Abstract: A dye-sensitized solar cell that includes an electrode having a semiconductor nanoparticle layer dispersed on a transparent conductive substrate, a plurality of semiconductor nanofibers dispersed on the nanoparticle layer, a first light absorption material is attached to the plurality of semiconductor nanofibers in which the first light absorption material having a first light absorption bandwidth, and a second light absorption material deposited on the light absorption material of the plurality of semiconductor nanofibers, the second light absorption material having a second light absorption bandwidth complementary to the first light absorption bandwidth, a counter electrode includes a metal-coated transparent conductive substrate, and an electrolyte in contact with the near-infrared light absorption material and the counter electrode.

Abstract: A gas sensing system includes an air intake hole which comprises a plurality of micro-flow channels, a replaceable sensor for receiving an air from the air intake hole and detecting the received air, and a processing unit coupled to the replaceable sensor and doing determination for the component of the air according to a detection result of the replaceable sensor. Wherein, the replaceable sensor includes a plurality of sensing chips arranged in an array and each sensing chip is coated with a sensing thin film separately to detect a different gas.

Abstract: A solar collector is provided with a frame that is coupled to a based and configured to rotate about a vertical axis. A main panel assembly is attached to the frame and pivotal about a horizontal axis relative to the frame. The main panel assembly receives sunlight and converts the sunlight into electrical energy. The main panel assembly includes a central panel, and a pair of pivotal inner side panels, where each inner side panel is attached to the central panel. A pair of outer side panels attached to the inner side panels is also provided. Each outer side panel includes photo-voltaic (PV) panels, and a panel surround frame for retaining the PV panels. Each panel surround frame has a horizontal channel member, a pair of upright channel members, and a channel bracket, defining a perimeter. A peripheral edge of each PV panel is captured within the channel members.

Abstract: A multi-junction solar cell having a Ge or GaAs substrate, as well as a solar cell structure having several subcells deposited on the substrate, the substrate having peripheral side faces, and the solar cell structure having a peripheral circumferential surface, which runs spaced apart from the side faces. To prevent oxidation and penetration of moisture, the circumferential surface of the solar cell structure is coated with a protective, electrically insulating first coating under essential exclusion of the upper surface facing the rays, or that without encroaching on the solar cell structure, the side faces of the substrate are coated with a protective, electrically insulating second coating or that both the side faces of the substrate as well as the circumferential surface of the solar cell structure are coated with a third coating by essential exclusion of the upper surface facing the rays.

Abstract: A thermoelectric material and a thermoelectric converter using this material. The thermoelectric material has a first component including a semiconductor material and a second component including a rare earth material included in the first component to thereby increase a figure of merit of a composite of the semiconductor material and the rare earth material relative to a figure of merit of the semiconductor material. The thermoelectric converter has a p-type thermoelectric material and a n-type thermoelectric material. At least one of the p-type thermoelectric material and the n-type thermoelectric material includes a rare earth material in at least one of the p-type thermoelectric material or the n-type thermoelectric material.

Abstract: A solar cell structure includes P-type and N-type doped regions. A dielectric spacer is formed on a surface of the solar cell structure. A metal layer is formed on the dielectric spacer and on the surface of the solar cell structure that is exposed by the dielectric spacer. A metal foil is placed on the metal layer. A laser beam is used to weld the metal foil to the metal layer. A laser beam is also used to pattern the metal foil. The laser beam ablates portions of the metal foil and the metal layer that are over the dielectric spacer. The laser ablation of the metal foil cuts the metal foil into separate P-type and N-type metal fingers.

Abstract: A solar cell module includes: a plurality of solar cell elements that have electrodes on surfaces thereof; a tab wire that connects the electrodes of the plurality of solar cell elements; and a resin portion that is provided in a discontinuous manner on the surfaces and that bonds the tab wire and the surfaces to each other. The tab wire extends in a predetermined direction along the electrodes, and the resin portion is discontinuously arranged along the tab wire. A bus bar electrode extends in a non-linear shape. The bus bar electrode is provided such that the bus bar electrode passes a plurality of vertices that are each positioned spaced apart in a short-side direction of the bus bar electrode from a center position of the bus bar electrode in the short-side direction. The resin portion is provided avoiding the vicinity of the vertices.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include analyte-responsive compositions and electrochemical analyte sensors having a sensing layer that includes an analyte-responsive enzyme and a cationic polymer. Also provided are systems and methods of making the sensors and using the electrochemical analyte sensors in analyte monitoring.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electrode body for a solar cell, which is capable of being used as a component of both an organic thin-film solar cell and a dye-sensitized solar cell, and has excellent heat resistance. This electrode body for a solar cell is provided with a substrate with a conductive part at least on the surface and a conductive polymer layer located on the conductive part of the substrate, in which the conductive polymer layer includes: a polymer derived from at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of 3,4-disubstituted thiophenes; and an anion as a dopant to the polymer generated from at least one organic non-sulfonate compound having an anion with the molecular weight of 200 or more. Additionally, the density of the conductive polymer layer is in the range of 1.15 to 1.80 g/cm3. The dense conductive polymer layer including the anion as a dopant exhibits excellent heat resistance.

Abstract: A tape structure and related circuit configurations for textile systems to establish electrical characteristics of textiles. The textiles incorporate charge carrying components, such as photovoltaic components, in contact with conductive layers in a single tape structure to improve electrical properties without compromising physical characteristics of the textiles. The textiles include photovoltaic tapes, each having an optically transparent layer, a photovoltaic layer, a first electrically conducting layer, a second electrically conducting layer and an insulating substrate located between the first electrically conducting layer and the second electrically conducting layer.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods are provided for self-cleaning photovoltaic panels that utilize piezo devices capable of causing vibrational movement in the panels.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a solar module. The solar module includes a front-side cover, a back-side cover, and a plurality of solar cells situated between the front- and back-side covers. A respective solar cell includes a multi-layer semiconductor structure, a front-side electrode situated above the multi-layer semiconductor structure, and a back-side electrode situated below the multi-layer semiconductor structure. Each of the front-side and the back-side electrodes comprises a metal grid. A respective metal grid comprises a plurality of finger lines and a single busbar coupled to the finger lines. The single busbar is configured to collect current from the finger lines.

Abstract: A thermoelectric conversion module according to the present disclosure includes a first substrate, a second substrate, and a peripheral thermoelectric conversion element group and a central thermoelectric conversion element group, each of which groups is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, and contains a plurality of thermoelectric conversion elements. The peripheral thermoelectric conversion element group is disposed in an area including peripheries of the first substrate and the second substrate, and the central thermoelectric conversion element group is disposed closer to a center of the first substrate and a center of the second substrate than the peripheral thermoelectric conversion element group. The plurality of thermoelectric conversion elements of the central thermoelectric conversion element group are disposed more densely than the plurality of thermoelectric conversion elements of the peripheral thermoelectric conversion element group.

Abstract: The water-concentration detection device for detecting a water concentration of insulating gas filled in a gas-insulated device includes: porous electrodes having porous properties that are arranged to face each other in the insulating gas; a solid electrolyte membrane that is sandwiched between and fixedly attached to the electrodes and has hydrogen-ion conductivity; a voltage application unit that applies an alternating-current voltage at a frequency of 325 Hz or a frequency of 10 Hz or lower to the electrodes; an impedance measurement unit that measures an alternating-current impedance between the electrodes in a state in which the alternating-current voltage is applied to the electrodes; and a water-concentration detection unit that detects the water concentration of the insulating gas based on the alternating-current impedance measured by the impedance measurement unit.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for the precise selection and extraction of a selected analyte in a focused zone produced by isoelectric focusing performed in micro-channels. A cross-channel microfluidic device comprises a sample mixture introduction and separation channel and an extraction channel, which are in fluid communication with each other at a point of intersection. Means are provided for selectively moving the pattern of separated zones following cIEF to the intersection point, and means are provided for applying an extraction pressure to direct a single zone containing a selected analyte into and then out of the extraction channel for collection.

Abstract: Provided is a wavelength converting structure for near-infrared rays and a solar cell using the same. More particularly, provided is a novel wavelength converting structure for near-infrared rays using gap plasmon characteristics and up-conversion nanoparticles. When applying the wavelength converting structure for near-infrared rays to a solar cell, it is possible to convert the light within a wavelength range of near-infrared rays into electric energy so that the photoconversion efficiency may be improved.

Abstract: Disclosed are a solar cell apparatus and a method of fabricating the same. The solace cell apparatus includes a solar cell on a support substrate; a polymer resin layer on the solar cell; a protective panel on the polymer resin layer; and a composite protective layer at each lateral side of the support substrate, the solar cell, the polymer resin layer, and the protective panel.

Abstract: Disclosed is a dye-sensitized solar cell which includes a conductive substrate, a counter substrate facing the conductive substrate, an electrolyte disposed between the conductive substrate and the counter substrate, and an annular sealing portion surrounding the electrolyte together with the conductive substrate and the counter substrate and connecting the conductive substrate and the counter substrate. The sealing portion has an inorganic sealing portion fixed to the conductive substrate and a resin sealing portion fixed to the counter substrate. The inorganic sealing portion has a main body portion provided on the conductive substrate and a protruding portion extending from the main body portion toward a side opposite to the conductive substrate, and the resin sealing portion has an adhesive portion adhering the main body portion to the counter substrate and adhered to a side surface along an extending direction of the protruding portion.

Abstract: An electrically conductive composition, containing (A) a carbon nanotube, (B) an electrically conductive polymer, and (C) an onium salt compound, an electrically conductive film using the composition, and a method of producing the electrically conductive film.

Abstract: A PV system composed of sub-arrays, each having a group of PV cells that are electrically connected to each other. A power management circuit for each sub-array has a communications interface and serves to connect or disconnect the sub-array to a programmable power grid. The power grid has bus rows and bus columns. A bus management circuit is positioned at a respective junction of a bus column and a bus row and is programmable through its communication interface to connect or disconnect a power path in the grid. As a result, selected sub-arrays are connected by selected power paths to be in parallel so as to produce a low system voltage, and, alternately in series so as to produce a high system voltage that is greater than the low voltage by at least a factor of ten.