Abstract: A method for depositing a coating onto a solid substrate for the fabrication of a functional layer in a solar cell device wherein the functional layer is used as an anti-reflection layer, an active layer for photon absorption and charge generation, a buffer layer, a window layer, or an electrode layer.

Abstract: A method and related apparatus for fabricating a three-dimensional object in accordance with a computer-aided design of the object in a layer-by-layer but not point-by-point fashion.

Abstract: A method and related apparatus for fabricating a three-dimensional object in accordance with a computer-aided design of the object in a layer-by-layer but not point-by-point fashion.

Abstract: A freeform fabrication method for making a three-dimensional food object from a design created on a computer, including: (a) providing a support member by which the object is supported while being constructed; (b) operating a material dispensing head for dispensing a strand of food composition in a fluent state with this food composition comprising a volatile ingredient; (c) operating a material treatment device disposed near the strand of food composition to at least partially remove the volatile ingredient for causing the food composition to achieve a rigid state in which the food composition is built up in a 3-D shape of the object; and (d) operating control devices for generating control signals in response to coordinates of the design of the object and controlling the position of the dispensing head relative to the support member in response to the control signals to control dispensing of the food composition for constructing the object while supported with the support member.

Abstract: A solid freeform fabrication process and apparatus for making a three-dimensional reinforcement shape. The process comprises the steps of (1) operating a multiple-channel material deposition device for dispensing a liquid adhesive composition and selected reinforcement materials at predetermined proportions onto a work surface; (2) during the material deposition process, moving the deposition device and the work surface relative to each other in an X-Y plane defined by first and second directions and in a Z direction orthogonal to the X-Y plane so that the materials are deposited to form a first layer of the shape; (3) repeating these steps to deposit multiple layers for forming a three-dimensional preform shape; and (4) periodically hardening the adhesive to rigidize individual layers of the preform.