Abstract: A photovoltaic device is formed with a passivated light receiving first surface of a semiconductor material layer of a first dopant type. A region of oppositely doped semiconductor material is formed to create a p-n junction on at least part of a second surface located opposite to the light receiving first surface of the semiconducting material layer. First contacts are formed on the light receiving first surface of the first dopant type semiconductor material layer, and second contacts are formed on the oppositely doped material on the second surface of the semiconductor material layer.

Abstract: A method of mass spectrometry is disclosed wherein distortions in a mass spectrum are corrected for by determining or estimating the number of ions Qi which arrived in an ith time bin, wherein: Formula (I) and wherein qi is the actual total number of ion arrival events recorded in the ith time bin and x is an integer corresponding to the number of time bins which correspond with an estimated deadtime period.

Abstract: A method of determining the arrival time of one or more ions at an ion detector is disclosed. Ions arriving at the ion detector produce a signal and the time when a leading edge of the signal and when a trailing edge of the signal cross an intensity threshold are determined. The two times are then averaged to provide an ion arrival time.

Abstract: An ion trap mass analyser (1) is disclosed comprising a segmented rod set. Ions are trapped radially within the mass analyser by a radial pseudo-potential well. The ions are also confined axially within the ion trap by an axial electric field. The axial electric field is substantially linear across the central section of the iøn trap, but the electric field is distorted across both ends of the ion trap. A supplemental AC voltage or potential is applied to the electrodes comprising the ion trap mass analyser (1) in order to excite resonantly ions within the ion trap (1). The distortions in the electric field at the ends of the ion trap cause the resonant frequency of ions within the ion trap to shift to either a higher or lower frequency. If the frequency of the supplemental AC voltage or potential is scanned appropriately then ions are ejected from the ion trap in a shorter period of time leading to an improvement in mass resolution.

Abstract: An ion guide or mass analyser is disclosed comprising a plurality of electrodes having apertures through which ions are transmitted in use. A pseudo-potential barrier is created at the exit of the ion guide or mass analyser. The amplitude or depth of the pseudo-potential barrier is inversely proportional to the mass to charge ratio of an ion. One or more transient DC voltages are applied to the electrodes of the ion guide or mass analyser in order to urge ions along the length of the ion guides or mass analyser. The amplitude of the transient DC voltage applied to the electrode may be increased with time so that ions are caused to be emitted from the ion guide or mass analyser in reverse order of their mass to charge ratio.

Abstract: Novel compounds which are antagonists or inverse agonists at one or more of the opioid receptors, pharmaceutical compositions containing them, to processes for their preparation.

Abstract: An ion guide or mass analyser (2) is disclosed comprising a plurality of electrodes (2a) having apertures through which ions are transmitted in use. A pseudo-potential barrier is created at the exit of the ion guide or mass analyser (2). The amplitude or depth of the pseudo-potential barrier is inversely proportional to the mass to charge ratio of an ion. One or more transient DC voltages (4) are applied to the electrodes (2a) of the ion guide or mass analyser (2) in order to urge ions along the length of the ion guides or mass analyser (2). The amplitude of the transient DC voltage (4) applied to the electrode (2a) may be increased with time so that ions are caused to be emitted from the ion guide or mass analyser (2) in reverse order of their mass to charge ratio.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a 2D or 3D ion trap. The 2D ion trap comprises a quadrupole rod set ion trap wherein a slot is provided in each of the rods 1 to allow ions to be ejected radially from the ion trap. The 3D ion trap comprises a central ring electrode which is radially segmented and wherein a slot is provided in each radial segment to allow ions to be ejected radially from the ion trap. Ions having different mass to charge ratios and/or opposite polarities may be simultaneously ejected from the ion trap via different exit pathways.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer is disclosed wherein a signal output from an ion detector is digitised using an Analogue to Digital Converter. A background or baseline level is dynamically subtracted from the digitised signal whilst the time of flight data is still being acquired. A threshold is also applied dynamically to the digitised signal in order to reduce electronic noise.

Abstract: A long rail pick-up and delivery system providing increased efficiency and safety. The long rail pick-up and delivery system can include a power car, a rail train, a loading car, an unloading car, a transition car and two independent gantries. The dual gantry design allows for simultaneous and independent loading and unloading of long rail on both sides of the long rail pick-up and delivery system. The gantries are operably mounted on a elevated track whereby the gantries are capable to traversing the length of the rail train. The gantries can include booms having multiple degrees of freedom allowing a gripping head to grasp and pull long rail regardless of the resting attitude of the long rail. The long rail pick-up and delivery system can also include additional power cars, an integrated work station and additional gantries.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a time of flight mass analyser (7). The time of flight mass analyser (7) comprises an ion guide comprising a plurality of electrodes (1) which are interconnected by a series of resistors (2) forming a potential divider. Ions are confined radially within the ion guide by the application of a two-phase RF voltage to the electrodes (1). A single phase additional RF voltage is applied across the potential divider so that an inhomogeneous pseudo-potential force is maintained along the length of the ion guide.

Abstract: Techniques for customizing the delivery of advertisements to a client. In one embodiment, the customization comprises dynamically determining a length of time for an advertisement, where the length of time represents the minimum amount of time for which the advertisement is to be output (e.g., displayed) by a client. The length of time may be dynamically determined on a per-advertisement based upon multiple criteria.

Abstract: A collision or fragmentation cell (4) is disclosed comprising a plurality of electrodes wherein a first RF voltage (7a) is applied to an upstream group of electrodes and a second different RF voltage (7b) is applied to a downstream group of electrodes. The radial confinement of parent ions entering the collision or fragmentation cell (4) is optimised by the first RF voltage applied to the upstream group of electrodes and the radial confinement of daughter or fragment ions produced within the collision or fragmentation cell (4) is optimised by the second different RF voltage applied to the downstream group of electrodes.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a quadrupole rod set ion trap (2, 3) wherein a potential field is created at the exit of the ion trap (4, 5) which decreases with increasing radius in one radial direction. Ions within the ion trap (2, 3) are mass selectively excited in a radial direction. Ions which have been excited in the radial direction experience a potential field which no longer confines the ions axially within the ion trap but which instead acts to extract the ions and hence causes the ions to be ejected axially from the ion trap (2, 3).

Abstract: A display unit illuminated from in front of a display area, the display unit including a display area for presenting visual information to a user of the unit, a lens element spaced apart from and extending across the display area, and a source of illumination at a peripheral edge of the lens element for providing front illumination of the display area.

Abstract: This invention relates to novel compounds which are antagonists or inverse agonists at one or more of the opioid receptors, to pharmaceutical compositions containing them, to processes for their preparation, and to their use in therapy.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer is disclosed wherein an ion signal is split into a first and second signal. The first and second signals are multiplied by different gains and are digitised. Arrival time and intensity pairs are calculated for both digitised signals and the resulting time and intensity pairs are combined to form a high dynamic range spectrum. The spectrum is then combined with other corresponding spectra to form a summed spectrum.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising an orthogonal acceleration Time of Flight mass analyser. A pulse or packet of ions is released either from an ion trap (7) or alternatively from a travelling wave ion guide arranged upstream of an orthogonal acceleration electrode (2) which forms part of the Time of Flight mass analyser. Ions in the pulse or packet of ions which is released become temporally dispersed and the orthogonal acceleration electrode (2) is energised multiple times prior the release of a subsequent pulse or packet of ions.

Abstract: Systems and methods for a network device to update timing packets to reflect delay are provided. A timing packet processor is externally connected to the network device. All timing packets are processed by the timing packet processor. The timing packets are updated to reflect an estimate of delay introduced by the network device.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising an Electron Transfer Dissociation cell (1). Positive analyte ions are fragmented into fragment ions upon colliding with singly charged negative reagent ions with the cell (1). The cell comprises a plurality of ring electrodes (1) which form a spherical trapping volume. Ions experience negligible RF heating over the majority. of the trapping volume which enables the kinetic energy of the analyte and reagent ions to be reduced to just above thermal temperatures. An Electron Transfer Dissociation cell (1) having an enhanced sensitivity is thereby provided. Fragment ions created within the cell (1) may be cooled and may be transmitted onwardly to an orthogonal acceleration Time of Flight mass analyser enabling a significant improvement in the resolution of the mass analyser to be obtained.