Abstract: A pH sensor contains a potentiometric sensing electrode made of palladium. An optional metal oxide layer may be coated on the palladium electrode to enhance sensitivity. The pH sensor has high sensitivity, a shorter response time, and good reversibility and stability.

Abstract: Technologies for a micro-concentrator modular array. The micro-concentrator modular array may include two or more micro-concentrator solar modules. One or more of the micro-concentrator solar modules may be removable from the micro-concentrator modular array. Micro-concentrator solar modules may be added to a micro-concentrator modular array. One or more of the micro-concentrator solar modules may be electrically and/or mechanically connected to other micro-concentrator solar modules. To facilitate an electrical connection, a conductive connector may be used to connect an electrical output of one micro-concentrator solar module with an electrical input of another micro-concentrator solar module.

Abstract: A system and method for a photovoltaic (PV) module is disclosed that includes a microinverter assembly having a housing disposed on an inactive surface of a PV panel and a microinverter disposed within the housing. The PV module also includes a mounting bracket having a central bracket portion coupled to a frame of the PV panel, a first extension portion extending from the central bracket portion and coupled to the housing, a second extension portion extending from the central bracket portion and positioned on the inactive side of the PV panel, and a third extension portion located above the second extension portion and extending from the central bracket portion. At least one of the second and third extension portions is in contact with an inner wall of the frame of the PV panel.

Abstract: Discussed is a solar cell including a substrate having a first conductivity type; an emitter layer including a plurality of finger lines connected with an emitter layer; a plurality of rear finger lines connected with a back surface field, wherein the emitter layer includes first areas in contact with the plurality of front finger lines and second areas positioned between the plurality of front finger lines and having a lower doping concentration than that of the first areas, the back surface field includes areas in contact with the plurality of rear finger lines, and the number of the plurality of rear finger lines positioned on a rear surface of the substrate and the number of the plurality of front finger lines positioned on a front surface of the substrate are different.

Abstract: An apparatus and method that controls the power produced by a string of solar cells, enabling the string to operate at its maximum power point when connected to a bus that operates at an externally controlled voltage. The apparatus and method can also be used to increase or decrease the output power of a string to any desired operating point.

Abstract: Metals across all industries demand anti-corrosion surface treatments and drive a continual need for high-performing and low-cost coatings. Ordered thin films comprising aligned inorganic platelets dispersed in a polyelectrolyte polymer matrix provide a new class of transparent conformal barrier coatings for protection in corrosive atmospheres. For example, films assembled via layer-by-layer deposition, as thin as 90 nm, are shown to reduce copper corrosion rates by >1000× in an aggressive H2S atmosphere. These coatings can provide high-performing anti-corrosion treatment alternatives to costlier, more toxic, and less scalable thin films, such as graphene, hexavalent chromium, or atomic layer deposited metal oxides.

Abstract: An organic solar cell device is provided, including a first electrode, a photoactive layer, a hole transport layer, and a second electrode that are stacked successively. The photoactive layer includes an electron receptor material and an electron donor material. The electron receptor material is graphene nitride that forms a foamy film on the first electrode and has a three-dimensional network structure. A part of the electron donor material permeates into the graphene nitride, and a part of the electron donor material is enriched on a side of the hole transport layer to form an electron donor enriched layer.

Abstract: This invention relates to a metalized skutterudite thermoelectric material having improved long-term stability and a method of manufacturing the same, wherein the skutterudite thermoelectric material is metalized with a multilayer structure including a Ti layer for preventing the diffusion of the skutterudite thermoelectric material and a Fe—Ni layer for preventing an increase in the thickness of an intermetallic compound layer, whereby the performance of the skutterudite thermoelectric material does not deteriorate due to diffusion and formation of the intermetallic compound even upon long-term use, thus exhibiting improved stability of use, and moreover, the lifetime and stability of a thermoelectric power generation module using the skutterudite thermoelectric material can be increased, whereby the power generation efficiency of the thermoelectric power generation module can be increased in the long term.

Abstract: A solar cell for collecting solar radiation can include a barrier layer such as a dielectric barrier layer and a heterostructure including a first light absorbing layer and at least a second light absorbing layer. A method for forming the solar cell can include forming a sacrificial layer on a support substrate and forming the barrier layer on the sacrificial layer. The barrier layer is formed to have a strain gradient through its thickness. The heterostructure is attached to the barrier layer and the sacrificial layer is removed, thereby separating the barrier layer and the heterostructure from the support substrate. During the removal of the sacrificial layer, the strain gradient causes the barrier layer and heterostructure, to roll, curl, or spiral, thereby resulting in a radially stacked heterostructure that provides a light concentrating optical cavity having multiple light absorbing layers with different band gaps.

Abstract: A method for forming a multi-junction photovoltaic device includes providing a germanium layer and etching pyramidal shapes in the germanium layer such that (111) facets are exposed to form a textured surface. A first p-n junction is formed on or over the textured surface from III-V semiconductor materials. Another p-n junction is formed over the first p-n junction from III-V semiconductor materials and follows the textured surface.

Abstract: An apparatus including a circuit substrate including a contact in a metal layer; and a transducer including a first electrode deposited on and coupled to a sidewall of the contact and a second electrode coupled to a conductor through which voltage can be applied, wherein the second electrode includes a profile aligned to the sidewall of the contact and separated from the first electrode by a gap. A method including forming a transducer adjacent a contact in a metal layer on a substrate, the transducer including a first electrode disposed on a sidewall of the contact and a second electrode coupled to a conductor through which voltage can be applied, wherein the second electrode includes a profile aligned to the sidewall of the contact and separated from the first electrode by a gap.

Abstract: A photovoltaic device includes a substrate, a first electrode formed on the substrate and a p-type absorber layer including a chalcogenide compound. An n-type layer includes a zinc oxysulfide material having a sulfur content adjusted to match a feature of the absorber layer. A transparent contact is formed on the n-type layer.

Abstract: The invention relates a thin-film solar cell. In the related art, a buffer layer, a transparent electrode, and a grid electrode are formed on a light absorption layer, but in the invention, the buffer layer and the transparent electrode are not formed on a light absorption layer, and the buffer layer, the transparent electrode, and the grid electrode are formed under a CIGS face such that solar light is directly input to the light absorption layer without obstacles, and the first electrode and the buffer layer are patterned in a saw-toothed structure to engage with each other to reduce a distance by which electrons or holes generated by absorbing light energy move to the electrode or the buffer layer.

Abstract: Polyacrylamide gels that offer high resolution in protein separations and are more stable relative to hydrolysis than conventional polyacrylamide gels that rely on Tris or Tris-Bis as buffering agents are made by incorporating triethanolamine in place of most or all of the Tris or Tris-Bis.

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: Provided are a thermoelectric conversion element and a thermoelectric conversion module using the thermoelectric conversion element. The thermoelectric conversion element has a first substrate having a high thermal conduction portion which has a thermal conductivity higher than a thermal conductivity of other regions, a thermoelectric conversion layer formed on the first substrate, a pressure sensitive adhesive layer formed on the thermoelectric conversion layer, a second substrate formed on the pressure sensitive adhesive layer, having a concave portion, which at least partially overlaps the high thermal conduction portion of the first substrate in a plane direction and is on the pressure sensitive adhesive layer side, and made of a metal material, and an electrode pair connected to the thermoelectric conversion layer.

Abstract: A gas concentration measuring apparatus is provided which works to calculate the concentration of a given gas component with enhanced accuracy. The gas concentration measuring apparatus 1 includes, a gas sensor 10 and a calculating portion 11. The gas sensor 10 is equipped with a pump cell 3, a monitor cell 4, and a sensor cell 5. The calculating portion 11 subtracts a monitor cell current Im that is a current flowing through the monitor cell 4 from a sensor cell current Is that is a current flowing through the sensor cell 5 to calculate the concentration of the given gas component in gas g. When calculating the concentration of the given gas component, the calculating portion 11 performs a correction operation to bring a value of the monitor cell current Im close to a value of an oxygen dependent current Iso that is a component of the sensor cell current Is which arises from the concentration of oxygen.

Abstract: A method for separating a plurality of deformable objects, such as biological cells or biological supramolecules such as DNA, in a liquid medium by use of an electrophoretic technique combined with hydrodynamic forces. The deformable objects are introduced into a channel, having a flow axis and a cross section at right angles to the flow axis, with the minimum size of the cross section being less than or equal to 50 pm; A hydrodynamic flow is defined a in the channel together with the application of an electric field in the channel, making it possible to move the deformable objects in the channel according to the flow axis and to separate them along the flow axis. A device suitable for implementing this method. The electrolyte used for the electrophoretic separation may be a non-Newtonian fluid with viscoelastic properties.

Abstract: Provided are a solar cell that can be manufactured by non-vacuum process and can have more excellent photoelectric conversion efficiency and a manufacturing method therefor as well as such a semiconductor device and a manufacturing method therefor. A solar cell, includes at least a first semiconductor layer (140) and a second semiconductor layer (130). The first semiconductor layer (140) includes metal oxide particles of 1 nm or more and 500 nm or less in average particle size and a compound having relative permittivity of 2 or more and 1,000 or less. For instance, the content of the organic compound in the first semiconductor layer (140) is 10 mass % or more and 90 mass % or less.

Abstract: A transparent electrode can include a graphene sheet on a substrate, a layer including a conductive polymer disposed over the graphene sheet, and a plurality of semiconducting nanowires, such as ZnO nanowires, disposed over the layer including the conductive polymer.