Abstract: Methods of fabricating photovoltaic cells are provided. The photovoltaic cells include a transparent substrate to allow light to enter the photovoltaic cell through the substrate, and a light absorption layer associated with the substrate. The light absorption layer has opposite first and second surfaces, with the first surface being closer to the transparent substrate than the second surface. A passivation layer is disposed over the second surface of the light absorption layer, and a plurality of first discrete contacts and a plurality of second discrete contacts are provided within the passivation layer to facilitate electrical coupling to the light absorption layer. A first electrode and a second electrode are disposed over the passivation layer to contact the plurality of first discrete contacts and the plurality of second discrete contacts, respectively. The first and second electrodes may include a photon-reflective material.

Abstract: A thin-film monolithically integrated solar module with a solar cell, an integrated energy storage device, and a controller may be provided. It may comprise a thin-film solar cell, having at least one solar diode, on a transparent substrate, a thin-film energy storage device, and an electronic controller comprising at least one thin-film transistor above the thin-film energy storage device. The electronic controller may be electrically connected to the thin-film solar cell and the thin-film energy storage device by vias. The named functional units may build a monolithically integrated device on one substrate.

Abstract: A calculation unit for a sound system includes an input terminal, a processor and an output terminal. The input terminal has the purpose to receive an audio stream to be reproduced using the sound system. The output terminal has the purpose to control the sound system based on a first and a second plurality of individual audio signals. The processor is configured to calculate the first plurality of audio signals such that beamforming is performed by the array and to calculate the second plurality of individual audio signals to perform, using the sound system, direct sound suppression such that sound is canceled towards a listening direction. Furthermore, the processor filters at least the second plurality using a second passband characteristic including a second portion of the entire frequency range.

Abstract: A thin-film monolithically integrated solar module with a solar cell, an integrated energy storage device, and a controller may be provided. It may comprise a thin-film solar cell, having at least one solar diode, on a transparent substrate, a thin-film energy storage device, and an electronic controller comprising at least one thin-film transistor above the thin-film energy storage device. The electronic controller may be electrically connected to the thin-film solar cell and the thin-film energy storage device by vias. The named functional units may build a monolithically integrated device on one substrate.

Abstract: A stacked-layered thin film solar cell. The solar cell has reduced absorber thickness and an improved back contact for Copper Indium Gallium Selenide solar cells. The back contact provides improved reflectance particularly for infrared wavelengths while still maintaining ohmic contact to the semiconductor absorber. This reflectance is achieved by producing a back contact having a highly reflecting metal separated from an absorbing layer with a dielectric layer.

Abstract: A measuring cell includes a cavity for receiving a test sample to be used in a particle detection apparatus. The measuring cell is configured as an optical waveguide for guiding a light beam. The waveguide has a core which has a refractive index nK, extends along a longitudinal axis of the waveguide, has a cross-sectional area AK of less than 80 ?m2 in a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and which is surrounded by a cladding having a smaller refractive index than nK. The cavity forms a channel. The channel extends along the longitudinal axis, is formed inside of or in contact with the core, and has at least one open end with an opening area AH of less than 0.2 ?m2.

Abstract: Techniques and solutions are described for recording document transactions in a blockchain. Document transactions can include sending or receiving a document, or various workflow steps involving a document. Other steps in a workflow that includes a document can be recorded in the blockchain. Blockchain entries related to a document can include a unique identifier of the document, such as a hash value. When a document is sent between two computing systems, the document can be encrypted using a public encryption key of the receiving computing system. Sending and receiving of documents, and recording of blockchain transactions, can be facilitated by an intermediary service. A service providing recording of blockchain transactions can abstract recording details from applications calling the service. A party having the unencrypted document, or the unique document identifier (such as legitimately retaining or receiving the identifier), can retrieve a transaction history of the document from the blockchain.

Abstract: An integrated thin-film lateral multi junction solar device and fabrication method are provided. The device includes, for instance, a substrate, and a plurality of stacks extending vertically from the substrate. Each stack may include layers, and be electrically isolated against another stack. Each stack may also include an energy storage device above the substrate, a solar cell above the energy storage device, a transparent medium above the solar cell, and a micro-optic layer of spectrally dispersive and concentrating optical devices above the transparent medium. Furthermore, the device may include a first power converter connected between the energy storage device and a power bus, and a second power converter connected between the solar cell and the power bus. Further, different solar cells of different stacks may have different absorption characteristics.

Abstract: An energy harvesting device includes prefabricated thin film energy absorption sheets that are each tuned to absorb electromagnetic energy of a corresponding wavelength. The energy harvesting device can include a prefabricated thin film converter sheet to convert the electromagnetic energy into electrical power. The energy harvesting device can include a prefabricated thin film battery sheet to store the electrical power. Each thin film energy absorption sheet can be fabricated using a roll-to-roll process. The energy harvesting device can be fabricated using a roll-to-sheet process from rolls of the thin film energy absorption sheets.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for a database processing system are described. A core database comprises common procedures for processing information, at least one of the common procedures configured to provide a common functionality to an analysis application. A content import database comprises content-specific procedures, at least one of the content-specific procedures configured to provide access for at least one of the common procedures to content of the content import database that conforms to a content-specific data model.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for data retrieval, from databases to clients, in an environment requiring runtime authorization. In response to a request for T data records, a learning module provides a prediction R of a suitable number of data records to retrieve from a database. Following retrieval of R records or record identifiers, authorization is sought from an authorization service, resulting in A of the records being authorized. The A authorized records are returned to the requesting client, and, if more records are needed, T is decremented and the cycle is repeated. A performance notification is provided to the learning module for training, with respect to providing values of prediction R. The performance notification can be based on a measure of authorization service performance, the number A of authorized records, latency, communication or resource costs, a measure of resource congestion, or other parameters. Variants are disclosed.

Abstract: A system includes reception, at a server and in a first browser session, of a request from a client for a token to access a first software service, determination of a token stored in a server memory of the server and associated with the first service and the client, determination, at the server, of whether a validity period of the token is within a predetermined period of expiration, and, if it is determined that the validity period of the token is within a predetermined period of expiration, transmission of a request for a new token to access the first software service from a token provider associated with the first service, reception of the new token from the token provider, and provision of the new token to the client in the first browser session.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for flexibly managing lock modes in a data-sharing environment, including optimistic and pessimistic lock modes. A lock mode determination service receives a request from an application instance for a lock mode with which to access specified data objects. The service can determine and provide a suitable lock mode based on a context of the application, and optionally other parameters, by evaluating a checklist of criteria sorted in precedential order. Criteria can include geo-boundaries, platform, role, and others. The requesting application instance uses the determined lock mode to access the data, with optional assistance of a lock service. The lock mode determination service can support one or more applications having one or more instances each, and can also support multiple disjoint data-sharing environments. Suitable environments include cloud, datacenter, mobile, client-server, and SAAS.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to a sputter chamber with a configurable surface in communication with a target material. A control system is in communication with the chamber and functions to prepare an alloy film by changing a composition of the configurable surface. As ingress gas is introduced to the chamber to interact with the changed composition, the interaction causes a reaction that produces an alloy film.

Abstract: A thin-film monolithically integrated solar module with a solar cell, an integrated energy storage device, and a controller may be provided. It may comprise a thin-film solar cell, having at least one solar diode, on a transparent substrate, a thin-film energy storage device, and an electronic controller comprising at least one thin-film transistor above the thin-film energy storage device. The electronic controller may be electrically connected to the thin-film solar cell and the thin-film energy storage device by vias. The named functional units may build a monolithically integrated device on one substrate.

Abstract: Methods, computer-readable media and systems are disclosed for building, deploying, operating, and maintaining an intelligent dynamic form in which a trained machine learning (ML) model is embedded. A universe of questions is associated with a plurality of output classifiers, which could represent eligibilities for respective benefits. The questions are partitioned into blocks. Each block can be associated with one or more of the classifiers, and each classifier can have a dependency on one or more blocks. An ML model is trained to make inferences from varied combinations of responses to questions and pre-existing data, and determine probabilities or predictions of values of the output classifiers. Based on outputs of the trained model, blocks of questions can be selectively rendered. The trained model is packaged with the question blocks and other components suitably for offline deployment. Uploading collected responses and maintenance of the dynamic form are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a solar cell includes providing a first substrate with at least one protruding element on the first substrate. The method removes a portion of a lower conducting layer located on the first substrate, wherein the removed portion of the lower conducting layer is located near the at least one protruding element. The method removes a first portion of an active layer located on the lower conducting layer. The method deposits an upper conducting layer on the active layer, wherein the conducting layer covers the at least one protruding element. The method removes a portion of the upper conducting layer, wherein the removed portion of the upper conducting is located near the at least one protruding element.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to a sputter chamber comprising both a target surface and an anode surface. The sputter chamber has both an ingress and an egress to allow passage of a gas. The sputter chamber further includes a target substrate. A secondary material flexibly changes the composition of the target substrate in-situ by changing coverage of the target by the secondary material. Gas entering the sputter chamber interacts with the changed composition of the target. The interaction discharges a plasma alloy and the alloy condenses on the anode surface in the sputter chamber. The condensed alloy produces an alloy film.

Abstract: A specification of the process model is received. The process model includes a plurality of process components. A relationship between a first process component and another process component of the plurality of process components is determined using a predictive model. A process rule for the first process component is determined. The process rule specified a second process component to be executed. The process rule includes the relationship determined using the predictive model or a heuristic rule. The second process component is executed according to the process rule.

Abstract: Photovoltaic cells, photovoltaic devices, and methods of fabrication are provided. The photovoltaic cells include a transparent substrate to allow light to enter the photovoltaic cell through the substrate, and a light absorption layer associated with the substrate. The light absorption layer has opposite first and second surfaces, with the first surface being closer to the transparent substrate than the second surface. A passivation layer is disposed over the second surface of the light absorption layer, and a plurality of first discrete contacts and a plurality of second discrete contacts are provided within the passivation layer to facilitate electrical coupling to the light absorption layer. A first electrode and a second electrode are disposed over the passivation layer to contact the plurality of first discrete contacts and the plurality of second discrete contacts, respectively. The first and second electrodes may include a photon-reflective material.