Abstract: Embodiments are notably directed to a thermoelectric device including a thermoelectric element. The thermoelectric element includes a Weyl semimetal and a plurality of magnetized elements. The plurality of magnetized elements are configured to apply a directed magnetic field on the Weyl-semimetal. Embodiments further concern a related method for cooling a device and a related method for generating electrical energy.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for focusing light onto a plurality of solar cells. The apparatus comprises a plurality of solar cells, a plurality of groups of reflectors corresponding to the plurality of solar cells, and a control module in communication with the plurality of solar cells and the plurality of groups of reflectors. The control module includes control logic for monitoring an electrical output from the plurality of solar cells and repositioning the plurality of groups of reflectors when the electrical output is below a selected threshold.

Abstract: A gas sensor includes a solid electrolyte substrate that has oxygen-ion conductivity, and a counter plate, made of ceramic, that is arranged so as to face a first surface of the solid electrolyte substrate. The gas sensor further includes a first spacer, made of ceramic, that is held between the counter plate and the solid electrolyte substrate, a heater substrate, made of ceramic, that is arranged so as to face a second surface of the solid electrolyte substrate, and a second spacer, made of ceramic, that is held between the heater substrate and the solid electrolyte substrate. Of the counter plate, the sintered density of an inside portion that comes in contact with a measurement-gas chamber is 0.8 to 5.0% lower than the sintered density of an outside portion that comes in contact with the first spacer.

Abstract: The present invention has a first substrate having a high thermal conduction portion which has a thermal conductivity higher than that of other regions in a plane direction, a thermoelectric conversion layer which is formed on the first substrate, consists of an organic material, and has a thermoelectric conversion material having a positive Seebeck coefficient, a second substrate which is formed on the thermoelectric conversion layer and has a high thermal conduction portion having a thermal conductivity higher than that of other regions in the plane direction and in which the high thermal conduction portion does not completely overlap the high thermal conduction portion of the first substrate in the plane direction, and a pair of electrodes which are connected to the thermoelectric conversion layer and consist of a metal material having a negative Seebeck coefficient.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for calibrating a reflector in a solar array. A switch device is switched from a first state to a second state. A calibration voltage is applied to each of a set of actuation devices associated with the reflector in response to the switch device switching to the second state when the calibration circuit is electrically connected to the set of actuation devices.

Abstract: The present application is directed to the use of electrophoresis with UV detection in the determination of iodine nutritional status in human biological specimens, specifically for monitoring iodine deficiency/inadequacy in large-scale epidemiological studies. In particular, the present application is directed to a method for determining iodide and iodide uptake inhibitors in a human biological sample when using sample self-stacking with capillary electrophoresis and UV detection.

Abstract: Photovoltaic cells, methods of fabricating photovoltaic cells, and methods of using photovoltaic cells to capture light energy are provided. A photovoltaic cell can include an electron transporting layer, a photoactive layer, and a hole transporting layer. The electron transporting layer can be ultraviolet ozone treated. The photovoltaic cell can have an inverted configuration.

Abstract: A solar cell is provided including a substrate having a front and back side, a metallization pattern deposited on the front side, the metallization pattern including a plurality of front side bus bars each including fingers extending therefrom, and a plurality of back side bus bars deposited on the back side. On the front side, one front side bus bar is formed along an edge of the front side of the substrate, and a remainder of the front side bus bars are unequally spaced across the substrate. On the back side of the substrate, only one back side bus bar is formed along an edge of the back side of the substrate, and a remainder of the back side bus bars are unequally spaced across the substrate.

Abstract: An electrochemical sensor for an analyte is provided. The electrochemical sensor includes CDMOF-2. The CDMOF-2 is capable of binding reversibly to CO2 as an analyte, thereby quantitatively detecting the analyte in a mixture. The CDMOF-2 is formed from reaction of ?-cyclodextrin with RbOH in the presence of methanol.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to the integration of isotachophoresis (ITP) and isothermal nucleic acid amplification methods such as recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA). One aspect of the disclosure relates to a method for concentrating and amplifying a nucleic acid, the method including an isotachophoresis device, the isotachophoresis device including a porous matrix, and first and second electrodes, having a leading electrolyte, a trailing electrolyte and a set of isothermal nucleic acid amplification reaction reagents disposed in the porous matrix as described herein, and applying a voltage across the first electrode and the second electrode for a time sufficient to provide a first isotachophoresis (ITP) plug comprising an amplification product of the nucleic acid, wherein the concentration of the nucleic acid is substantially higher in the first FTP plug than in the first and/or second fluids outside of the first ITP plug.

Abstract: A sensor element includes a sensor element main body a including an oxygen ion-conductive solid electrolyte layer and a porous protective layer covering at least part of the sensor element main body. Then, the porous protective layer has the value of the number of interfaces in a unit thickness direction, which is the number of particle interfaces of constituent particles every 100 ?m in the thickness direction, of 15 or more and 250 or less.

Abstract: Methods of fabricating solar cell emitter regions with differentiated P-type and N-type regions architectures, and resulting solar cells, are described. In an example, a back contact solar cell can include a substrate having a light-receiving surface and a back surface. A first polycrystalline silicon emitter region of a first conductivity type is disposed on a first thin dielectric layer disposed on the back surface of the substrate. A second polycrystalline silicon emitter region of a second, different, conductivity type is disposed on a second thin dielectric layer disposed on the back surface of the substrate. A third thin dielectric layer is disposed over an exposed outer portion of the first polycrystalline silicon emitter region and is disposed laterally directly between the first and second polycrystalline silicon emitter regions. A first conductive contact structure is disposed on the first polycrystalline silicon emitter region.

Abstract: An interconnector includes a first electrode configured to be connected to a first photovoltaic cell, a second electrode configured to be connected to a second photovoltaic cell, and a connection body that connects the first electrode and the second electrode. The connection body includes a first detour, a second detour, and a joint. The first detour includes a first curved part that is curved toward a first side in a first direction and connected to the first electrode.

Abstract: A semiconducting nanocomposite and a dye-sensitized solar cell including the same, wherein the semiconducting nanocomposite comprises nanocomposite particles selected from the group consisting of TiO2/ZnO/CdS, TiO2/ZnO/CdSe, TiO2/ZnO/PbS, TiO2/ZnO/PbSe, TiO2/ZnS/CdSe, TiO2/ZnS/PbS, TiO2/ZnS/PbSe, WO3/ZnO/CdSe, Nb2O5/ZnO/CdSe, and combinations thereof. Various embodiments of each component of the dye-sensitized solar cell, including electrodes, conductive layers, dyes, and electrolytes are also provided.

Abstract: A solar cell containing a plurality of CIGS absorber sublayers has a conversion efficiency of at least 13.4 percent and a minority carrier lifetime below 2 nanoseconds. The sublayers may have a different composition from each other.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an electrochemical sensing system is provided. The method includes forming a sensor with a first sensing element disposed on a sensor, the first sensing element configured to detect a target gas, disposing a second sensing element on the sensor, the second sensing element configured to detect the target gas, and coupling a protective feature to the second sensing element, the protective feature configured to prevent non-target gases from contacting the second sensing element. The sensor is configured such that if the first sensing element generates a current exceeding a first threshold current value and the second sensing element does not exceed a second threshold current value it is determined that the first sensing element is contaminated and a restoration protocol is performed on the first sensing element.

Abstract: The present invention provides a photoelectric conversion element having a photoelectric conversion film which exhibits excellent photoelectric conversion efficiency and responsiveness, an imaging device, an optical sensor, and a method of using a photoelectric conversion element. In the photoelectric conversion element of the invention, a photoelectric conversion material contains at least one selected from the group consisting of a compound represented by General formula (1), a compound represented by General formula (2), and a compound represented by General formula (3).

Abstract: A solar collector may include a frame for supporting a plurality of photovoltaic (PV) panels. The frame may be adapted to removably attach to a base. The solar collector may include a first panel assembly, including at least one of the plurality of PV panels, pivotally attached to the frame about a first axis. The solar collector may also include a second panel assembly, including at least one of the plurality of PV panels, pivotally attached to the first panel assembly. The second panel assembly may collectively move with the first panel assembly about the first axis and to pivot relative to the frame, and to pivot about a second axis that is substantially parallel to and radially offset from the first axis, to move between a deployed position and a retracted position.

Abstract: An integrated thin-film lateral multi junction solar device and fabrication method are provided. The device includes, for instance, a substrate, and a plurality of stacks extending vertically from the substrate. Each stack may include layers, and be electrically isolated against another stack. Each stack may also include an energy storage device above the substrate, a solar cell above the energy storage device, a transparent medium above the solar cell, and a micro-optic layer of spectrally dispersive and concentrating optical devices above the transparent medium. Furthermore, the device may include a first power converter connected between the energy storage device and a power bus, and a second power converter connected between the solar cell and the power bus. Further, different solar cells of different stacks may have different absorption characteristics.

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.