Abstract: The invention relates to a diaphragm assembly of an aperture diaphragm for delimiting the coating region which is operative in the deposition of a layer and to a sputtering device which uses the diaphragm assembly. The diaphragm assembly comprises a main part (13) which has a passage (14) delimited by a passage edge. The aim of the invention is to design the diaphragm opening to be temporally and geometrically variable in situ. This is achieved in that the diaphragm assembly has at least one diaphragm plate (17, 17?, 17?) which is assembled on the main part (13) so as to be movable in front of the passage (14) and back. The diaphragm assembly additionally comprises a movement device which is operatively connected to the diaphragm plate (17, 17?, 17?) in order to carry out the movement thereof.

Abstract: The invention relates to a diaphragm assembly of an aperture diaphragm for delimiting the coating region which is operative in the deposition of a layer and to a sputtering device which uses the diaphragm assembly. The diaphragm assembly comprises a main part (13) which has a passage (14) delimited by a passage edge. The aim of the invention is to design the diaphragm opening to be temporally and geometrically variable in situ. This is achieved in that the diaphragm assembly has at least one diaphragm plate (17, 17?, 17?) which is assembled on the main part (13) so as to be movable in front of the passage (14) and back. The diaphragm assembly additionally comprises a movement device which is operatively connected to the diaphragm plate (17, 17?, 17?) in order to carry out the movement thereof.

Abstract: Roller brushes for a cleaning and/or care devices, for example, for cleaning and/or care of floor coverings in the form of tiles, natural, artificial, blocks of concrete or wood, with a rotationally symmetrical cylinder which comprises a cylinder surface. At least one first plurality of a first bundle of bristles with a first brush and a second plurality of a second bundle of bristles with a second brush may be arranged on the cylinder surface. The first bundle of bristles may be different from the second bundle of bristles.

Abstract: Sputter devices comprise a vacuum supply, a gas supply, a substrate holding device, and sputter sources. Each sputter source is held by an individual source support, each of which has an individual reference point allocated on a sputter surface facing the deposition area, and each of which has a source distance to a source reference surface from the individual reference point. The sputter sources are spaced apart from each other, are arranged as a two-dimensional array opposite the deposition area, and extend along the source reference surface. The source reference surface is parallel to the substrate reference surface. At least one of the sputter sources has a source distance deviating from zero.

Abstract: Roller brushes for a cleaning and/or care devices, for example, for cleaning and/or care of floor coverings in the form of tiles, natural, artificial, blocks of concrete or wood, with a rotationally symmetrical cylinder which comprises a cylinder surface. At least one first plurality of a first bundle of bristles with a first brush and a second plurality of a second bundle of bristles with a second brush may be arranged on the cylinder surface. The first bundle of bristles may be different from the second bundle of bristles.

Abstract: The invention relates to a roller brush, in particular for a cleaning and/or care device, preferably for floor covering in the form of tiles, natural, artificial, blocks of concrete or wood, with a rotationally symmetrical cylinder which comprises a cylinder surface. At least one first plurality of a first bundle of bristles with a first brush and a second plurality of a second bundle of bristles with a second brush is arranged on the cylinder surface. The invention is characterised in that the first bundle of bristles are different from the second bundle of bristles.

Abstract: Sputter devices comprise a vacuum supply, a gas supply, a substrate holding device, and sputter sources. Each sputter source is held by an individual source support, each of which has an individual reference point allocated on a sputter surface facing the deposition area, and each of which has a source distance to a source reference surface from the individual reference point. The sputter sources are spaced apart from each other, are arranged as a two-dimensional array opposite the deposition area, and extend along the source reference surface. The source reference surface is parallel to the substrate reference surface. At least one of the sputter sources has a source distance deviating from zero.

Abstract: The invention relates to a roller brush, in particular for a cleaning and/or care device, preferably for floor covering in the form of tiles, natural, artificial, blocks of concrete or wood, with a rotationally symmetrical cylinder which comprises a cylinder surface. At least one first plurality of a first bundle of bristles with a first brush and a second plurality of a second bundle of bristles with a second brush is arranged on the cylinder surface. The invention is characterised in that the first bundle of bristles are different from the second bundle of bristles.

Abstract: A surface-tensioned sapphire plate and a corresponding manufacturing process. The plate may include a planar sapphire substrate and at least one layer disposed on the surface of the substrate for tensing the substrate. The layer may include at least 50 wt.-% of aluminum oxide (Al2O3). The manufacturing process for producing of a sapphire plate may include providing a planar sapphire substrate, and coating at least one surface of the substrate with a layer tensing the substrate. The layer may include at least 50 wt.-% of aluminum oxide (Al2O3).

Abstract: A surface-tensioned sapphire plate and a corresponding manufacturing process. The plate may include a planar sapphire substrate and at least one layer disposed on the surface of the substrate for tensing the substrate. The layer may include at least 50 wt.-% of aluminum oxide (Al2O3). The manufacturing process for producing of a sapphire plate may include providing a planar sapphire substrate, and coating at least one surface of the substrate with a layer tensing the substrate. The layer may include at least 50 wt.-% of aluminum oxide (Al2O3).

Abstract: Method of depositing a TCO layer on a substrate, of depositing precursors of a solar cell and precursors of a solar cell are described. The methods includes DC sputtering a ZnO-containing transparent conductive oxide layer over the substrate, the substrate having a size of 1.4 m2 or above and texturing the ZnO-containing transparent conductive oxide layer, wherein the textured ZnO-containing transparent conductive oxide layer has a root means square roughness of 60 nm or below.

Abstract: A method for controlling surface morphology of a transparent conductive oxide film (TCO) is provided. A substrate is provided as a basis for forming a solar cell. Onto the substrate, a seed layer is deposited. Then, the method includes depositing the transparent conductive oxide film (TCO) above the seed layer. The seed layer is adapted to control the surface morphology of the transparent conductive oxide film. The surface of the transparent conductive oxide film is etched in order to provide a front contact of the solar cell.

Abstract: Methods for forming a thin film solar cell are provided. In one aspect, a thin film solar cell is formed by providing a back contact comprising a reflective material and an interface metal, applying a solder paste slurry that include a paste flux and metal particles to the interface metal and soldering at least one buss wire to back contact.

Abstract: Methods and devices for manufacturing a TCO layer of a thin film solar cell over a transparent substrate are described. Thereby, a first ZnO-containing layer is puttered with a sputtering method selected from the group consisting of: DC-sputtering, MF-sputtering, pulsed-sputtering, and combinations thereof, over the substrate with a first set of deposition parameters, a second ZnO-containing layer is puttered with a sputtering method selected from the group consisting of: DC-sputtering, MF-sputtering, pulsed-sputtering, and combinations thereof, over the first ZnO-containing layer with a second set of deposition parameters, at least one of the deposition parameters of the second set of deposition parameters is different from the corresponding parameter of the first set of deposition parameters; and the second ZnO-containing layer is textured.

Abstract: Methods for manufacturing a layer stack for a thin-film solar cell and layer stacks are provided. The layer stack includes a transparent substrate having a first refraction index, a transparent conductive oxide layer comprising ZnO, wherein the transparent conductive oxide layer is deposited over the substrate and has a second refraction index, and a further layer, which is deposited between the transparent conductive oxide layer and the substrate, wherein the layer has a third refraction index in a range from the first refraction index to the second refraction index, the layer comprises a metal, and wherein the layer composition has a metal content of 0.5 to 10 weight-%.

Abstract: Methods of depositing a TCO layer on a substrate and precursor for solar cells are described.

Abstract: In the present invention a sub-stoichiometric ceramic ZnOx:Al target, with 0.3<x<1, is used for depositing a ZnO:Al layer in a reactive sputtering process. The process is carried out in an Ar/O2 atmosphere. The diagram depicts the deposition rate R depending on the oxygen flow in a sputtering process according to the present invention compared with a conventional sputter process using a stoichiometric ZnO target. The upper line x<1 indicates the deposition rate R when using the inventive target and process. The lower line x=1, for comparison only, indicates the deposition rate R when using a stoichiometric ceramic ZnO target. It can be seen from the diagram that both processes are quite stable as there are no steep slopes when varying the oxygen flow. However, the line x<1 is above the line x=1. Therefore, a working point P may be selected which has a higher deposition rate R than a corresponding working point P of a corresponding ceramic target.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for identifying people, whereby a person is identified by comparing an electric signal derived from a sound produced by the person with a stored signal of the above kind. The invention is characterized in that the signals to be compared are derived from the subphonenic range of sound production. The signal especially refers to a quasiperiod of a vowel or a semivowel.