversion element using the electrode, and a dye-sensitized photoelectrochemical solar cell using the element are described. The semiconductor film electrode is characterized by including a semiconductor sensitized with an organic dye having a structure represented by the following formula (1): wherein Z represents a heterocyclic group which may have a substituent, L represents an electron attractive group, R1-R3 each represent a hydrogen atom or a substituent or adjacent two of R1-R3 are taken in combination to represent a ring, M represents a hydrogen atom or a salt-forming cation, and n is an integer of 0 to 3.

Abstract: The main object of the present invention is to provide thermoelectric conversion materials having a high thermoelectric conversion performance and excellent mass productivity. The thermoelectric conversion materials have a core-shell structure with a plurality of core parts and shell parts for covering the core parts. The plurality of core parts are independent of each other and the shell parts are provided continuously such that the shell part of one core part is continuous with the shell part of a different core part.

Abstract: A solar cell assembly comprising a plurality of elongated solar cells, each respective solar cell comprising (i) a core configured as a first electrode, (ii) a semiconductor junction circumferentially disposed on the core, (iii) a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer disposed on the semiconductor junction, and (iv) an elongated counter-electrode disposed lengthwise on a first side of the respective solar cell and extending outward from the TCO layer. On a second side of each cell, approximately opposite the counter-electrode, is a notch or other disruption extending through the semiconductor junction and the transparent oxide layer, thereby exposing the core of the solar cell. The solar cell assembly may further comprise conductive internal reflectors configured between a first and second elongated solar cell in the plurality of solar cells such that a portion of the solar light reflected from the respective internal reflector is reflected onto the solar cells.

Abstract: A thin film solar cell thermal radiator configuration uses an embedded power bus to collect vertically migrating waste heat from electronic devices mounted on a thin film multilayer printed circuit board. The waste heat is vertically collected, horizontally spread, and vertically rejected through the a top coverglass glass layer around the side of a top silver contact of conventional thin film solar cells. The thermal radiator configuration enables the collection and rejection of the electronic component waste heat for maintaining thin film solar cells within desired temperature ranges.

Abstract: A single thermoelectric device designed to operate both as an igniter and flame detector for gas burners is described. Ignition is performed via heating, by Joule effect, of a conductor which can have, preferably, catalytic activity on the combustion while the flame is detected by means of a “hot” thermal state via the seeback effect. Both functions are obtained via control of a circuit for delivery of the power and detection and amplification of the electrical signal correlated to the flame.

Abstract: Charge splitting networks for optoelectronic devices may be fabricated using a nanostructured porous film, e.g., of SiO2, as a template. The porous film may be fabricated using surfactant temptation techniques. Any of a variety of semiconducting materials including semiconducting metals and metal oxides (such as TiO2, CdSe, CdS, CdTe, or CuO) may be deposited into the pores of the porous template film. After deposition, the template film may be removed by controlled exposure to acid or base without disrupting the semiconducting material leaving behind a nanoscale network grid. Spaces in the network grid can then be filled with complementary semiconducting material, e.g., a semiconducting polymer or dye to create a exciton-splitting and charge transporting network with superior optoelectronic properties for an optoelectronic devices, particularly photovoltaic devices.

Abstract: Due to an ever growing shortage of conventional energy sources, there is an increasingly intense interest in harnessing solar energy. This invention deals with method and apparatus for the direct conversion of solar energy to alternating current power by an active spinning mini-optics system. A limiting factor in the utilization of solar energy in the past has been the high cost of power conversion from dc to ac. By directly producing alternating current power, this invention substantially reduces the cost of generating photovoltaic electricity. This system utilizes a dynamic spinning ensemble of mini-mirrors to both concentrate and modulate rays from the sun onto a photovoltaic collector array. The focusing with superimposed spinning action produces single phase and multiphase alternating current (ac) with substantially higher power output than the direct current (dc) power resulting from the direct incidence of sunlight on the photovoltaic collector.

Abstract: A water permeable electrode for electrochemical splitting of water having a light sensitive catalytic material layer which includes a light sensitive catalytic material and a semiconductor, a polymer electrolyte membrane layer, a metallic substrate layer disposed there between adjacent the polymer electrolyte membrane layer, and at least one photovoltaic device connected in series to the light sensitive catalytic material layer and disposed between the light sensitive catalytic material layer and the metallic substrate layer.

Abstract: A photovoltaic module comprises electrically interconnected and mutually spaced photovoltaic cells that are encapsulated by a light-transmitting encapsulant between a light-transparent front cover and a back cover, with the back cover sheet being an ionomer/nylon alloy embossed with V-shaped grooves running in at least two directions and coated with a light reflecting medium so as to provide light-reflecting facets that are aligned with the spaces between adjacent cells and oriented so as to reflect light falling in those spaces back toward said transparent front cover for further internal reflection onto the solar cells, whereby substantially all of the reflected light will be internally reflected from said cover sheet back to the photovoltaic cells, thereby increasing the current output of the module. The internal reflector improves power output by as much as 67%.

Abstract: A solar cell unit comprising a substrate and a plurality of photovoltaic cells is provided. The substrate has a first end and a second end. The plurality of photovoltaic cells, which are linearly arranged on the substrate, comprises a first photovoltaic cell and a second photovoltaic cell. Each photovoltaic cell in the plurality of photovoltaic cells comprises (i) a back-electrode circumferentially disposed on the substrate, (ii) a semiconductor junction layer circumferentially disposed on the back-electrode, and, (iii) a transparent conductive layer circumferentially disposed on the semiconductor junction. The transparent conductive layer of the first photovoltaic cell in the plurality of photovoltaic cells is in serial electrical communication with the back-electrode of the second photovoltaic cell in the plurality of photovoltaic cells.

Abstract: A thermoelectric device and method of manufacturing the device, where thermoelectric elements of opposite conductivity type are located on respective opposing sides of a heat source member. Heat sinks are disposed on opposite sides of the thermoelectric elements. Peltier metal contacts are positioned between the thermoelectric elements and each of the heat source member and heat sinks. A plurality of devices may be arranged together in a thermally parallel, electrically series arrangement, or in a thermally parallel, electrically parallel arrangement. The arrangement of the elements allow the direction of current flow through the pairs of elements to be substantially the same as the direction of current flow through the metal contacts.

Abstract: A biosensor that is highly responsive and capable of rapid and highly sensitive quantification of a specific component contained in a sample is provided. The biosensor of this invention comprises: an electrically insulating base plate; an electrode system comprising a working electrode and a counter electrode disposed on the base plate; and a reagent system comprising an oxidoreductase which catalyzes the oxidation reaction of glucose, gluconolactonase and a buffer. The buffer is selected from the group consisting of phthalic acid and its salts, maleic acid and its salts, succinic acid and its salts, phospholic acid and its salts, acetic acid and its salts, boric acid and its salts, citric acid and its salts, glycine, tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane, piperazine-N,N?-bis(2-ethane sulfonic acid) and the like.

Abstract: A light element with a translucent surface includes an energy converter, wherein the translucent surface is so formed as to direct only that portion of the radiation onto the energy converter that impinges on the translucent surface. The energy converter may be a solar cell, a fluid line or a light guide. The light element is particularly suited for illuminating interior spaces with diffuse light.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a solar cell unit comprising a back electrode, a photovoltaic (PV) layer, and, optionally, a front electrode, with part of the surface of the solar cell unit not generating any energy, characterised in that on at least a portion of the part of the solar cell unit which does not generate any energy a colouring layer is present, while at least a portion of the energy generating part of the solar cell unit is free of a colouring layer. Preferably at least 50%, more preferably, at least 85%, more preferably still, at least 90% of the energy generating part of the solar cell unit is free of a colouring layer. The solar cell unit may be either a wafer-based solar cell unit or a thin film solar cell unit. The colouring layer may be applied on, e.g., the optionally present grid and/or in the case of thin film solar cell units on the part of the surface of the solar cell unit which does not generate any energy as a result of the connection in series.

Abstract: A device and method for stimulating pulsed chemical reactions in a small volume of gaseous reactants. An emitter stimulates the reactions of a fuel oxidizer mixture and a collector converts the vibrational energy of the resulting products into useful energy. The device may also include a reaction region, a collector, and reactants such as fuel and oxidizer. In one embodiment, air including exhausts is made to flow into and out of the reaction region, and fuel is made to flow into the reaction region. The device may be configured in several geometries, including but not limited to, a V-channel, a box and a plane.

Abstract: The inventive biosensor has three electrodes, the first electrode having a retaining area for retaining probe molecules which bind with the macromolecular biopolymers. The second electrode and the third electrode are configured in such a way that the redox process is part of a redox recycling system on said second and third electrodes.