Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for a lateral solar cell structure are disclosed herein. In particular, the present disclosure teaches a lateral solar cell structure that includes nanorods that are formed the during epitaxial growth process to produce electrodes extending into the absorber region. This structure allows for a long optical absorption length of the absorber, such as 0.5-3 microns, but also allows for carrier collection over sub-micron distances enabling high collection efficiency from materials with a sub-micron diffusion length. The disclosed method of manufacturing the lateral solar cell structure involves providing a substrate, and epitaxially growing an absorber region and an emitter region on the substrate. The emitter region comprises a plurality of nanorods extending into the absorber region. The absorber region and the nanorods are oppositely doped. The absorber region and the nanorods are also oppositely strained.

Abstract: A feedthrough for feeding signals through a panel having opposite sides includes first and second parts. The first part can include a first body configured to be disposed in a first portion of an opening in a panel, a first lumen disposed within the first body, and a first engagement area comprising a first contact area. The second part can include a second body configured to be disposed in a second portion of the opening in the panel, a second lumen disposed within the second body, and a second engagement area configured to engage the first contact area, wherein engaging the first contact area with the second engagement area causes deformation of the first part, the second part, or both to hold the first part and the second part within the opening such that the first lumen and the second lumen are disposed generally concentrically with each other.

Abstract: A two-part, snap-together feedthrough for feeding signals through a panel having opposite sides includes first and second parts, each including a flange with an opening therethrough, and a tubular segment that extends normally from a first surface of the flange and has a lumen disposed generally concentrically with the opening. A pair of complementary engaging mechanisms are respectively on distal end portions of the tubular segments and configured to couple the first and second parts together through an opening in the panel in a snap-together fashion, such that the first surface of each of the flanges is held adjacent to a corresponding one of the opposite sides of the panel, and the lumens of respective ones of the tubular segments are disposed generally concentrically with each other.

Abstract: An anisotropic conducting adhesive is improved in conductivity without increasing the density of admixed conductive particles by inducing metallic fusion between the surfaces of the conducting particles and the surfaces being bonded. The metallic fusion may be promoted by physical/chemical interaction characteristic of certain materials at a compressed interface; by compression sufficient to deform the conductive particles in a manner that increases the mechanical contact area; by heating (with or without melting of a material), which may also serve to cure the adhesive matrix; or by acoustic vibration, e.g., ultrasonic vibration. The resulting metallic-fusion joint is stronger, as well as more conductive, than a joint in which the particles and surfaces are held in unfused mechanical contact.

Abstract: A solar cell structure is disclosed. The solar cell structure comprises a carrier having a front side and a P-N junction, a solar cell electrically coupled to the front side of the carrier, and an adhesive layer. The adhesive layer bonds the front side of the carrier to the solar cell. The adhesive layer includes conductive particles that electrically couple the carrier to the solar cell.

Abstract: A two-part, snap-together feedthrough for feeding signals through a panel having opposite sides includes first and second parts, each including a flange with an opening therethrough, and a tubular segment that extends normally from a first surface of the flange and has a lumen disposed generally concentrically with the opening. A pair of complementary engaging mechanisms are respectively on distal end portions of the tubular segments and configured to couple the first and second parts together through an opening in the panel in a snap-together fashion, such that the first surface of each of the flanges is held adjacent to a corresponding one of the opposite sides of the panel, and the lumens of respective ones of the tubular segments are disposed generally concentrically with each other.

Abstract: Systems and methods for separating components of a multilayer stack of electronic components are disclosed herein. The multilayer stack may include an electronic assembly, a substrate, and a sacrificial anode portion that is located between the electronic assembly and the substrate and that operatively attaches the electronic assembly to the substrate. The methods may include locating the multilayer stack within an electrically conductive fluid to form an electrochemical cell and generating a potential difference between a cathode portion of the electronic assembly and the sacrificial anode portion. The methods further may include separating the electronic assembly from the substrate by electrochemically oxidizing the sacrificial anode portion to dissolve the sacrificial anode portion within the electrically conductive solution.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an etch-stop layer between a first layer of a field-effect transistor and a second layer of a bipolar transistor, each of which includes at least one arsenic-based semiconductor layer. A p-type layer is between the second layer and the etch-stop layer, and the device can include an n-type layer deposited between the etch-stop layer and p-type layer. The p-type layer provides an electric field that inhibits intermixing of the InGaP layer with layers in the first and second layers.

Abstract: A solar cell assembly including a first solar cell component, a second solar cell component, an adhesive layer positioned between the first solar cell component and the second solar cell component, and a contact extending through the adhesive layer to electrically couple the first solar cell component to the second solar cell component.

Abstract: Systems and methods for separating components of a multilayer stack of electronic components are disclosed herein. The multilayer stack may include an electronic assembly, a substrate, and a sacrificial anode portion that is located between the electronic assembly and the substrate and that operatively attaches the electronic assembly to the substrate. The methods may include locating the multilayer stack within an electrically conductive fluid to form an electrochemical cell and generating a potential difference between a cathode portion of the electronic assembly and the sacrificial anode portion. The methods further may include separating the electronic assembly from the substrate by electrochemically oxidizing the sacrificial anode portion to dissolve the sacrificial anode portion within the electrically conductive solution.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an etch-stop layer between a first layer of a field-effect transistor and a second layer of a bipolar transistor, each of which includes at least one arsenic-based semiconductor layer. A p-type layer is between the second layer and the etch-stop layer, and the device can include an n-type layer deposited between the etch-stop layer and p-type layer. The p-type layer provides an electric field that inhibits intermixing of the InGaP layer with layers in the first and second layers.

Abstract: Systems and methods for separating components of a multilayer stack of electronic components. The multilayer stack includes an electronic assembly, a substrate, and a sacrificial anode portion that is located between the electronic assembly and the substrate and that operatively attaches the electronic assembly to the substrate. The systems and methods may include locating the multilayer stack within an electrically conductive fluid to form an electrochemical cell. The systems and methods further may include generating a potential difference between a cathode portion of the electronic assembly and the sacrificial anode portion such that the cathode portion forms a cathode of the electrochemical cell and the sacrificial anode portion forms an anode of the electrochemical cell.

Abstract: Solar cells including low recombination velocity electrical contacts and systems and methods of forming the same. The solar cells include a cell body that defines a front side and an opposed back side. The solar cells further include a front side electrical contact that forms an electrical connection with the front side of the cell body, a back side electrical contact that forms an electrical connection with the back side of the cell body, and at least one intermediate layer that includes an electrically insulating layer and is situated between the cell body and the front side electrical contact and/or the back side electrical contact.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for a lateral solar cell structure are disclosed herein. In particular, the present disclosure teaches a lateral solar cell structure that includes nanorods that are formed the during epitaxial growth process to produce electrodes extending into the absorber region. This structure allows for a long optical absorption length of the absorber, such as 0.5-3 microns, but also allows for carrier collection over sub-micron distances enabling high collection efficiency from materials with a sub-micron diffusion length. The disclosed method of manufacturing the lateral solar cell structure involves providing a substrate, and epitaxially growing an absorber region and an emitter region on the substrate. The emitter region comprises a plurality of nanorods extending into the absorber region. The absorber region and the nanorods are oppositely doped. The absorber region and the nanorods are also oppositely strained.

Abstract: Deposition of a thin film is monitored by illuminating the thin film with an incident beam during deposition of the thin film, wherein at least a portion of the incident beam reflects off the thin film to yield a reflected beam; measuring intensity of the reflected beam from the thin film during growth of the thin film to obtain reflectance; and curve-fitting at least part of an oscillation represented by the reflectance data to obtain information about at least one of thickness, growth rate, composition, and doping of the thin film.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an etch-stop layer between a first layer of a field-effect transistor and a second layer of a bipolar transistor, each of which includes at least one arsenic-based semiconductor layer. A p-type layer is between the second layer and the etch-stop layer, and the device can include an n-type layer deposited between the etch-stop layer and p-type layer. The p-type layer provides an electric field that inhibits intermixing of the InGaP layer with layers in the first and second layers.

Abstract: A bipolar transistor includes a base layer design and a method for fabricating such a bipolar transistor that employ a built-in accelerating field focused on a base region adjacent to a collector, where minority carrier transport is otherwise retarded. The accelerating field of the base layer includes on average, a relatively low p-doping level in a first region proximate to the collector and a relatively high p-doping level in a second region proximate to an emitter. Alternatively, the accelerating field can be derived from band gap grading, wherein the grade of band gap in the first region is greater than the grade of band gap in the second region, and the average band gap of the first region is lower than that of the second region.

Abstract: A bipolar transistor includes a base layer design and a method for fabricating such a bipolar transistor that employ a built-in accelerating field focused on a base region adjacent to a collector, where minority carrier transport is otherwise retarded. The accelerating field of the base layer includes on average, a relatively low p-doping level in a first region proximate to the collector and a relatively high p-doping level in a second region proximate to an emitter. Alternatively, the accelerating field can be derived from band gap grading, wherein the grade of band gap in the first region is greater than the grade of band gap in the second region, and the average band gap of the first region is lower than that of the second region.

Abstract: A bipolar transistor includes a base layer design and a method for fabricating such a bipolar transistor that employ a built-in accelerating field focused on a base region adjacent to a collector, where minority carrier transport is otherwise retarded. The accelerating field of the base layer includes on average, a relatively low p-doping level in a first region proximate to the collector and a relatively high p-doping level in a second region proximate to an emitter. Alternatively, the accelerating field can be derived from band gap grading, wherein the grade of band gap in the first region is greater than the grade of band gap in the second region, and the average band gap of the first region is lower than that of the second region.