Abstract: A method and an apparatus for examining the fracture strength of flat samples made of brittle-fracture material are provided. The margin of the respective sample is subjected to tensile stress by bending the material in a circular arc shape.

Abstract: An improved measurement method and a corresponding measurement device are provided that measure the edge strength of plate-shaped elements made of brittle-fracture material. For this purpose, a long sample is drawn apart at the short edges, wherein the force transmission points lie next to the center of gravity of the base surface of the sample.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing holes in dielectric workpieces in the form of thin sheets and substrates, in particular of glass or glass-like materials and semiconductors is provided. The apparatus includes individual high-voltage electrodes that are symmetrically arranged on an electrode holder around the hole to be produced in the workpiece. The apparatus also includes individual counter electrodes that are arranged on a counter electrode holder. The electrodes and counter electrodes can be connected in a permutating manner to a high-voltage source for the discharge of high-voltage flashovers.

Abstract: A method for producing perforated work pieces from glass, glass ceramics, or semiconductors in a stress-relieving manner is provided. The method includes heating the work piece up to the glass transition temperature and perforating the work piece using a high-voltage electric field of suitable frequency or pulse shape. Then, the perforated work piece is allowed to cool down from the transition temperature range to room temperature at a rate at which the mechanical stresses generated by the perforation process relax.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a multiplicity of holes in thin sheet-like workpieces of dielectric material or semiconductors is provided. The perforation points are marked by HF coupling points and caused to soften using HF energy in order to obtain dielectric breakdowns. The breakdowns are then widened into holes.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing holes in dielectric workpieces in the form of thin sheets and substrates, in particular of glass or glass-like materials and semiconductors is provided. The apparatus includes individual high-voltage electrodes that are symmetrically arranged on an electrode holder around the hole to be produced in the workpiece. The apparatus also includes individual counter electrodes that are arranged on a counter electrode holder. The electrodes and counter electrodes can be connected in a permutating manner to a high-voltage source for the discharge of high-voltage flashovers.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for producing a multiplicity of holes in thin workpieces made of glass or glass-like materials and semiconductors are provided. The method includes directing multiple laser beams onto predetermined perforation points of the workpiece in a wavelength range between 1600 and 200 nm and with a radiation intensity that causes local non-thermal destruction of the workpiece material along respective filamentary channels. Subsequently, the filamentary channels are widened to the desired diameter of the holes.

Abstract: The construction principles according to the present invention make possible large sheet-like solar modules with low weight, which have great mechanical toughness, are inured to rough climatic environment influences and withstand thermal stress due to solar irradiation and shadowing effects. The solar modules have front and back panes, one of which has a thickness of at least 3 mm and the other of which has a thickness of at most 2 mm. The coefficient of thermal expansion of the thicker pane is preferably greater than that of the thinner pane. In preferred embodiments burling or a wavy structure is provided on one side of the front pane and/or the back pane.

Abstract: Solar modules are provided that include a front pane, an inter layer into which solar cells are embedded, and at least one back side foil, which increases the life span of the solar modules. The at least one back side foil is provided with holes having a density of at most 0.2 cm?2.

Abstract: The solar module for converting radiation energy, in particular sunlight, into electrical energy, includes a solar cell (12) that converts radiation energy into electrical energy, an electrical conductor (24) to conduct the electrical energy, an encapsulation (14) encasing the solar cell (12) to protect the solar cell (12), which includes one or more panes (16) of glass to protect and stabilize the solar cell (12) and a layer (22) of embedment material into which the solar cell (12) is laminated or cast, and a body (26) fused into the pane (16) of glass to conduct the electrical energy or to pass an electrical conductor (24) through the pane of glass (16). Furthermore, a method for fusing the body (26) into the one or more panes (16) of glass of the solar module is also described.

Abstract: The improved photovoltaic module contains a solar cell made of metallic silicon, which is embedded in at least one embedding material, and a corrosion inhibitor. Preferably the corrosion inhibitor is an organic compound, which has at least one nitrogen atom. As a result, the photovoltaic module according to the present invention has an extended service life, since it withstands corrosive influences.

Abstract: The construction principles according to the present invention make possible large sheet-like solar modules with low weight, which have great mechanical toughness, are inured to rough climatic environment influences and withstand thermal stress due to solar irradiation and shadowing effects. The solar modules have front and back panes, one of which has a thickness of at least 3 mm and the other of which has a thickness of at most 2 mm. The coefficient of thermal expansion of the thicker pane is preferably greater than that of the thinner pane. In preferred embodiments burling or a wavy structure is provided on one side of the front pane and/or the back pane.

Abstract: The invention relates to a bonding system method and for the fabrication of a bonding system, as well as to a light device formed using the method of the invention. The bonding of the two components which are to be joined, whereby at least one of the two components consists at least partially, preferably completely of glass or glass-ceramics, in other words of a glass-based material, is achieved by way of the following methods on their own merit. Through material sealing when utilizing an inorganic glass-based solder material or through sealing mechanisms without solder material by utilizing tensile stress and/or compressive strain conditions, at least in a high temperature range.

Abstract: A flat light source having a front plate and a rear part. The front plate is held at a distance from the rear part by spacers. A gaseous filling which is under a pressure lower than the ambient atmospheric pressure is introduced into the intermediate space between the front plate and rear part, and the front plate is of a glass material. To be able to produce flat light sources of this type which have a low intrinsic weight, according to this invention the front plate and/or the rear part can be configured as an at least partly thermally or chemically tempered glass pane or the front plate and/or the rear part can be configured as a glass pane which at least in areas is coated with ductile polymer material.

Abstract: The optical system has a first optical element (11,17, 19, 26) and a second optical element (12, 18, 20, 27) having respective plane surfaces and cubic crystal structures, which are arranged next to each other along an optic axis (10) so that one of the crystal axes of each optical element is parallel to the optic axis and the plane surfaces are resting against each other. The first and second optical elements have first and second orientations in relation to the optic axis, which are preferably rotated by a rotation about the optic axis (10) with respect to each other according to the rotational symmetry of the material. At least one of the first optical element and second optical element is pre-stressed by applying a compressive stress (&sgr;,&sgr;,1,&sgr;2) thereto. The compressive stress is applied radially symmetrically in a plane perpendicular to the optic axis (10) and compensates for spatial dispersion.

Abstract: The optical system has a first optical element (11, 17, 19, 26) and a second optical element (12, 18, 20, 27) arranged along an optic axis (10). The optical elements are preferably made from crystalline material with a cubic crystal structure. The first and second optical elements have first and second orientations in relation to the optic axis, which are preferably rotated with respect to each other according to the rotational symmetry of the material. At least one of the first optical element and second optical element is pre-stressed by applying a compressive stress (&sgr;,&sgr;1,&sgr;2) thereto. The compressive stress is applied radially symmetrically relative to the optic axis (10) and compensates for spatial dispersion.

Abstract: In many engineering production processes, for example glass or glass-ceramic manufacturing processes, liquids, such as glass melts, participate in the processes in which gases are dissolved, which in part form bubbles in the liquid. So that the quality of the final product is not disadvantageously influenced, the liquid, e.g. glass melt, should be refined to remove the bubbles. According to the method of the invention an overpressure acting on the liquid is provided which is such that the internal pressure in the bubbles immediately under the surface of the liquid in a refining chamber is at least as great as the sum of equilibrium pressures of the gases dissolved in the liquid and the sum of the vapor pressure of components evaporating from the liquid. A two stage apparatus is provided which performs a preferred embodiment of the refining method of the invention.

Abstract: In many engineering production processes, for example glass or glass-ceramic manufacturing processes, liquids, such as glass melts, participate in the processes in which gases are dissolved, which in part form bubbles in the liquid. So that the quality of the final product is not disadvantageously influenced, the liquid, e.g. glass melt, should be refined to remove the bubbles. According to the method of the invention an overpressure acting on the liquid is provided which is such that the internal pressure in the bubbles immediately under the surface of the liquid in a refining chamber is at least as great as the sum of equilibrium pressures of the gases dissolved in the liquid and the sum of the vapor pressure of components evaporating from the liquid. A two stage apparatus is provided which performs a preferred embodiment of the refining method of the invention.

Abstract: In many engineering production processes, for example glass or glass-ceramic manufacturing processes, liquids, such as glass melts, participate in the processes in which gases are dissolved, which in part form bubbles in the liquid. So that the quality of the final product is not disadvantageously influenced, the liquid, e.g. glass melt, should be refined to remove the bubbles. According to the method of the invention an overpressure acting on the liquid is provided which is such that the internal pressure in the bubbles immediately under the surface of the liquid in a refining chamber is at least as great as the sum of equilibrium pressures of the gases dissolved in the liquid and the sum of the vapor pressure of components evaporating from the liquid. A two stage apparatus is provided which performs a preferred embodiment of the refining method of the invention.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe is disclosed wherein the sonic energy is transmitted by sonic waveguides from ultrasonic transducers at the proximal end of the probe to the ultrasonic directional elements at the distal end. The sonic waveguides are designed so that the sound waves are transmitted in a pure mode fashion and show low transmission losses and low dispersion. The ultrasonic probe is suitable especially for medical endosonography.