Patents by Inventor Hongbo Cao
Hongbo Cao has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20230082990Abstract: According to the embodiments provided herein, a photovoltaic device can include an absorber layer. The absorber layer can be doped p-type with a Group V dopant and can have a carrier concentration of the Group V dopant greater than 4×1015 cm?3. The absorber layer can include oxygen in a central region of the absorber layer. The absorber layer can include an alkali metal in the central region of the absorber layer. Methods for carrier activation can include exposing an absorber layer to an annealing compound in a reducing environment. The annealing compound can include cadmium chloride and an alkali metal chloride.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 14, 2022Publication date: March 16, 2023Applicant: First Solar, Inc.Inventors: Hongbo Cao, Sachit Grover, William Hullinger Huber, Xiaoping Li, Dingyuan Lu, Roger Malik, Hongying Peng, Joseph John Shiang, Qianqian Xin, Gang Xiong
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Patent number: 11502212Abstract: A photovoltaic device (100) can include an absorber layer (160). The absorber layer (160) can be doped p-type with a Group V dopant and can have a carrier concentration of the Group V dopant greater than 4×1015 cm?3. The absorber layer (160) can include oxygen in a central region of the absorber layer (160). The absorber layer (160) can include an alkali metal in the central region of the absorber layer (160). Methods for carrier activation can include exposing an absorber layer (160) to an annealing compound in a reducing environment (220). The annealing compound (224) can include cadmium chloride and an alkali metal chloride.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2017Date of Patent: November 15, 2022Assignee: First Solar, Inc.Inventors: Hongbo Cao, Sachit Grover, William Hullinger Huber, Xiaoping Li, Dingyuan Lu, Roger Malik, Hongying Peng, Joseph John Shiang, Qianqian Xin, Gang Xiong
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Patent number: 11267551Abstract: A hypersonic aircraft includes one or more leading edge assemblies that are designed to cool the leading edge of certain portions of the hypersonic aircraft that are exposed to high thermal loads, such as extremely high temperatures and/or thermal gradients. Specifically, the leading edge assemblies may include an outer wall tapered to a leading edge or stagnation point. A coolant supply may be in fluid communication with at least one fluid passageway that passes through the outer wall to deliver a flow of cooling fluid, such as liquid metal, to the stagnation point. The liquid metal vaporizes when the leading edge experiences a high heat load, thereby transpiration cooling the leading edge and/or facilitating a magnetohydrodynamic process for generating thrust or electricity.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2019Date of Patent: March 8, 2022Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Timothy John Sommerer, Nicholas William Rathay, Narendra Digamber Joshi, Douglas Carl Hofer, Hongbo Cao
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Publication number: 20210359338Abstract: A porous electrolyte structure for a solid state battery is provided. The porous electrolyte structure has an interconnected ceramic matrix with a network of open pores disposed throughout a thickness of the porous electrolyte structure. The porous electrolyte structure includes a porosity of about 20% by volume to about 80% by volume. A solid state battery cell including the porous electrolyte structure and a method of making the solid state battery cell are also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 18, 2020Publication date: November 18, 2021Inventors: Anil Raj Duggal, Hongyi Zhou, Hongbo Cao, Oltea Puica Siclovan, Kevin Henry Janora, Holly Ann Comanzo
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Publication number: 20210147060Abstract: A hypersonic aircraft includes one or more leading edge assemblies that are designed to cool the leading edge of certain portions of the hypersonic aircraft that are exposed to high thermal loads, such as extremely high temperatures and/or thermal gradients. Specifically, the leading edge assemblies may include an outer wall tapered to a leading edge or stagnation point. A coolant supply may be in fluid communication with at least one fluid passageway that passes through the outer wall to deliver a flow of cooling fluid, such as liquid metal, to the stagnation point. The liquid metal vaporizes when the leading edge experiences a high heat load, thereby transpiration cooling the leading edge and/or facilitating a magnetohydrodynamic process for generating thrust or electricity.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2019Publication date: May 20, 2021Inventors: Timothy John Sommerer, Nicholas William Rathay, Narendra Digamber Joshi, Douglas Carl Hofer, Hongbo Cao
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Publication number: 20200381567Abstract: A photovoltaic device (100) can include an absorber layer (160). The absorber layer (160) can be doped p-type with a Group V dopant and can have a carrier concentration of the Group V dopant greater than 4×1015cm-3. The absorber layer (160) can include oxygen in a central region of the absorber layer (160). The absorber layer (160) can include an alkali metal in the central region of the absorber layer (160). Methods for carrier activation can include exposing an absorber layer (160) to an annealing compound in a reducing environment (220). The annealing compound (224) can include cadmium chloride and an alkali metal chloride.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 7, 2017Publication date: December 3, 2020Applicant: First Solar, Inc.Inventors: Hongbo Cao, Sachit Grover, William Hullinger Huber, Xiaoping Li, Dingyuan Lu, Roger Malik, Hongying Peng, Joseph John Shiang, Qianqian Xin, Gang Xiong
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Patent number: 10103410Abstract: A method for joining a metal component to a ceramic component is presented. The method includes disposing a metallic barrier layer on a metallized portion of the ceramic component, and joining the metal component to the metallized portion of the ceramic component through the metallic barrier layer. The metallic barrier layer comprises nickel and a melting point depressant. The metallic barrier layer is disposed by a screen printing process, followed by sintering the layer at a temperature less than about 1000 degrees Celsius. A sealing structure including a joint between a ceramic component and a metal component is also presented.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2015Date of Patent: October 16, 2018Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Sundeep Kumar, Mohamed Rahmane, Hongbo Cao, Darren Michael Stohr, Raghavendra Rao Adharapurapu, Ravikumar Hanumantha
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Publication number: 20170101347Abstract: A method for removing a coating from an article includes heating an article to a processing temperature. The article includes a first material in contact with a second material, the first material comprising silicon, and the second material comprising an oxide comprising silicon. The heating is performed in an environment having a partial pressure of oxygen that is less than an equilibrium partial pressure of oxygen for chemical equilibrium between the first material and the second material at the processing temperature.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 8, 2015Publication date: April 13, 2017Inventors: Julin Wan, Hongbo Cao
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Publication number: 20170044930Abstract: An environmental barrier coating system for a component of a gas turbine includes at least one rare earth disilicate layer and at least one rare earth monosilicate layer. At least one of the at least one rare earth disilicate layer or the at least one rare earth monosilicate layer includes an alkaline earth oxide dopant.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 14, 2015Publication date: February 16, 2017Inventors: Krishan Lal LUTHRA, Peter Joel MESCHTER, Vidya RAMASWAMY, Hongbo CAO
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Publication number: 20160181463Abstract: Methods for treating a semiconductor layer including a semiconductor material are presented. A method includes contacting at least a portion of the semiconductor material with a passivating agent. The method further includes forming a first region in the semiconductor layer by introducing a dopant into the semiconductor material; and forming a chalcogen-rich region. The method further includes forming a second region in the semiconductor layer, the second region including a dopant, wherein an average atomic concentration of the dopant in the second region is greater than an average atomic concentration of the dopant in the first region. Photovoltaic devices are also presented.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2016Publication date: June 23, 2016Applicant: First Solar, Inc.Inventors: Donald Franklin Foust, Hongbo Cao, Laura Anne Clark, Robert Andrew Garber, Scott Daniel Feldman-Peabody, Wyatt Keith Metzger, Yinghui Shan, Roman Shuba
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Patent number: 9276157Abstract: Methods for treating a semiconductor layer including a semiconductor material are presented. A method includes contacting at least a portion of the semiconductor material with a passivating agent. The method further includes forming a first region in the semiconductor layer by introducing a dopant into the semiconductor material; and forming a chalcogen-rich region. The method further includes forming a second region in the semiconductor layer, the second region including a dopant, wherein an average atomic concentration of the dopant in the second region is greater than an average atomic concentration of the dopant in the first region. Photovoltaic devices are also presented.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2012Date of Patent: March 1, 2016Assignee: First Solar, Inc.Inventors: Donald Franklin Foust, Hongbo Cao, Laura Anne Clark, Robert Andrew Garber, Scott Daniel Feldman-Peabody, Wyatt Keith Metzger, Yinghui Shan, Roman Shuba
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Patent number: 9231134Abstract: Photovoltaic devices are presented. A photovoltaic device includes a window layer and a semiconductor layer including a semiconductor material disposed on window layer. The semiconductor layer includes a first region and a second region, the first region disposed proximate to the window layer, and the second region including a chalcogen-rich region, wherein the first region and the second region include a dopant, and an average atomic concentration of the dopant in the second region is greater than an average atomic concentration of the dopant in the first region.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2012Date of Patent: January 5, 2016Assignee: First Solar, Inc.Inventors: Donald Franklin Foust, Hongbo Cao, Laura Anne Clark, Robert Andrew Garber, Scott Daniel Feldman-Peabody, Wyatt Keith Metzger, Yinghui Shan, Roman Shuba
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Patent number: 9211310Abstract: The present invention relates to a use of Chinese medicine composition in preparation of medicine for secondary prevention of myocardial infarction. Said Chinese medicine composition is prepared from a formula comprising the crude drugs by the following weight percentages: Radix Astragali 22.2%˜66.8%, Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae 11.6%˜33.4%, Radix Notoginseng 2.5%˜13.5%, and Lignum Dalbergiae Odoriferae 14.5%˜44.3%.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2011Date of Patent: December 15, 2015Assignee: TASLY PHARMACEUTICAL GROUP CO., LTDInventors: Boli Zhang, Hongcai Shang, Chen Yao, Baoyan Liu, Weiliang Weng, Yuxia Zhao, Guohua Dai, Xiumei Gao, Ming Ren, Junhua Zhang, Hongbo Cao, Jingyuan Mao, Xuejun Hu, Zhisheng Jin, Junping Zhang, Yiyu Cheng, Xijun Yan, Jiazhen Qu, Hui Wang, Hongjuan Xu, Wenke Zheng
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Publication number: 20150340742Abstract: A method for joining a metal component to a ceramic component is presented. The method includes disposing a metallic barrier layer on a metallized portion of the ceramic component, and joining the metal component to the metallized portion of the ceramic component through the metallic barrier layer. The metallic barrier layer comprises nickel and a melting point depressant. The metallic barrier layer is disposed by a screen printing process, followed by sintering the layer at a temperature less than about 1000 degrees Celsius. A sealing structure including a joint between a ceramic component and a metal component is also presented.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 22, 2015Publication date: November 26, 2015Inventors: Sundeep KUMAR, Mohamed RAHMANE, Hongbo CAO, Darren Michael STOHR, Raghavendra Rao ADHARAPURAPU, Ravikumar HANUMANTHA
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Patent number: 9105802Abstract: A method of making a photovoltaic device is presented. The method includes disposing an absorber layer on a window layer. The method further includes treating at least a portion of the absorber layer with a first solution including a first metal salt to form a first component, wherein the first metal salt comprises a first metal selected from the group consisting of manganese, cobalt, chromium, zinc, indium, tungsten, molybdenum, and combinations thereof. The method further includes treating at least a portion of the first component with cadmium chloride to form a second component. The method further includes treating at least a portion of the second component with a second solution including a second metal salt to form an interfacial layer on the second component, wherein the second metal salt comprises a second metal selected from the group consisting of manganese, cobalt, nickel, zinc, and combinations thereof.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 2014Date of Patent: August 11, 2015Assignee: First Solar, Inc.Inventors: Hongbo Cao, Donald Franklin Foust
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Patent number: 8822261Abstract: A method of making a photovoltaic device is presented. The method includes disposing an absorber layer on a window layer. The method further includes treating at least a portion of the absorber layer with a first solution including a first metal salt to form a first component, wherein the first metal salt comprises a first metal selected from the group consisting of manganese, cobalt, chromium, zinc, indium, tungsten, molybdenum, and combinations thereof. The method further includes treating at least a portion of the first component with cadmium chloride to form a second component. The method further includes treating at least a portion of the second component with a second solution including a second metal salt to form an interfacial layer on the second component, wherein the second metal salt comprises a second metal selected from the group consisting of manganese, cobalt, nickel, zinc, and combinations thereof.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2011Date of Patent: September 2, 2014Assignee: First Solar, Inc.Inventors: Donald Franklin Foust, Hongbo Cao
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Publication number: 20140220727Abstract: A method of making a photovoltaic device is presented. The method includes disposing an absorber layer on a window layer. The method further includes treating at least a portion of the absorber layer with a first solution including a first metal salt to form a first component, wherein the first metal salt comprises a first metal selected from the group consisting of manganese, cobalt, chromium, zinc, indium, tungsten, molybdenum, and combinations thereof. The method further includes treating at least a portion of the first component with cadmium chloride to form a second component. The method further includes treating at least a portion of the second component with a second solution including a second metal salt to form an interfacial layer on the second component, wherein the second metal salt comprises a second metal selected from the group consisting of manganese, cobalt, nickel, zinc, and combinations thereof.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 11, 2014Publication date: August 7, 2014Applicant: FIRST SOLAR, INC.Inventors: Hongbo Cao, Donald Franklin Foust
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Publication number: 20140060635Abstract: Photovoltaic devices are presented. A photovoltaic device includes a window layer and a semiconductor layer including a semiconductor material disposed on window layer. The semiconductor layer includes a first region and a second region, the first region disposed proximate to the window layer, and the second region including a chalcogen-rich region, wherein the first region and the second region include a dopant, and an average atomic concentration of the dopant in the second region is greater than an average atomic concentration of the dopant in the first region.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2012Publication date: March 6, 2014Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Donald Franklin Foust, Hongbo Cao, Laura Anne Clark, Robert Andrew Garber, Scott Daniel Feldman-Peabody, Wyatt Keith Metzger, Yinghui Shan, Roman Shuba
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Publication number: 20140065763Abstract: Methods for treating a semiconductor layer including a semiconductor material are presented. A method includes contacting at least a portion of the semiconductor material with a passivating agent. The method further includes forming a first region in the semiconductor layer by introducing a dopant into the semiconductor material; and forming a chalcogen-rich region. The method further includes forming a second region in the semiconductor layer, the second region including a dopant, wherein an average atomic concentration of the dopant in the second region is greater than an average atomic concentration of the dopant in the first region. Photovoltaic devices are also presented.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2012Publication date: March 6, 2014Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Donald Franklin Foust, Hongbo Cao, Laura Anne Clark, Robert Andrew Garber, Scott Daniel Feldman-Peabody, Wyatt Keith Metzger, Yinghui Shan, Roman Shuba
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Publication number: 20130209590Abstract: The present invention relates to a use of Chinese medicine composition in preparation of medicine for secondary prevention of myocardial infarction. Said Chinese medicine composition is prepared from a formula comprising the crude drugs by the following weight percentages: Radix Astragali 22.2%˜66.8%, Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae 11.6%˜33.4%, Radix Notoginseng 2.5%˜13.5%, and Lignum Dalbergiae Odoriferae 14.5%˜44.3%.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2011Publication date: August 15, 2013Applicant: TASLY PHARMACEUTICAL GROUP CO., LTD.Inventors: Boli Zhang, Hongcai Shang, Chen Yao, Baoyan Liu, Weiliang Weng, Yuxia Zhao, Guohua Dai, Xiumei Gao, Ming Ren, Junhua Zhang, Hongbo Cao, Jingyuan Mao, Xuejun Hu, Zhisheng Jin, Junping Zhang, Yiyu Cheng, Xijun Yan, Jiazhen Qu, Hui Wang, Hongjuan Xu, Wenke Zheng